Competing visions for improving teachers’ quality of life took centre stage on Monday as candidates for Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) president-elect Dr Maureen Mullings-Nelson and Dr Darien Henry sparred over salaries, housing, special education and the future direction of the teaching profession.

The two educators used the JTA’s annual presidential debate to pitch contrasting solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing teachers, including low pay, housing affordability, teacher retention and growing demands in the classroom.

Henry, principal of Montego Bay Community College, argued that improving teacher compensation must be a national priority, proposing that classroom teachers should earn between US$30,000 and US$35,000 annually in line with regional counterparts.