EDITORIAL - Is Ms Molloy finding her range?

Nadine Molloy might, after all, turn out to be a good and transformative leader of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA).

At least, after frittering valuable months contriving excuses in defence of incompetence, laziness and lack of accountability among her members, she has begun to make the right kind of statements. Or, more correctly, making them with what appears to be a level of seriousness, rather than merely parroting expected clichés.

Her New Year message, for instance, is indicative of the emerging, if not new, Ms Molloy. Her central theme was the need for teachers to take responsibility for educational outcomes - or, more than they have done in the past.

So, the JTA, she said, "cannot and will not" absolve itself of responsibility for our children's performance in the classroom.

What we suspect is happening is that the longer she stays in office and the closer she looks at things, Ms Molloy will be confronted with the grim reality of just how little her members are held to account and how poorly - problems and resources, notwithstanding - they perform.

Shameful report results

The report recently tabled in Parliament by the education ministry's school inspectorate would have shamed the leader of any professional organisation with any shred of pride or decency, if assessment of his/her members was similarly poor.

It found that large numbers of teachers in the system have a very poor grasp of the subjects they teach and lack skills in pedagogy. Indeed, of 23 primary schools surveyed, just shy of 50 per cent, by the determination of the inspectors, were failing, if not failed, institutions. In another context, these schools would have been ripe for the receiver.

It is hardly surprising, in the circumstance, that more than a fourth of our children do not master the diagnostics for literacy and numeracy at the grade four level; that so many continue to struggle at grade six; or that hardly more than a fifth - even with the large proportion of the cohort that drops out, or is screened out along the way - do well enough in a single sitting at grade 11 to matriculate immediately to higher education.

Accountability issues

These statistics have not changed much, despite the implementation of new salary rates more than two years ago to bring teachers close to parity with equivalent jobs in the private sector. Unfortunately, there was no requirement for teachers to lift their performance for higher pay.

Perhaps now that Ms Molloy is less preoccupied with wringing the $18 billion of arrears from the Government, she is in a better position to concentrate on matters of performance, and pushing her JTA colleagues to embrace modern concepts of accountability.

We agree with Ms Molloy that improving education is not the responsibility of her organisation only and that there must be substantial discussion between all stakeholders ahead of "far-reaching changes". We know that, by this, the new Ms Molloy does not mean talking in unproductive circles.

We expect, therefore, that she will soon declare support for:

Performance-based contracts for principals:

Linking increments and bonuses for teachers to classroom outcomes; and

Placing failing schools under management.

Ms Molloy should also back the school inspectorate system, which, in identifying laggards and poor performers, can help in her effort to enhance her profession and improving education - assuming that is her mission and intended legacy.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.