"Teaching Forward: Learning, Leading and Thriving Together"

Dear Future Educators,

Warm congratulations as you approach the completion of your bachelor’s degree and prepare to take your place in one of society’s most consequential professions. The Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) celebrates this important milestone with you and warmly welcomes you to the next chapter of your professional journey. As members of the Beginning Teachers 2026/2027 cohort, you are entering the profession at a time of significant transformation in education. Today’s teacher must do more than deliver content. You are called to inspire curiosity, nurture potential, respond to diverse learner needs, embrace technology, collaborate with colleagues and continually adapt your practice to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. You are therefore not simply entering classrooms; you are helping to shape the future of education in Jamaica.

The transition from teacher education to professional practice is exciting, but it can also be demanding. No beginning teacher should have to navigate that transition alone. Recognising the importance of structured professional support, Cabinet endorsed the Beginning Teacher Mentorship Policy (Cabinet Decision No. 27/06–17), establishing mentorship as a mandatory component of professional induction for beginning teachers and teachers returning to the profession after an absence of five years or more. Through the Mentoring and Induction of Beginning Teachers 2026/2027 Programme, you will be supported to translate your preparation into effective professional practice. The programme provides opportunities for mentoring, reflection, collaboration, professional learning and access to resources designed to strengthen your confidence, competence and professional identity during this important first stage of your career.

Mentorship is more than having an experienced teacher available to answer questions. It is an opportunity to learn, reflect, innovate, receive constructive guidance and grow within a professional community committed to excellence. We encourage you to approach the experience with openness, curiosity and a willingness to learn, not only from your mentor, but also from your students, colleagues and the wider education community. As you prepare for the 2026/2027 academic year, we encourage you to begin building the professional habits that will sustain you throughout your career: reflective practice, ethical leadership, purposeful use of technology, evidence-informed decision-making, collaboration and an unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for every learner.

To facilitate your transition into the programme, please complete all required documentation within the stipulated timelines. Programme information, resources, announcements and engagement opportunities will be communicated through the designated JTC online platform. You are encouraged to remain connected and actively participate throughout the induction period.

As you enter the profession, remember that great teachers are not expected to know everything on their first day; they are expected to remain committed to learning, growing and becoming better for the learners they serve. The Jamaica Teaching Council stands ready to walk alongside you as you make the important transition from teacher-in-training to teacher professional. We look forward to seeing the ideas you will introduce, the relationships you will build, the challenges you will overcome and, most importantly, the lives you will positively influence.

Please use this link to join the Beginning Teachers 2027 Google Classroom: https://classroom.google.com/c/ODY5MTUwMzk1NTU4?cjc=q37o5guh

Congratulations and welcome to the profession.

Together, let us teach forward-learning, leading and thriving as a profession committed to Jamaica’s future.