The Mico University College

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT TEACHER MIGRATION

IN JAMAICA.

Prepared by:

Latoya Smith, Keresa Scott, Marlon Hamilton, Christopher Thompson

December 01, 2022

 Contributors

Latoya Smith

Keresa Scott

Marlon Hamilton

Christopher Thompson
 The Global Movement of Teachers is an international phenomenon. It has created

economic, social, cultural, and political challenges for teachers, students, and society in general.

The effects of this phenomenon have not been adequately addressed in Jamaican schools or

teacher preparation programs. This Research Proposal will investigate what factors are there that

affect teacher migration in Jamaica, using rich quantitative data (using sampling methods and

sending out online surveys, online polls, and questionnaires) to identify the factors that motivate

teachers either to migrate or not migrate from their initial employment destinations.

To make it noticeably clear, this Research Proposal is being made to investigate the

causes of teacher migration in Jamaica. Teacher migration is a world problem that has negative

impacts on school efficiency and student achievement. The investigation into the factors of

teacher migration in Jamaica has become necessary to ensure that our schools are staffed with

competent teachers and administrators. In order to bring this research to light, as a group of

individuals, there is a desire for sponsorship from the Ministry of Education. Please consider this

research request to be sponsored. The Research Committee has approved the research proposal

and recommended that it be sent to the sponsor board for a final decision. The proposed project

has been approved by The Mico University College and have been given permission to

commence with the investigation. The Department of Education in Jamaica is currently

conducting research regarding teacher migration. Through collaboration with the department and

using their research findings, it is hoped to publish an article in reference to the topic of teacher

migration that can be used across the globe by governments and educational institutions. This

research has the potential to help trustees, community members and various stakeholders better

understand where the school system is. It will also allow them to understand the factors that are

affecting teacher migration in Jamaica today. The results of this research can be used in
designing recruitment strategies for teachers who have or have had migration experience, thus

helping them to settle better within their communities and not just survive there. Also, this

research will support organizations developing teacher training policies and programs. It answers

questions on the factors that influence teachers to migrate, as well as how migrating teachers are

affected by their migration experience. This information can be used to design better programs,

improve recruitment strategies, and target those most at risk of departing from the teaching

profession. It will also enhance understanding of migration trends within the Jamaican education

system and contribute to our understanding of why some Jamaican teachers remain in Jamaica

while others migrate for professional advancement elsewhere.

Ongoing teacher migration trends in Jamaica have been identified as one of the major

causes of lack of continuity and retention in the teaching profession. The majority of research

studies conducted on teacher migration in Jamaica focus on factors that influence the decision to

migrate. Therefore, there is a need for current and future research regarding factors that affect

teachers’ migration experiences at the institutional level. This can serve as an evidence-based

approach to enhance teacher migration policies on an international scale. Therefore, this study

will explore the main factors that affect teachers’ migration experience within the Public and

Private Schools in Kingston, St. Andrew (number of schools needed for this research was totaled

up to 5 schools). The research will be conducted during the next 2 months. The findings of this

study will be used to recommend ways in which the country can make more teachers remain

within its borders by reducing their tendency to migrate to countries where they get better

salaries and benefits.

 TABLE OF CONENTS

Problem Identification…………………………………………………………………………

Abstract…………...……………………………………………………………………………

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………

Problem Statement…………………………………………………………………….

Purpose of The Study………………………………………………………………….

Rationale……………………………………………………………………………………….

Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………….…………….

Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………...

Research Design……………………………………………………………………………….

Research Methods……………………………………………………………………...

Literature review……………………………………………………………………….

Data and Observation………………………………………………………………….

Research Instruments………………………………………………………………………….

Data Collection and Analysis Procedures………….………………………………………….

Conclusion and Recommendations……………………………………………………………

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………...

Appendixes…………………………………………………………………………………….
 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

This Research Proposal is intended to investigate the factors that affect teacher migration

in Jamaica. The factors include tenure, education level and income. The increasing number of

teachers migrating from Jamaica to other countries is a sign of the decreasing quality of

Jamaican education. It also reflects the lack of respect that Jamaican teachers have for their

profession. This lack of respect has been present for a long time and is one of the biggest reasons

why so many teachers leave Jamaica.

