The People's National Party is warning the Government that the ongoing process of transforming education could be diluted if the Education Transformation Team (ETT) is disbanded.

The ETT was established to implement the recommendations made by the Task Force Report on Education, which was released in 2004.

"The recent reports of the impending closure of the ETT as early as March 2009 will only serve to cause uncertainty, and will undermine the transformation process," Senator Basil Waite, opposition spokesperson on education, said in a release yesterday.

Concerned about their jobs

According to a source close to the ETT, recent pronouncements that the work of the ETT would be absorbed into the mainstream ministry has caused some disquiet among members of the team, who are concerned about the future of their jobs and "the excellent work that the team is doing".

The Gleaner also understands that the contract of Frank Weeple, executive director of the team, will not be renewed when it expires next May.

When contacted on Wednesday, Weeple declined to go into detail about the plan, noting that no decision had been made about the ETT.

"If the ministry had the capacity to deliver the programmes, then they would not have established the team in the first place," said the source.

Another highly-placed source in the ministry said some members of the team would function as consultants.

The source said it was never the the intention for the ETT to be long term. The source also said there was disquiet among some staff members in the ministry of education, who felt that the ETT members were being paid too much.

Critical service

The task force report had recommended that a transformation team be appointed for a period of three years to lead the restructuring and transformation of the education sector. This team, the report said, would be a dedicated group of professionals working full-time at implementing the changes, while the schools, ministry and other institutions continued to provide critical service.

The source said most of the recommendations made by the task force are yet to be implemented.

When contacted on Wednesday, Education Minister Andrew Holness said no decision had been taken about the ETT.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com