Jamaican teachers in UK paid less than British counterparts, The Guardian reports

With a teacher shortage crisis looming in Jamaica’s education sector, as educators seek opportunities elsewhere, a British newspaper is reporting that Jamaican teachers recruited to work are being paid less than their UK counterparts.

According to a report by The Guardian, Jamaican teachers working for the Harris Federation, a major chain of academy schools in London, are being paid thousands of pounds less than their UK-trained colleagues with similar experience. The revelation has sparked outrage among the teachers, who have described their situation as “devastating” due to the high cost of living in London.

The Harris Federation, which operates 54 state-funded schools across the UK, has been recruiting teachers from Jamaica since 2018, drawn by the promise of higher salaries compared to what they earn in the Caribbean. However, many of these teachers have found themselves classified as “unqualified” despite years of experience, leading to a significant pay disparity.