This research proposal aims to identify the problems that teachers are facing and propose

a solution to that problem. The study was conducted in Jamaica by a team of researchers through

a survey method.
 ABSTRACT

The main aim of this research report is to address the problems that have been experienced by

teachers in Jamaica, who are migrating to various countries to achieve better opportunities . This

research has revealed that there are many factors influencing teacher migration, including

availability of employment opportunities and flexibility. Today, teacher migration has become

one of the major problems in our society. Teachers are leaving their jobs in schools and

migrating to other countries, mainly because they don’t have effective policies that help them

cope with their frustrations while working at the classroom level. This study will investigate the

factors that affect teacher migration in Jamaica and determine if there is a need for policy

enforcement as well as provide some possible suggestions as far as policy implementation is

concerned. The main research question is: What are the main factors that influence teachers to

leave rural areas for urban areas?

Teachers’ migration is currently a significant challenge in Jamaica. The topic is receiving a lot of

attention from the media as well as policy makers who have been trying to find solutions to

minimize it. This project aims at identifying the factors that affect teacher migration through

examining what teachers say about themselves, their perceptions and practices, their experiences

and perspectives on these factors which may influence them in migrating from one place to

another, which would result in an appreciation of patterns of mobility as well as provide insights

into possible solutions.

 INTRODUCTION

In accordance with this research, “It is important to note that while migration is

happening across the world, Jamaicans are migrating in significant numbers. In fact, the rising

number of teachers who have migrated over time may be attributed to the high rate of emigration

of both teachers who are trained overseas and those trained in Jamaica”(Freeman, 2018). In

addition, this is also a controversial topic because some argue it's not always easy to get accepted

by foreign countries. The fact that most countries do require teachers to meet some sort of

standard or qualifications makes it all the more difficult to migrate.

This Research Proposal has been conducted to determine the factors that affect teacher

migration in Jamaica, so that a possible solution can be created to help diminish this problem.

The purpose of this research is to understand what factors influence teachers' decisions on

whether or not they will migrate from their country of origin. This study uses a quantitative

approach with a sample size of 100 teachers, who have migrated from Jamaica as part of their

teaching career. The data was collected through an online questionnaire administered through an

online survey platform (Google Forms). A questionnaire and an interview schedule were used as

instruments to collect data. The research findings revealed that teachers tend to migrate because

they get frustrated with the system, they lack support from parents and society, teachers disagree

with expected results and some teachers leave because there is no career progression within the

teaching service in Jamaica. The research will be conducted during the next 2 months.

Furthermore, the findings of this study will be used to recommend ways in which the country can

make more teachers remain within its borders by reducing their tendency to migrate to countries

where they get better salaries and benefits.

 The limitation associated with this study is that it does not account for all variables

affecting teacher migration decisions; however, this limitation leads us closer towards

understanding what drives these decisions so we can develop programs aimed at improving them

further down the road! Another limitation lies within our lack of knowledge about why some

people choose to stay put while others leave altogether - such questions aren't easy ones but

perhaps with more research and collaboration between various stakeholders like government

agencies (education), non-profit organizations like UNICEF etcetera there might be hope yet.

In this study, I found that the most significant factors influencing teachers’ decisions to

migrate were: 1) their level of satisfaction with their current job situation, 2) their economic

status (or lack thereof), 3) the quality of life in their country of origin vs. destination and 4)

whether or not they had access to relevant information about migration opportunities.
 RATIONALE

Teaching is one of the most enduring and respected professions in Jamaica. The profession has

been a source of pride in Jamaica, yet tension between the union and government has created an

overly complicated situation.

This Research Proposal seeks to determine what factors affect teacher migration in

Jamaica and recommend any possible way a group/society/government can prevent teacher

migration in Jamaica. The investigation will consider various socio-political issues that have

been traditionally fought by unions such as housing, salary, working arrangements, and the

reoccurring changes in education and technology, that caused many teachers to leave their

assigned schools and districts.

