JTA President Flags School Challenges as New Academic Year Begins

As Jamaica’s new academic year begins, Teachers’ Association President La Sonja Harrison says some students and educators are still returning to classrooms marked by mould, poor lighting, unfinished repairs, water shortages and inadequate furniture.

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That cannot be your standard, Jamaica.

In her back-to-school message, Harrison acknowledged preparations for reopening but said the conditions at some schools, particularly in western Jamaica, remain “deeply concerning.” She questioned how closures and consolidations are being managed, saying communication with teachers, parents, principals and school boards has raised concerns about respect for educators and the level of consultation.

Harrison also challenged the gap between official discussions about teacher autonomy and the treatment of educators. Referring to Finland’s education system, she said, “If we admire educational systems such as that of Finland, then we must be prepared to examine the principles that make those systems successful, including trust in and respect for educators.”

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If we admire educational systems such as that of Finland, then we must be prepared to examine the principles that make those systems successful, including trust in and respect for educators.

She said the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill, in its current form, “cannot stand” and said the association was awaiting a promised meeting and an update on amendments from the education minister. Harrison cited Aboukir High School, where she said a condemned building had remained unresolved since October 2025, forcing students and teachers to share sanitation facilities while repairs had yet to begin. She also referred to termite-damaged furniture, infrastructure problems at Alligator Pond Primary and recent developments at Balcombe Drive.

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cannot stand

“Many children will still return to unacceptable conditions, mould, inadequate furniture, unfinished repairs, furnace light and poorly lit tents, water challenges, and other deficiencies, and then we call it resilience,” she said. Harrison raised continued teacher shortages but welcomed efforts by the Education Ministry to collect data and address the gaps. She also welcomed Water, Environment and Climate Change Minister Matthew Samuda’s commitment to ensuring schools have water, saying teaching and learning must continue in safe classrooms.

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Many children will still return to unacceptable conditions, mould, inadequate furniture, unfinished repairs, furnace light and poorly lit tents, water challenges, and other deficiencies, and then we call it resilience.