A Teaching Service Commission (TSC) press release of May 15 sought to address the recurring issue of hiring faith-based teachers for denominational schools. The 1960 Concordat grants denominational boards the authority to influence teacher selection and preserve the religious ethos of their schools. The issue of hiring teachers for denominational schools has resurfaced repeatedly over the past decade.
Before 2021, the TSC largely rubberstamped the denominational boards’ recommendations. That changed when it introduced a merit-based system to ensure equal access for all qualified candidates. The denominational boards objected, arguing that there was a breach of the Concordat, and the Presbyterian Church filed legal action. However, the High Court ruled that the boards’ recommendations are advisory and not binding, and that the TSC is entitled to advertise vacancies.
In the recent dispute, the Association of Denominational Boards of Education (ADBE) accused the TSC of threatening parents’ constitutional rights, including the rights “of parents and guardians to choose schools aligned with their beliefs.” The ADBE mentioned 238 vacancies across their primary schools.
While the TSC said that there’s no shortage of qualified candidates on its priority list for the denominational government assisted schools all with a Bachelor of Education Degree—the minimum qualification for primary school teachers—and who have successfully passed interviews, the ADBE challenged the TSCs authority to determine “qualification” in the context of the denominational boards’ authority to assure preservation of the denominational character of their schools.
Denominational schools account for 72 per cent of primary schools (341 of 477) and enrol approximately 84,788 students, while government schools comprise 136 schools (28 per cent) with about 38,400 students enrolled. Approximately 17,000 students sat the SEA in 2025, yet only 66 per cent scored above 50 per cent, and about 16 per cent scored below 30 per cent.
Most students graduating from denominational primary schools enter government secondary schools, where there are even higher failure rates. Only a small percentage proceed to denominational secondary schools. This underscores the need to strengthen teacher recruitment practices to ensure that qualified and well-trained educators lead every classroom. Recruitment policies should prioritise merit and competency-based hiring, which includes merited faith-based applicants. Such reforms could help reduce persistent achievement gaps across all schools and educational inequality.
Who’s responsible for faith-based teacher education and training? Institutions such as Naparima Training College for Teachers and the Catholic Teachers’ Training College once provided denominational teacher preparation, but both have closed. The Catholic Religious Education Development Institute also discontinued its faith-based Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programme. At present, only the University of the Southern Caribbean, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, offers a B.Ed. rooted in denominational principles.
Given the evident demand, denominational boards should establish programmes that encourage young members to pursue teaching careers. Society can no longer support placing individuals with only five CSEC passes in classrooms with vulnerable children.
Denominational boards are responsible for assessing candidates from the TSC’s merit list and recommending those considered suitable to “preserve the character of their institutions.” Statements from the ADBE suggest that candidates who do not meet this requirement may be rejected, highlighting a supply-and-demand problem involving suitably qualified faith-based teachers.
The solution is for denominational boards to develop a strategic manpower plan to address their present and future staffing needs. While freedom of religion is constitutionally protected, citizens also have a constitutional right to equality of treatment by public authorities. All teachers are state employees. Since religious bodies control most primary schools, qualified non-faith-based teachers may face limited opportunities for advancement, raising important concerns about equity and fairness.
Notably, some denominational boards hire teachers outside their faith for secondary schools and also promote them to middle management roles—a situation that does not conflict with the “right of parents to choose schools aligned with their spiritual values.”
The role of spiritual, moral, and values-based education in shaping students’ character, discipline, and sense of community is important to children’s future well-being. However, to achieve desired national development outcomes, merit-based recruitment of qualified, emotionally intelligent educators, supported by strategic human resource succession planning, performance audits, and a digitalised staffing database, should be a priority for the primary and secondary education sectors. There should be greater collaboration between the Heads of Faith, the TSC and the Education Ministry. It is time for a practical and sustainable solution.