There will also be an investigation into the economic issues with teachers who are forced

to leave their jobs 2) the political issues with politicians who want foreign trained specialists in

teaching 3) the social effects of losing teacher jobs that can be filled by local teachers 4) the

educational effects resulting from this migration 5) how much will it affect Jamaica's future

education system by losing these qualified educators?

There is always a gap in any research that is being proposed, and in this Research

Proposal; the gap in the literature is that, though migration has been studied extensively, there

are no studies or articles focusing on teacher migration. This Research Proposal aims to fill this

gap by investigating the factors that affect teacher migration in Jamaica and finding the best

solution to this problem. It is high hopes that this will help the readers to use these findings to

propose a good solution to use within the hard-working world for teachers, and to aid in

improving teachers’ lives, and respect towards their career.

 The research to date indicates that there are no formal data on the specific factors that

affect teacher migration in Jamaica. Attempting to fill this gap, this proposal plans to stay aimed

at identifying co-factors and contextual variables within Jamaica that may be contributing to the

phenomenon of teacher migration.

Focusing on three primary variables: economic development, socio-cultural factors, and

educational infrastructure as well as policy issues related to teachers' mobility who have

completed their initial training in Jamaica and have found jobs outside of the Caribbean.
 HYPOTHESIS

In examining the factors that govern teacher migration. The data draws are being drawn from an

online survey of teachers and graduate students; all are part of a large-scale investigation into the

causes of teacher mobility in Jamaica.

There are a number of factors that deterred teachers from migrating. These include but

are not limited to 1) Very low salary - This factor is primarily attributed to the fact that teachers

are required to have a bachelor’s degree and be in possession of a teaching license before they

can be employed. 2) Lack of opportunities - Teachers also face many challenges in finding

suitable employment because there is a great demand for teachers who can teach at primary and

secondary level, mathematics, and science subjects as well as language. 3) Many challenges -

Many teachers face serious challenges when it comes to securing jobs because of their

qualifications and lack of experience.

In this case, teacher migration is a factor that affects teacher economies and workforce in

Jamaica. The relationship between teacher migration and the factors affecting teachers' decision

to migrate are discussed here. Some of these factors can be found in Section 2, which includes

the economic outlook of the country, government spending priorities and education policies.
 METHODOLOGY
Population and sampling

If a research study is conducted on the subject of teacher migration in Jamaica, the target

population will be the teachers who are in their career at the moment. Since it is known that there

are many factors that affect teacher migration, this is one of the ways through which I intend to

explore those factors. I am hoping to identify and select a sample of people from this research

population from whom to obtain data. The only way I can do this is by using a questionnaire for

each teacher as well as conducting interviews with key stakeholders/students/colleagues etc.

This sample needs to be broad enough for the study, but specific enough to allow for data

analysis. The most appropriate approach to selecting a sample involves selecting a small number

of respondents from the research population and asking them questions about their migration

experience.

A sample will be collected from participants in the research population. Participants will be

randomly selected from the study population, using a simple random sampling method.

The target population of this research is secondary school teachers who are currently teaching in

their first, second or third school. A generalized random sampling method was used for selecting

the sample to obtain data on the factors that affect teacher migration.
Main Variables

The two variables of interest are the teaching positions available in Jamaica and the level of

qualification required. The dependent variable is the number of Jamaican teachers who are

working in other countries. The independent variable is the factors that influence teacher

migration, which include getting international experience, gaining an international credential and

bettering their professional skills.

The variables of interest are age, gender, and ethnicity. These are the four main research

questions. The dependent variable is teacher migration, the independent variable is age, gender,

ethnicity. The four independent variables are being aged between 25-34 years old female and

male identification with black ethnicity categories

The variables of interest are the teaching experience, whether the teachers come from abroad,

and the salary of teachers. The independent variables will be independent and dependent

variable1 (teacher’s experience) and independent variable2 (teacher’s overseas location).

Plan of Action

The primary goal of this investigation was to identify the factors that affect teacher migration in

Jamaica. The secondary goal was to investigate ways by which these problems can be mitigated.

