Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2024

Document Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

International Migration Studies

Advisor

Robin Harper

Subject Categories

International and Intercultural Communication | Journalism Studies | Mass Communication | Other Arts and Humanities

Keywords

Jamaica emigration, teacher migration Jamaica, Caribbean migration, Caribbean media and emigration

Abstract

The emigration of teachers from Jamaica has attracted significant media coverage highlighting an increase in resignations and vacancies in many classrooms. This paper analyzes media framing on the topic, and how such framing might preclude the exploration of policy alternatives to address the issue. Methods A qualitative content analysis was conducted on articles published between August 1, 2016, and September 30, 2023. Relevant articles were retrieved from the Gleaner digital archive. Using a survey instrument of 13 questions, a total of 78 articles were analyzed for coding. Results Four frames emerged from the analysis: crisis – urgent attention is required to slow the rate of teacher emigration and avoid negative education outcomes; opportunity – train a surplus of teachers to meet local and overseas demand; minimization – there are enough teacher graduates to replace those who leave; and blame – whomever is responsible for the increasing rate of teacher emigration ought to find a solution. Conclusion Selective framing of teacher emigration distorts the issue and influences a narrow interpretation thereby hindering the exploration of meaningful solutions.

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