Govt. and JTA Sign New Wage Agreement

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) signed a new two-year wage agreement with the Government on Friday, October 6 at the offices of the Ministry of Finance and Planning in Kingston.
In this agreement, Principals will get a 14 per cent wage increase in year one and eight per cent in year two; trained and pre-trained graduates will receive 16 per cent in year one and eight per cent in year two; and pre-trained teachers will receive between 20 and 21 per cent in year one and five per cent in year two. The agreement was signed by Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Fitz Jackson and President of the JTA, Hopeton Henry.
In his address, the Finance Minister said the country has accepted the priority position of the education sector, in terms of its role in national development.”There can be no question about the need to mobilize additional resources for the sector, not only to pay good teachers better, but also to improve the educational environment, for example, some of the classroom situations,” Dr. Davies said.
He added that it was important that both the Government and the JTA use the next two years to “assess where the country must go in terms of educational achievements and how we should achieve that”.
For his part, Mr. Henry said that, “having signed, as teachers we are looking to go forward with our work as it relates to our job, in ensuring that the nation’s children are taught and that we are able to deliver the service that we are trained to do and what we are hired to do”.
Some of the other benefits that the island’s teachers will receive under the new agreement include, travelling allowance for teachers with posts of special responsibility; and a book, resource and technology allowance valued at $21,000 in year one and $22,000 in year two.