Up Front
Teaching Profession Under Study
Hon. Roy Bodden, Minister of Education, and PermanentSecretary in the ministry, Mrs. Joy Basdeo, with the Working Groupon Recruitment of Caymanian Teachers -- Mr. Gilbert McLean, Chairman,Ms. Debra McLaughlin, Deputy Chairman, Mr. Jonathon Tibbetts,Ms. Vickie Frederick, Mr. Leonard Bodden, Ms. Joan West and Ms.Leonora Mendoza-Hydes.
Education Ministry concerned with low ratioof Caymanian teachers
Minister of Education, Hon. Roy Bodden hasannounced that a committee has been established to examine theconditions relating to Caymanians in the teaching professionsin the Cayman Islands and to make recommendations to promote teachingas a career for Caymanians.
Central to the Committee's formation is the low numbers of Caymanianteachers, particularly males, in the school system and the exodusof teachers from the profession.
"The lack of teachers in the classroom has been a concernof some elements of society for quite sometime, myself included,"said Mr. Bodden, addressing a press conference on Tuesday, 30thJanuary.
Mr. Bodden introduced the committee, or 'Working Group on Recruitmentof Caymanian Teachers', as it is called, which is chaired by Mr.Gilbert McLean, MLA for Bodden Town. Members are Ms. Debra McLaughlin,Deputy Chairman; Mr. Jonathon Tibbetts; Ms. Vickie Frederick;Mr. Leonard Bodden; Ms. Joan West and Ms. Leonora Mendoza-Hydes.
Of the 439 teachers and administrators in the Government Schoolssystem, only
100, or one third are Caymanian the number of male teachers isin single digit, the media were told.
"As Minister I am now in a position to set up some formalinquiry into this process," he added.
The Committee is to have four terms of reference in consideringwhy Caymanian educator numbers were low and what could be doneto correct the situation.
Mr. Bodden outlined that the first is to determine how far thepresent supply of Caymanian teachers meets the overall demandsfor teachers within the education system in the Cayman Islandsin both public and private educational institutions. The secondis to investigate the reasons why Caymanian teachers leave theteaching profession, giving attention to the average length ofstay and the alternative employment's they choose.
He cited the third as determining ways and means of attractingCaymanians into the teaching profession, giving particular attentionto male Caymanians. The fourth term of reference is that, in arrivingat its conclusions, the Committee should so structure its scheduleas to present an interim report in April with the final reportto be presented to the Ministry of Education, Human Resourcesand Culture on or before June 30th this year.
Committee Chairman, Mr. McLean, himself a former teacher, said:"Ithink it is necessary for this group to be formed. We are nowlooking into the teaching profession as this is an area of immenseneed, seeing that at first glance it appears that Caymanian teachersonly fill a third of the required number of teachers.
"The (committee's) purpose is to discover as many reasonsas possible why educators are leaving the teaching professionand why they are not being attracted to the profession. It seemsthat the reasons are varied and not necessarily related to salary,"he explained.
Mr. McLean noted that one of the things that make this committeeworkable is that it is made up of educators. "This aloneshould allow us to arrive at factual conclusions, which may nothave been noted or recorded before. This committee should giveus a good insight into an area of serious need," he said.
The disparity in the numbers of male and female teachers shouldbe an area of concern because male students should have male rolemodels to emulate, and male teachers add balance to the teachingprofession, Mr. McLean noted. "I was amazed to discover thatthere are only five Caymanian male teachers. During my time inteaching (1964-1969), it was about balanced," he said.
Ms. McLaughlin, Principal of John Gray High School suggested thatreasons for the low numbers of male teachers might be financialand as well as teachers being taken for granted.
"It seems to me that our value system today is skewed. Teachersare not held in the high esteem as they were in years back andthere are times when educators don't seem to make a difference,"she stated.
She said that at one point she had written her letter of resignationand was applying to the Law School, but changed her mind becauseshe loved her profession. "My love is dealing with the youngpeople and teaching them. We can mold their young lives."
The Minister pointed out that while support will be provided bythe Department of Education,the Committee's report "willnot be influenced by the Ministry or Department of Education inanyway."