NPTAJ outlines concerns before start of school year

The National Parent Teachers Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) has outlined safety and security, transportation, teacher retention and nutrition as key elements of concern that need immediate attention by the authorities to ensure a solid footing for the upcoming academic year 2023-24.

In a media release, the NPTAJ called for an increase in the fortification of the perimeters of physical school plants, and the enforcement of standard protocols in and out of school, particularly regarding access to teachers and children during and after the school day.

"Educate the school population about safety measures and precautions, to ensure their personal safety in and out of school," the NPTAJ said. "Additionally, to safety and security, we implore the authorities to seek to find the best possible solutions in which our children can be transported to and from school without overly interacting with the general population."

The body called for designated school buses to be assigned on heavily traversed routes, and for stakeholders to make special arrangements for students in rural communities. The NPTAJ also called for the retrofitting of all buses and school plants to accommodate the physically challenged.

The body said it has observed the high attrition rates for teachers to practise their craft in other jurisdictions. While appreciating the overarching reasons influencing these decisions, the body lamented the wide gap of teacher-student contact.

The NPTAJ suggested that education stakeholders revisit the current remuneration package, and "have dialogue with the jurisdictions that our teachers go into, asking them to agree on a quota system".

"Consider term limits for overseas employment, reengage retired teachers with attractive offerings and move to virtual learning to widen the student/teacher contact environment in this new dispensation," the NPTAJ said. The body asked for a consorted effort by school administrators to guide the process of coordinating a healthier nutrition distribution within schools, and charged parents to collaborate with learning institutions "in ensuring that our children are afforded the best possible nutrition, at home and school".