THE MONTHLY GLEANER | SEPTEMBER 7 - OCTOBER 7, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 2 UNITED NATIONS (CMC): TRINIDAD AND Tobago’s representative to the United Nations, Dennis Francis, took the oath of office as the new president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, vowing to discharge its responsibilities to the best of his ability. Francis took the oath as the 77th session of the UNGA closed on Tuesday morning with outgoing President Csaba Kőrösi underscoring that amid geopolitical rivalries, cooperation among countries is indispensable. Francis will preside over the new UNGA which gets under way later on Tuesday (3 p.m. local time). Kőrösi told the UNGA that “our survival depends on our cooperation”, pointing to global roadblocks such as accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss, education and gender inequality. “Let us put money where our promises are,” he added, urging governments to translate actions for sustainable development into budgeting policies, national regulations and capacity building. Assembly President Kőrösi recalled the three“pillars” of the United Nations – peace and security, development, and human rights – and with conflicts raging around the world, asked if the UN Charter was really being upheld worldwide. “The war in Ukraine – along with other 51 armed conflicts – must end, in line with the UN Charter and international law,”he declared, calling also for an end to nuclear proliferation and the nuclear arms race. Kőrösi highlighted the need for integrated, holistic solutions that not only address current challenges but also protect against those in the future. He outlined the need for key UN bodies, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, to reform and evolve. “The world’s first passenger jet aircraft carried 36 passengers in 1952. It was a breakthrough in technological development,” he said, adding “that doesn’t mean that we can use it today to take us to Mars … Times are evolving, and this organisation must evolve with them.” Trinidad diplomat takes over presidency of United Nations General Assembly Jamaica may be affected more than others by the exodus of teachers from classrooms for better-paying jobs elsewhere, including abroad. The problem, however, i sn’ t uniquel y Jamaican. It’s across the Caribbean and poses serious threats to the region’s development. Which is why the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the regional economic integration organisation, must seek creative solutions, including the sharing of teachers via digital classrooms. The high turnover in the teaching profession, driven by a quest for more pay and better working conditions, isn’t new to Jamaica. In recent decades the problem has been exacerbated by foreign recruiters (mainly from the United States, Britain and Canada) who, seeking to cover teacher shortages in those countries, dangle hefty compensation packages, the allure of teaching overseas, and easier paths to immigration for the families of the people they recruit. It was assumed that recent significant pay rises to teachers, as part of a broader reclassification of public sector jobs, might slow the outflow. And that seemed to be the case up until a fortnight ago when the education minister, Fayval Williams, reported that this year up to September, based on existing data, 427 teachers had resigned from the public school system, or 1.6 per cent of the classroom employees. At that level, the departures represented a 72 per cent decline on the 1, 538 resignations for the comparable period last year, when 6.2 per cent of state-paid teachers quit. Celebration was, however, premature. Last week, Ms Williams disclosed that the resignations have doubled to 854. Four hundred (400) happened in 11 days. IMMEDIATE EFFECT While the regulations require that teachers give three months’ notice to quit, most of these resignations were with immediate effect. Schools will therefore have additional teaching gaps when the new academic year begins this week. Some principals claim that many teachers didn’t resign earlier to see what their new packages would be. Some continued up to the end of August to be sure of being paid for that month before leaving for their new jobs, mostly abroad. Officials expect another wave of resignations at the end of September, after a round of late recruitment to fill jobs that remain open in the United States. Ms Williams had announced a raft of measures – including allowing schools to hire retirees, giving the greenlight for teachers on long leave to be hired as their own substitutes or to teach elsewhere, and fast-tracking newly trained teachers into jobs – to help close gaps from the earlier resignations, which have now widened. The crisis may not be as deep elsewhere in CARICOM as in Jamaica, which is still attempting to right-side its economy after decades of high debt and of puny growth constrained living standards. Nonetheless, other countries, to varying degrees, also contend with the problem, including the foreign poaching of teachers. In Barbados, Mia Mottley’s government has been attempting to have a formal arrangement with the Fairfax county school district in the US state of Virginia, which would allow for an orderly recruitment of teachers, thereby avoiding the chaotic disruptions that bedevil Jamaica. Elsewhere, the denominational boards of education in Trinidad and Tobago, a coalition of schools owned by religious organisations, earlier this year complained that thousands of students might have to be turned away from their institutions because of a shortage of teachers. Their problem is on two fronts: teachers have left the classroom while the island’s teachers services commission was being slow in confirming new hires. In Guyana, where the discovery of oil is propelling galloping growth rates, President Irfaan Ali has been promising to fix a teacher shortage. Over several decades, during economic decline and political strife, Guyana lost large swathes of its professionals, including teachers, to immigration. With respect to teachers, foreign recruitment has, in recent times, worsened the situation. OUTWARD MIGRATION More generally, the Caribbean not only has high levels of outward migration, but it is the most educated who are likely to leave. One 2006 study found that in the 35 years between 1965 and 2000, 85 per cent of Jamaicans who were educated to the tertiary level had emigrated to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, the same ratio as Grenada. For Guyana, the figure was 89 per cent. Those numbers imply the loss of CARICOM’s potentially most productive people, in a region where educational outcomes are already low and the community’s aim is to transform itself into a full-fledged single market and economy to drive its development. CARICOM, in the circumstance, needs a coordinated strategy to entice its brightest people and educated people, including teachers, to stay in the region. Ultimately, the solution is strong regional economies where citizens also feel safe. This project requires, among other things, the services of good teachers. Given the shortage of teaching talent in individual countries, the community must rationally utilise those who are available. The pandemic, with its liberation of communication technologies that enhanced virtual travel, opened new possibilities. There is no reason, for instance, why a specialist maths teacher in Kingstown, St Vincent, covering essentially the same syllabus, can’t, with the support of an inclass assistant, teach students at a school in Kingston, Jamaica. And vice versa. CARICOM can make this happen. Or perhaps education entrepreneurs can. CARICOM fix to teacher crisis Lester Hinds/Gleaner Writer City University of New York (CUNY) is to offer five scholarships to honour the late entertainer and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte. This was announced by New York Governor Kathy Hochul at the West Indian Labour Day Parade, held in Brooklyn on Monday. The scholarships, intended to honour Belafonte’s extraordinary contributions, will fully cover educational expenses, including tuition, room and board, fees, books, transportation and personal expenses. Applications for the scholarships will open in the spring of 2024. The scholarships will go to five deserving CUNY students who embody the values and experiences that Belafonte stood for, displaying a strong commitment to social justice and the performing arts, while overcoming significant challenges, the governor was quoted by WNY News as saying. City University Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriques expressed gratitude, pointing out that the scholarships will allow students to continue their passion for the arts and social justice, mirroring Belafonte’s lifelong mission. Gina Belafonte, the late icon’s daughter, was quoted by the news outlet as sharing her deep appreciation for the recognition of her father’s legacy, highlighting the significance of providing opportunities for aspiring individuals to deepen their understanding of art and activism, fostering healthy communities. The CUNY scholarships will serve as an inspiration and seeks to extend his legacy, enabling students to defy the odds, create lasting impact, and enrich the lives of New Yorkers, the report noted. Belafonte, who passed away last year, was born in NewYork of immigrant parents - both his parents were born in Jamaica. He attended school in Jamaica before returning to NewYork. He was posthumously awarded the Keys to the City of NewYork by Mayor Eric Adams last month. CUNY scholarships to honour Belafonte Actor and singer Harry Belafonte. AP [EDITORIAL]
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