This began with a literature review, followed by interviews, which provided me with the data

needed to conduct cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment analysis in order to explore the

potential impact of proposed solutions on three themes: (1) perceptions on teacher migration in

Jamaica; (2) opinions about recruitment strategies; and (3) opinions about alternative teaching

environments. Finally, I concluded with recommendations for approaches by stakeholders who

do not have time or resources to confront these challenges.

We will develop measures to encourage teacher migration and retention in schools, such

as a mentoring programme that facilitates interaction between newly-appointed teachers,

experienced teachers and mentoring experts, who will act as coaches to the new teachers.

Additionally, we plan to involve stakeholders from education, training and industrialisation

sectors in order to improve their understanding of issues related to teacher retention.

The activities and strategies that are involved in the stopping teacher migration in

Jamaica is to increase the level of the training of teachers in the area where they are teaching,

this is so that they can be better at their job. We also need to ensure that there is sufficient

funding for teachers, we should also have a better pay scale for teachers who teach at remote

schools because many teachers dont have enough money to live on. We should also have a better

working environment for teachers as well as parents.

In order to stop teacher migration in Jamaica, the Government has to do everything

possible in order to provide schools with the best possible infrastructure and location. This can
be done by implementing strategies like offering primary school teachers attractive salaries,

having more open communication with teachers in the private sector on their working conditions

and providing tax incentives to those who continue teaching or have chosen to start a family.

This study was to investigate the factors that affect teacher migration in Jamaica.

Specifically, it examined the relationships between teachers’ perceptions and intentions

regarding their safety at school and perceptions of safety at home; sources of information; travel

preference; and reasons for leaving Jamaica.

The intervention aims to improve teaching practices by attracting a higher quality of

teacher and encouraging teachers who are ready to move on to new jobs. The intervention also

strives to improve the retention of teachers, especially in rural areas. To assess whether or not the

intervention is successful, I will gather data on the number of teachers leaving and the number of

new teachers recruited by analyzing recruitment lists from across all public sector schools in

Jamaica.

I will assess the effects of the intervention to determine if improvement has occurred. The

intervention is a multi-faceted approach that includes assessment, intervention strategies and

measurement of outcome. A systems approach would be used to evaluate the effectiveness of

each component. The research design would consist of an exploratory phase followed by an

experimental and control phase. This study is based on a mixed method design and therefore

both quantitative and qualitative data are required. Participants are predominantly teachers at

primary level schools but also to some extent secondary school teachers (either heads or

teachers). In addition, there are some principals/supervisors who may have been working with

schools but have left as well as principal administrators who have remained in post.
Data Collection

In this project I will need to collect data that is relevant and accurate in order to answer my

research question and assess my project. The information I will need to have is from primary

sources that I can get from Jamaica Teachers’ Council, data on the factors affecting teacher

migration; information on attrition of teachers at the primary school level; some key features of

the Teachers’ Registration System (TRS) set up in 2003, an integration of teacher support

services within a framework of the TRS are all important aspects which will be collected in this

project.

I will select the data collection method is going to be using survey. The choice of this method is

mainly because it’s something that I can do without any previous experience, and I also want to

collect some data that would help me answer my research question. As for when and how I will

collect it, it should be done between two weeks and a month after initiating the project. And the

reason why is that that may allow enough time to know how much information people are

willing to share.

My research question is what factors affect teacher migration in Jamaica. As a researcher and

educator, one important factor that could affect teacher migration is the pay. Based on my

reading of literature, I know that many people are attracted to other opportunities such as

pursuing higher learning or moving to another country so they can obtain a better wage. The

second piece we need in this project is data that we have collected in the past related to teacher

migration and its motivation factors. The other reason why i selected it is because this method

has been used before by other researchers doing similar projects.

This research will be conducted based on the following: data collection method, who will do the

data collection, what data collection tools and methodologies are to be used, why any particular

tool or methodology is to be used rather than another one, how this tool and/or methodology will

be applied, review of existing literature.

I am interested in the factors that affect teacher migration in Jamaica. For this, I'll be collecting

data from schools to obtain information on the policies and practices being followed by schools

in order to attract and retain teachers. I also want to study teachers who have migrated within the

education system and compare them with those who have migrated outside of it, ie: international

students subects. Simple descriptive statistics will be used for this study such as frequencies,

percentages and charts to analyze data more effectively.

