The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) has not distinguished itself in recent years as an organisation capable of looking beyond its primary parochial trade union interest - that of ever seeking more pay for its members.

The assessment coming from some of its senior officers at their annual conferencethis week is that the education component in the manifestos presented by the political parties this year represent little more than 'cheese trix' - a tasty treat to children but lacking in substance.

Those comments do little to dispel the impression that the JTA itself is lacking in substance. Not surprising, their primary concern seems to be a proposal that there should be some performance-based component in the remuneration of teachers.

Why should this proposal so annoy the JTA, especially when it is clear that many of our teachers are not performing at a standard acceptable to the rest of the society? Of course, we do not hold to the view that performance-based pay will be the solution to Jamaica's educational problems.

Indeed, it is impatient of debate that our schools are inadequately funded and lacking in material resources in many instances. The arguments as to the 'quality' students that the teachers get in the first place and how they perform in final examinations are not ones to be casually dismissed.

We do believe, however, that assessing the quality 'input' of teachers in helping to determine the final 'output' in student performance is an important component that should be given serious consideration.

For we cannot continue to function in the manner we have with the kind of bureaucratic strictures that make it a time-consuming, tedious process to get rid of some of the pretenders in the classrooms and who are being paid by taxpayers.

Many of our teachers are doing yeoman service and are being 'rewarded' on the same across-the-board basis as the time wasters. There must be some objective criteria to differentiatingbetween the performers and the non-performers. A system of providing incentives on the basis of objective and fair analyses can be and must be found.

Rather than seeing this proposal as an obstacle, the JTA should be seeking to lead the charge in improving the quality of the delivery in the classrooms.

To point to relatively moderate successes in external examinations as indicative of 'good work' being done by teachers is to miss the point. We should be striving for excellence as normative and not an exception - even while making allowances for geniuses among the student population.

It is also ironic and disappointing that for much of this summer, education has been one of, if not the primary issue for debate among the political parties and the general public in the general election campaign.

Yet, the JTA has not used its 'bully pulpit' to guide the discussions. The cryptic comments to the media from officers sought out by reporters do not adequately address what is clearly a serious concern for parents and policymakers.

Many jurisdictions overseas have been grappling with the same concerns Jamaica has - how to get a more accountable education system. The fear that the implementation of a performance-based system will only foster unhealthy competition and undermine team spirit need not be realised. We suggest that the JTA revisits its own manifesto.