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The JTA is administered by a group of elected officers and a professional staff. The elected group is headed by the Presidents, i.e. President, President-Elect and Immediate Past President. The other elected officers represent Parish and District Associations. The District Association (DA) is the level at which all teachers have the opportunity to participate in policy formation and programmes of the association. There are seventy-six District Associations and fourteen Parish Associations.

The Annual Conference of delegates determines the policies of the Association. The General Council, made up of representatives of District and Parish Associations, meets quarterly and acts on behalf of Conference. The Central Executive meets monthly and monitors the implementation of policies and programmes.

The General Council

The General Council is made up of:

(b) Two representative from each Parish Association
(c) One representative from each District Association
(d) One representative from each Interest Group and each Affiliate Group
(e) One representative from the Early Childhood Sector
(f) Two representative each from members of the Primary and All Age sector
(g) Three representatives from Secondary Sector
(h) Three representatives from the Tertiary Sector &
(i) Fifteen co-options

Powers and Duties

The Council shall have the power between conference to initiate and implement by a simple majority of members present and voting measures affecting the well fare of the Association, reporting the results of its action to the full Conference. The Council shall have the authority to interpret the regulations of the Association. Without prejudice to other powers and duties, it shall be the duty of General Council to:


(a) Appoint Committees and settle their terms of reference
(b) To receive and consider reports from Officers, Administrative Personnel and Committees.
(c) To examine the budgetary position and the Accounts of the Association
(d) Arrange for the filling of vacancies which may arise within its own body
(e) Deal with the discipline of members
(f) Deal with such other matters as may arise from time to time.

Meetings

Regular meetings of the General Council shall be held quarterly on the Saturday following the fourth Friday of the months of March, June, September and November or at such other times as the Council may decide. Special meetings of the General Council may be called by the President or on the written request of at least fifty percent of its membership or that of Central Executive or by not less than five hundred FULL Members of the Association who are not members of the Council, for clearly stated reasons.

Standing Committees. There are 18 standing committees and

  1. A Central Executive
  2. A Board of Trustees
  3. A Finance Committee
  4. A Property and Development Committee
  5. A Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee
  6. A Disciplinary Committee
  7. An International Relations Committee
  8. An Education and Research Committee
  9. A Professional Advancement and Teacher Welfare Committee
  10. A Resolutions Committee
  11. A Credentials Committee
  12. A Primary Committee
  13. A Secondary Committee
  14. Sports Committee
  15. Awards Committee
  16.  Early Childhood Committee
  17. Study Circle Co-ordinating Committees
  18. Public Relations Committee

Ad hoc committees

- Special Education

(see pages 14-17, items 22-38 in the Memorandum & Articles of Association (2006) for the roles and functions of the committees).

 

The Central Executive

The Central Executive shall be the chief instrument of the Association’s policy laid down by its Annual General Meeting and shall have authority to make decisions and take action on all matter within such policy. As such, all Officers, Administrative Personnel, Committees are subject to the authority of the Central Executive acting on behalf of the Annual Conference, Special Conference (which is any General Meeting of the Association other than the Annual Conference), and General Council.

Decisions and actions taken by the Central Executive shall be reported to the General Council, provided that if such are likely to be controversial, they should only be taken on the advice of the Council or Conference.

Composition


The Central Executive comprises: (a) The officers and Administrative Personnel, (b) At least three (3) Trustees, (c) One (1) representative from each Parish Association & (d) Fifteen nominees of General Council.

Meetings and Tenure of Office: (abbreviated) There shall be a regular Monthly Meeting of Central Executive normally on the fourth Friday of each month or at other times as it may decide. Special meetings of the Central Executive may be called by the President or on the written request of at least fifty percent of its membership.

A member of Central Executive shall hold office from the rise of Annual Conference of one year to the close of the Conference of the year immediately succeeding. (see JTA’s Memorandum & Articles of Association (2006)

The professional staff is headed by the Secretary General who directs the day-to-day administration of the Association. The Secretary General is supported by Secretaries responsible for specific areas of the Association's work. These are:

  • Administration and Finance
  • Member Services
  • Business Services
  • Professional Services
  • There are four Regional Officers, one at Mandeville, one at Montego Bay, one at Port Maria, and one at Head Office in Kingston.