How to Begin Teaching in Jamaica

Crystal-clear blue-green water, soft sand, palm trees.

With Bob Marley, Jamaica gifted us the first global superstar from the developing world

An island floating in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica is world-famous for many things: its ‘irie’ lifestyle, beaches, music and, of course, its rum. This island nation claimed independence from the British Commonwealth in 1962, and since then Jamaica has embraced its true identity as a chilled tropical island where no one is ever in a hurry.
Basically, Jamaica is one of the places that will come to your mind first when you imagine a beach paradise. The tropical climate has resulted in huge forests and grasslands, which support a wide range of bird and animal species. Add in the hot and humid weather and Jamaica can clearly be seen as an idyllic getaway.
Besides relaxing on the beach or exploring the mountains and forests, there are any number of activities to be done: horse riding, snorkelling, swimming, jet-skiing, kite surfing, visiting waterfalls or even swimming with dolphins. One of the top things to do in Jamaica is to visit Nine Mile. Here you can visit the place where the legendary Bob Marley was born and is now buried.
If you enjoy spending your downtime in a hammock, eating jerk chicken or jamming to some tunes, head to Jamaica, where you probably won’t strike it rich but you will live a good life.

Teaching Opportunities

Jamaicans speak Patois, which is a combination of English, French and Spanish, but most of the population can speak English, albeit with a thick accent. It has been recognised that the English teaching in the schools is not as good as it should be, so there have been measures put in place to improve this. There has actually been a movement of Jamaican teachers to leave Jamaica in order to teach in other countries, which means that there are openings in many schools for new teachers.
There are various volunteer opportunities to work in the local schools, but there are also paid positions to be found in schools or colleges.

Teaching Requirements

Degree Requirement	Typical Contract Length	Peak Hiring Seasons	Visa Info	Typical Students	Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency	Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency

BA/BS required

6 – 12 months

January, June

Work visa

Children,adults

JMD 50 000 – JMD 100 000 (£290 – £580)

JMD 75 000 – JMD 120 000 (£440 – £ 700)

Degree Requirement

BA/BS required

Typical Contract Length

6 – 12 months

Peak Hiring Seasons

January, June

Visa Info

Work visa

Typical Students

Children,adults

Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency

JMD 50 000 – JMD 100 000 (£290 – £580)

Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency

JMD 75 000 – JMD 120 000 (£440 – £ 700)

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