Jamaica’s Education Minister, Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, has announced a pivotal meeting scheduled for November 11, where key education stakeholders will convene to address the long-debated Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill. This legislation, which has been in development for over two decades, aims to regulate and professionalize the teaching workforce through licensing and a formal code of practice. The meeting will bring together representatives from the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), church groups, school principals, and parents to resolve outstanding issues and finalize the Bill. Dr. Morris Dixon emphasized the importance of inclusivity, stating, ‘We have to listen to everybody because everybody has an opinion on education.’ She acknowledged the extensive consultations conducted over the years but stressed the need to move forward, noting, ‘We don’t need to be trying to get the perfect Bill. We need to move forward.’ The JTA has raised concerns about certain provisions, particularly the composition of the JTC’s governing board, which allocates only six out of 31 seats to classroom teachers. Other contentious issues include the requirement for teachers to renew their licenses every five years, which the JTA argues could create administrative and financial burdens. Dr. Adrian Stokes, Chairman of the Education Transformation Oversight Committee, supported the extended consultation but cautioned against indefinite delays, stating, ‘We should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.’ He also highlighted the need for higher entry standards for teacher training programmes and a more competitive compensation system, drawing parallels with Singapore’s highly regarded education system. The ministry plans to review feedback from the November meeting, make necessary adjustments, and reintroduce the Bill to Parliament, marking a significant step in Jamaica’s education transformation journey.