Jamaica Teaching Council Hosts Fireside Discussion on World Teachers’ Day

As Jamaica joins the international community in observing World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2026, a major highlight of the national programme of activities will be a Fireside Discussion.

This will be hosted by the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC), which will bring together some of the country’s leading educational thinkers and practitioners to reflect on the status and future of the teaching profession.

The event, scheduled to take place at the Medallion Hall Hotel in Kingston from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., forms part of the global observance marking 60 years since the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organization (ILO)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

Chief Mentoring Officer at the Jamaica Teaching Council, Ingrid Peart Wilmot, who will moderate the discussion, said the forum provides an important opportunity for Jamaica to reflect on the progress made within the profession, while examining the support and reforms needed to meet the demands of the future.

She noted that for six decades, the landmark recommendation has helped to shape international thinking on teacher rights, responsibilities, professional standards and working conditions.

“As the international community marks this significant milestone, it gives Jamaica an opportunity not only to celebrate what has been achieved but also to examine what the profession needs for the next chapter. We must ask ourselves what kind of teaching profession we need for the Jamaica that we are building,” Mrs. Peart Wilmot said.

The discussion will focus on the ongoing review of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation and explore Jamaica’s strengths, current realities and aspirations within the education sector. Panellists will engage in a forward-looking conversation on how the teaching profession can continue to evolve to support national development and educational transformation.

A distinguished panel has been assembled for the event, comprising Regional Director of UNESCO for the Caribbean, Eric Falt; President of The Mico University College, Dr. Osbourne Pinnock; Principal of William Knibb Memorial High School, Lindburn Wright; Senior Director of Sector Services Support at the Early Childhood Commission, Simone Ellis Dixon; Reverend Deacon Ronald Thwaites; Director of the School of Education in the Faculty of Humanities and Education at The University of the West Indies, Mona, Professor Carmel Roofe; and Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Teaching Council, Dr. Winsome Gordon.

The audience will consist primarily of teachers, alongside master teachers, principals, vice-principals and lecturers, ensuring that the voices of educators remain central to the conversation.

World Teachers’ Day is celebrated annually on October 5 in recognition of the invaluable contributions of teachers and to promote excellence within the profession.

This year’s observance in Jamaica will also include a National Sunday Service on October 4 at the Church of God of Prophecy on Old Harbour Road in Spanish Town, where outstanding teachers from the Quality Education Circle (QEC) will be recognised and a national World Teachers’ Day message delivered.

The Fireside Discussion is expected to generate meaningful dialogue and recommendations aimed at strengthening the profession and ensuring that teachers remain at the heart of Jamaica’s educational advancement.