PHILIPSBURG--Schools in the country will reopen with a shortage of 44 teachers, if there are no successful applicants for the openings between now and Monday, August 13, when children are set to return to school.
“We don’t have enough teachers,” Minster of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (ECYS) Wycliffe Smith said on Wednesday. “It seems as if this year, our schools will be starting off with a shortage of 44 teachers at all levels.”
Smith said teachers are needed for both primary and secondary schools. For the secondary school level, teachers are needed for the subjects Dutch, mathematics, integrated science, English, social studies, geography, chemistry, physics, economics, home economics, information technology, plumbing, automotive repairs and computer repairs.
“As you can see, we need a range of subject teachers,” he said. He issued a public appeal to qualified persons to apply for the posts and for persons who know of qualified teachers in the needed subject areas, to encourage them to apply for the upcoming academic year. “The school boards will be willing to receive your applications and process them accordingly.”
Smith said teacher shortage is now a worldwide phenomenon affecting both first and third world countries. Countries are faced with a serious shortage of teachers, he added. “Even though the shortage of 44 teachers in St. Maarten at this time seems small, it is quite high because if we don’t get these positions filled, classes might have to be doubled and teachers might have to double up on teaching and who suffers eventually? – our students,” Smith noted.
He said high school graduates seem not to be attracted to the teaching profession. This year only 13 persons were awarded study financing to pursue studies in teaching.
“I want to stress that teaching is a noble profession and I want to encourage persons to really give this some serious thought,” he said noting that teachers are among a nation’s greatest assets. “So, I want to encourage you to become a teacher.”