The study which is to be carried out this year is envisaged to be a unique investigation into the

factors that affect teacher migration in Jamaica. The research will take place at different schools

in different parts of Jamaica using questionnaires to establish the perceptions and experiences of

teachers who have recently migrated from Jamaica or are currently living and working in another

country. Data on this project will contribute towards our understanding of how teachers perceive

their remuneration and benefits package in other countries, how they compare with their

colleagues in those same countries, and how they could be better supported in their efforts to

secure continuous employment after leaving Jamaica.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Action research is suitable for this topic because it is an intensive form of research whose

purpose is to make people aware of the problem and its importance, which in turn leads to the
identification of specific action steps that can be taken. This study was conducted in two phases;

implementation and evaluation. The implementation phase involved discussions with participants

regarding their experiences and problems encountered while teaching English in different

countries around the world; while during the evaluation phase, we analyse findings from our

interviews and carried out a second round of interviews with five participants who were at the

same college but who had not taught English outside Jamaica. The findings will be presented

through relevant metaphors and stories to show how challenges faced by those who teach

English abroad differ from those faced by Jamaicans teaching here(transportation, separation)

and what they can do to face these challenges before they initiate their overseas studies.

Action research is the most suitable way to conduct this study because it is an inquiry-oriented

research. Action research is defined as an approach that encourages people to take part in their

own lives and share their ideas and experiences, in order to make them more knowledgeable,

capable, and efficient. Action learning program can be used as a type of collaborative learning

that facilitates groups of learners, who have a common interest but are not divided into different

groups by school or job roles. In this study, there are no previous studies related to teacher

migration in Jamaica, which called for action research on top of knowledge acquisition and

conduct the second phase of this study using action methods.

Examples of headings:

○ Methods

○ Findings

○ Research

○ Analysis

○ Graphs

● Conclusion: In the conclusion, be sure to briefly summarize all of the main points in the

order they were presented in the report.

References:

 https://opentext.wsu.edu/carriecuttler/chapter/observational-research/

https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/681025/Participant-observation.pdf

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/teacher-migration-push-factors/

 https://ukzndspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/20491/24%20Estimating

%20the%20Financial%20Incentive%20for%20Caribbean%20Teachers%20to

%20Migrate.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

 https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5509&context=etd

 https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quantitative-research/

 https://hevodata.com/learn/quantitative-data-analysis/

● Appendices:

Sample Report
Clear Communications Inc.

Employee Training Report

 Prepared by

Halle Blue

halle@clearcommunications.com

December 09, 2030

Executive Summary

This report was prepared to provide management information on the success of the revised new

hire training program last November 05 to December 05, 2030. The implemented training plan

garnered positive feedback from the participating employees. Recommendations include the

continuity of the program and the creation of training activities that further employee

participation. 

The Plan

Objectives

The training plan’s objectives were:

1. Have all newly hired employees undergo the revised training program.   

2. Equip new employees with enough skills and knowledge to handle calls on their first day in

production. 

 
Scope

With the revised training plan, new employees will have a clear understanding of the roles of

customer service representatives in assisting customers with their concerns. The training will

also help new hires witness how the production floor works to help lessen their anxiety.

Methodology

The trainees will be exposed to the production floor as early as the first week of training so that

they can take a glimpse of what is going on. They’ll do remote call listening, side by side call

listening with tenured agents, and have their own call simulation with the trainor.

Findings

The findings were as follows:

1. The newly trained hired employees were more prepared to take on calls compared to the last

batch trained using the old program.  

2. The revised training program made it easy for new hires to take in the role bit by bit as

evidenced by not having any fallouts or withdrawals from training. 

 100

75

50
Percentage

25

0
First Call Prparedness Call Handling Skills Attrition Failed Training
Trainees

New Training Program Old Training Program

Conclusion

The revised training program for new hires was effective given the performance of the first batch

to undergo the training. The new hires are 85% efficient and are producing results that are better

than what is expected of their level.

Recommendations

 
1. Use the revised training program for 9 more batches to determine if it can produce the same

results.

2. Further improve the revised training plan and cover all possible loopholes for greater success.