Gumbs talks ongoing teacher shortages, pushes long-term succession planning

GREAT BAY--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs on Tuesday addressed staffing within the education sector, noting that while most classroom teacher positions in public education are currently filled, ongoing staffing challenges continue to affect both public and subsidized schools.

In her remarks, Minister Gumbs said the issue is not unique to St. Maarten, but reflects a broader global teacher shortage that is being felt across multiple countries and education systems.

She specifically pointed to continued difficulty in recruiting physical education teachers, describing it as an area where schools are struggling to find qualified candidates. According to the Minister, this appears to be part of a wider international trend, suggesting that the pool of available physical education teachers may be shrinking beyond St. Maarten as well.

Minister Gumbs also stressed that teacher retention is being affected by more than salary alone. She said cost of living remains a major factor in whether educators are able to remain in the profession, noting that similar concerns are being raised by teachers in countries such as the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands.

The broader regional picture also reflects the seriousness of the challenge. UNESCO reported in 2025 that Latin America and the Caribbean need an estimated 3.2 million additional teachers to meet education goals by 2030, with most of that demand linked to replacing educators who leave the profession due to workload pressures, low salaries, and lack of recognition. That wider trend has placed added focus on recruitment, retention, and workforce planning across education systems throughout the region.

As part of the ministry’s response, the Minister said consideration is being given to longer-term succession planning within public education. She indicated that one possible approach is to encourage students to pursue studies in areas where there is a clear future need, with the understanding that employment opportunities could be available to them upon completion of their studies.

Minister Gumbs said she would like to see succession planning in public education look two to three years ahead, rather than waiting until an employee is close to retirement before planning for how a vacancy will be filled.

Her comments underscore the ministry’s recognition that workforce planning in education must become more proactive in order to strengthen long-term stability and ensure that schools are able to meet staffing needs in the years ahead.

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