ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the attrition of Jamaican teachers due to migration over the last 20 years. The crisis is exacerbated by the aggressiveness of foreign recruiters who are offering attractive salaries for teaching jobs overseas. It is suggested that government policies are doing little to stem this tide. Lured by the benefits of remittances from teachers who migrate and resigned to the notion that Jamaica cannot compete with overseas salaries, government initiatives focus on replacing rather retaining its teachers. Media reports and current research suggest this approach ignores the possibility that teachers’ reasons for migrating extend beyond poor remuneration. While this is a key concern, Jamaican teachers are also leaving because of poor working conditions, low respect for the work they do, lack of voice and poor professional support. It is suggested that redressing these issues could offer viable solutions to managing the crisis of teacher migration from Jamaica.
