SBA PAY FRUSTRATION

President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, Leighton Johnson, is expressing frustration after the Ministry of Education reneged on its promise to pay all teachers who were engaged in the marking of school-based assessments (SBAs) for last year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination in April.

“I can confirm that those monies have not been paid … the ministry made a commitment that was not followed through on,” he said.

“The teachers are upset, the teachers are disheartened, they feel that the ministry doesn’t treat anything that has to do with teachers with the level of urgency that it deserves,” he added.

SBAs are an internal assessment component which consists of a set of assignments carried out by the student following guidelines provided by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and assessed by the teacher using criteria provided by CXC.

In March, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Dr Kasan Troupe, told The Gleaner that the outstanding payments would be made to teachers by April.

She shared that the education ministry has funds in hand to pay the 5,300 teachers, and was doing calculations to take into account the increase granted last year.

The payment for teachers who mark these assessments was increased from $300 to $500 per SBA last year.

“We have part of it ready, it’s budgeted, it’s in the budget; we’re just waiting for a decision if we go full rollout for that money outstanding and then we put some deadlines in for the implementation of the retro,” she said at the time.

On Friday, Troupe told The Gleaner that payments are made via the Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC) directly to teachers based on information submitted to the agency by the schools.

She noted that payments are ongoing but was unable to provide data on how many teachers have been paid so far.

Meanwhile, an exam coordinator, who requested anonymity, told The Gleaner that she was informed that payments had been made by the OEC to about 30 schools.

But the coordinator said no official word has been forthcoming from either agency as to the further delay for the majority of teachers.

“Nothing has been said officially to the schools, it’s only because people are calling and asking questions about what’s been happening and you’re just hearing this bit of information,” the coordinator said.

Peeved at the silence from the Ministry of Education on the matter, the administrator said it has compounded the frustration of teachers.

‘The teachers work hard, what if the teachers were to say we not marking any SBA? Then no children wouldn’t get no grade but we mark it because its not the children’s fault why the ministry is not holding up their end of the bargain, they don’t have any manners and that’s how they have always treated teachers, like they going to seh oh ‘a dat ya mek fuss over, the likkle money?’” the coordinator continued.

Johnson, in the meantime said the matter will be on the agenda of this month’s meeting with the Ministry of Education.

“Teachers just feel that once it comes to payment, it takes a very long time within the Ministry of Education and they can’t seem to understand why,” he said.

This lethargic attitude, he contends, is displayed by the ministry in other areas as well when dealing with teachers.

“Teachers are frustrated at this, we really call on the Ministry of Education to ensure that their HR processes are in keeping with 24th-century practices,” he said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com