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| Dr. David Smith - JTA President |
Warm greetings and abundant blessings to everyone.
Today, we gather in faith and unity to mark the beginning of Education Week 2025, we pause to recognize the profound role that education plays in shaping the destiny of our beloved Jamaica. This week stands as a beacon—a time to honour our dedicated teachers, to reflect on the importance of nurturing our children, and to reaffirm our commitment to the transformative power of education. Our theme this year underscores the importance of ‘safeguarding the future of education and by extension the nation, by adapting to the changing landscape of learning, geopolitical disruptions, social inequities and technological advancements.’
It is critical that we recognize on an individual and collective level that education is the cornerstone of Jamaica’s development. Our greatest asset is not our natural resources, but the boundless potential of our people. To truly safeguard our future, we must commit to an inclusive education system that nurtures every child, validating the diverse spectrum of human abilities and intelligences. This requires strategic investment in education at every level—Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary—as well as expanded emphasis on Special Education. Every stage of learning is interconnected, forming a tapestry of progress that propels us towards Vision 2030.
Ladies and gentlemen, the education that I am talking about, is far more than the pursuit of academic excellence or the passing of examinations; it is the foundation upon which we can build solutions to Jamaica’s most pressing social and economic challenges. It is the tool that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and fortifies the nation. A robust, inclusive, forward-thinking and well-resourced education system based on Godly principles is the key to unlocking sustainable growth, fostering social cohesion, while also creating a safer, more prosperous Jamaica for generations to come. It is for this reason that the JTA joined forces with our global partner, Education International, the umbrella group that represents over 33 million teachers, in 180 countries, through 375 member organizations and unions, to launch the “Go Public, Fund Education Campaign”. A call to action as a country to demand a historic investment in Education, aimed at catapulting Jamaica into the future by investing in our greatest resource…our people! I call upon both political parties in an election season to talk more strategically of your plans for education as a conduit to develop our human capital. The reality, ladies and gentlemen, is there is no version of an economically sustainable, socially viable or progressive Jamaica that does not have education and God at the centre of its existence.
Yet, the urgency of this moment demands action beyond words and empty platitudes. It calls for a united effort—a national movement in which every citizen plays a role in safeguarding our collective future.
We call upon our policymakers to recognize education as the most powerful investment we can make for our country’s future. Now is the time for a bold and unprecedented investment in education, one that ignites a meaningful revolution in our human capital and shifts Jamaica towards a trajectory of true progress and national transformation.
I take this opportunity to urge the Government to address the significant flaws within the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill (JTC) that has been passed in the senate and now heads to the ‘Lower House’. The JTA after two decades of advocacy on this bill, feels betrayed, as the bill in its present form, demonstrates that no meaningful effort was made to address the critical concerns raised by the teachers of Jamaica. A bill that purports to professionalise the teaching service, seems more obsessed with punitive sanctions and taking control of the profession away from teachers, rather than empowering our teachers. The JTA will continue to advocate unapologetically for the teachers to have greater agency and administration of their profession, as is the case with all other professional regulatory bodies in Jamaica. We stand ready to take all possible actions to halt this travesty! This bill must NOT be passed in its current form; the teachers of Jamaica will not forget this betrayal!
Ladies and gentlemen, we must also recognize and celebrate the tireless commitment of educators across all levels of the education sector, those who dedicate themselves to shaping young minds despite the many challenges they face. Their unwavering passion and sacrifice do not go unnoticed, and today, we lift them up in gratitude and prayer. At this moment, I lift up every teacher, every administrator, every member of the support staff in all schools across Jamaica.
Thank you all for your unwavering dedication and sacrifices. I pray God will bless you with strength, wisdom, and patience as you nurture the young minds of this country. May our educators be endowed with resilience in the face of adversity and continually inspired to nurture, motivate, and uplift the students entrusted to their care. May their work be filled with purpose, and may they find joy in shaping the future of our nation. Lord, provide them with protection, support, encouragement, and the resources needed to thrive in their calling. Let their efforts be fruitful, and may they always feel valued and appreciated not only in words but through fair remuneration.
I also pray, that our gracious and loving God will protect every child and parent in Jamaica. Bless our children with wisdom, intellectual curiosity, and emotional resilience. May they embrace learning with joy and grow into the Godly leaders of tomorrow, this country desperately needs. Strengthen our parents, granting them patience, courage, and the means to support their children's journey. May our homes be places of encouragement and love, fostering growth and opportunity. Guide our educators and policymakers to nurture an inclusive, transformative education system. I pray the good Lord, will protect and uplift our nation, so that every Jamaican may thrive and have ‘life more abundantly’.
Let us stand together, not just in acknowledgment of the importance of education, but in the active pursuit of its advancement. Let us work hand in hand to adapt to the changing landscape, ensuring that every Jamaican child has access to the opportunities they deserve. And above all, let us entrust our mission to God, who gives wisdom generously to all who seek him.
May His grace continue to guide us, strengthen our educators, children, parents, and leaders, may our hearts be inspired to safeguard the future of education in Jamaica.
I leave you all with the words of John F. Kennedy, “Our Progress as a Nation can be no Greater than Our Progress in Education”
Have a blessed Education Week 2025 and may God Bless You All.
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