Ghana is set to send teachers to Jamaica in a collaborative effort to address a critical shortage of educators in the island’s public school system.

This development follows the Jamaican Ministry of Education and Youth's intensified recruitment of overseas teachers to fill vacant positions.

Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kasan Troupe announced that Ghana, along with the Philippines, has shown a strong interest in supplying educators to Jamaica.

Preliminary discussions have already taken place between the Ghanaian ambassador and the Jamaican Education Ministry.

A delegation from Ghana is expected to visit Jamaica during the week of August 11 to finalize the arrangements.

“What is interesting with this discussion, colleagues, is that they (the teachers) are interested in working for the same emoluments as we offer to our teachers in Jamaica,” Dr. Troupe stated.

She further highlighted the positive impact of this development, noting that some volunteers have also expressed interest in being deployed to assist with the shortage, particularly in mathematics and the sciences.

These Ghanaian teachers have reportedly agreed to work for the same salaries as local Jamaican educators, which Dr. Troupe described as a significant step forward.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Jamaican government to ensure that schools are fully staffed for the upcoming academic year.

Dr. Troupe emphasized that while the international recruitment efforts are ongoing, Jamaican schools are not being mandated to hire foreign teachers but are being given additional options to ensure adequate staffing.

“Our responsibility as a ministry is to provide options for our principals… We are not forcing, but our schools must have options as they try to make sure their staff members are in place for the new academic year,” she explained.

This collaborative effort between Ghana and Jamaica highlights a proactive approach to addressing educational challenges and ensuring that students receive quality education, despite the current shortage of educators.