Jamaican High Commissioner to London, Burchell Whiteman, has written to the British government, proposing an extension of the contracts of Jamaican teachers recruited to teach in the United Kingdom (U.K.), to allow them to meet the qualified teachers status (QTS) to continue their employment.

The QTS is the accreditation that enables teachers to teach in state-maintained and special schools in the U.K.

"Given what has been claimed, namely that many of these teachers are still needed by their schools, and given the obvious inappropriateness of any suggestion that the (overseas recruitment) policy should be reversed or indefinitely suspended, consideration could be given to a one-year extension for all teachers and that for a further year, only those schools, which continue to require the services of those who are still in need of more time, should be allowed to recommend extensions for their members of staff," said Mr. Whiteman.

He said he hoped that a commitment can be made to a review and that decisions will be made expeditiously to resolve the issue in the interest of teachers, the students and the British public in general.

High Commissioner Whiteman said while he was aware of various steps being contemplated by teachers, their unions and other organisations to deal with what is seen as injustices being experienced by a number of teachers who face unemployment and or deportation, the High Commission was not in support of any unnecessary confrontation with the U.K. government and its agencies.