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Late last year Ronnie tell us there was a shortage of maths teachers and he wanted to help recruitment of maths specialists by increasing their steipend.. On subsequent discussions in the media it was clear that there was not enough specialist science teachers... there were even few science teachers...And science was not properly taught in the non traditional schools....
Here we have the PM saying we can help Tanzania with these particular specialists...I am all for helping Tanzania.... Here it could be taking Tanzania student teachers and training them into specialists..
Development requires science specialists !
And Blu see I agree with the JTA!!!!!
Help Tanzania If We Have Extra Teachers - JTA President
Published: Thursday | May 30, 20134 Comments
Simpson Miller
Reports that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is considering providing mathematics and science teachers to the southern African nation of Tanzania are being greeted with caution from local interests.
An online article out of Tanzania yesterday quoted Tanzania's Directorate of Presidential Communications as stating that President Jakaya Kikwete had asked for Jamaica's assistance in providing mathematics and science teachers.
According to the report, Simpson Miller, who met with Kikwete in Ethiopia on Sunday, said Jamaica has the potential to help.
"I will look for those teachers once I return home. We will support you as much as possible because I know you are in great need of teachers in your country," Simpson Miller was quoted as saying.
DON'T DRAIN OUR POOL
Clayton Hall, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, noted that Jamaica has provided skills for export before in other areas, but he cautioned there were checks and balances that had to be observed in order to prevent a drain on Jamaica's own pool of educators.
"If we have surplus teachers, it may be a good idea to send them," he said.
However, Hall quickly said he could not verify whether Jamaica had such excess in the particular subject areas.
Indications from the education ministry are that Jamaica does not.
In March this year, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said there was a deficit in mathematics teachers at the primary and secondary levels.
NEED TO FIX WEAKNESSES
Thwaites said the ministry would be increasing the allocation "towards ensuring that sufficient mathematics specialists are placed in schools where there are weaknesses".
According to data provided by Thwaites, only nine per cent of secondary school teachers are qualified to teach mathematics up to grade 11, while 31 per cent of primary teachers are not adequately qualified to teach the subject.
"The results … indicate to us that 615 of our primary schools need support because they are attaining less than 50 per cent mastery at the grade-four level, and 132 of our high schools are identified as having a critical mathematics deficit," Thwaites said.
He also said he was targeting a 10 per cent increase in passes in the subject at the primary and secondary levels.
Here we have the PM saying we can help Tanzania with these particular specialists...I am all for helping Tanzania.... Here it could be taking Tanzania student teachers and training them into specialists..
Development requires science specialists !
And Blu see I agree with the JTA!!!!!
Help Tanzania If We Have Extra Teachers - JTA President
Published: Thursday | May 30, 20134 Comments
Simpson Miller
Reports that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is considering providing mathematics and science teachers to the southern African nation of Tanzania are being greeted with caution from local interests.
An online article out of Tanzania yesterday quoted Tanzania's Directorate of Presidential Communications as stating that President Jakaya Kikwete had asked for Jamaica's assistance in providing mathematics and science teachers.
According to the report, Simpson Miller, who met with Kikwete in Ethiopia on Sunday, said Jamaica has the potential to help.
"I will look for those teachers once I return home. We will support you as much as possible because I know you are in great need of teachers in your country," Simpson Miller was quoted as saying.
DON'T DRAIN OUR POOL
Clayton Hall, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, noted that Jamaica has provided skills for export before in other areas, but he cautioned there were checks and balances that had to be observed in order to prevent a drain on Jamaica's own pool of educators.
"If we have surplus teachers, it may be a good idea to send them," he said.
However, Hall quickly said he could not verify whether Jamaica had such excess in the particular subject areas.
Indications from the education ministry are that Jamaica does not.
In March this year, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said there was a deficit in mathematics teachers at the primary and secondary levels.
NEED TO FIX WEAKNESSES
Thwaites said the ministry would be increasing the allocation "towards ensuring that sufficient mathematics specialists are placed in schools where there are weaknesses".
According to data provided by Thwaites, only nine per cent of secondary school teachers are qualified to teach mathematics up to grade 11, while 31 per cent of primary teachers are not adequately qualified to teach the subject.
"The results … indicate to us that 615 of our primary schools need support because they are attaining less than 50 per cent mastery at the grade-four level, and 132 of our high schools are identified as having a critical mathematics deficit," Thwaites said.
He also said he was targeting a 10 per cent increase in passes in the subject at the primary and secondary levels.
I could not make any sense of this and Muta himself was confused and asked for clarification about 3 times. 
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