Teacher resignations decline in Jamaica, fewer than 300 leave system
Key Points(5)
- Teacher resignations in Jamaica have declined this year, with fewer than 300 educators leaving the public school system during the peak resignation period, according to Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information Dana Morris Dixon.
- Morris Dixon said fewer than 300 teachers submitted resignations between July and August, representing a decline compared with the same period in 2025.
- “That is less than last year.
- So we actually have less resignations in the system,” she said.
- The education minister made the disclosure Monday during the official opening of the newly established Hydel Cumberland High School at the Cumberland campus in Portmore, St.
Teacher resignations in Jamaica have declined this year, with fewer than 300 educators leaving the public school system during the peak resignation period, according to Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information Dana Morris Dixon.
Morris Dixon said fewer than 300 teachers submitted resignations between July and August, representing a decline compared with the same period in 2025.
“That is less than last year. So we actually have less resignations in the system,” she said.
The education minister made the disclosure Monday during the official opening of the newly established Hydel Cumberland High School at the Cumberland campus in Portmore, St. Catherine.
July and August are traditionally the months when the education system records the highest number of teacher resignations, as educators leave ahead of the start of the new academic year.
While vacancies remain within the system, Morris Dixon said the ministry has several measures in place to address staffing needs.
Among them is a pool of approximately 1,000 trained teachers who have graduated from teachers' colleges and are available for deployment to schools across the island.
The ministry has also established protocols to make it easier for teachers currently on extended leave to return to the classroom if they choose to do so.
“There are many avenues that we have put in place to deal with it. But I think one of the encouraging things is we have less resignations than in previous years,” Morris Dixon said.
Teacher retention has been a persistent concern for Jamaica's education sector in recent years, with educators leaving the classroom for opportunities overseas and in other professions.
The latest figures, however, suggest the number of departures has eased as the 2026-2027 academic year gets underway.
