The Education Ministry is not inundating the system with foreign teachers.

That is the declaration from Education Minister Fayval Williams.

She was responding to concerns from stakeholders regarding the recruitment of teachers from overseas to work in Jamaica.

The move is one of several strategies being used by the Education Ministry to address a chronic shortage of teachers in some subject areas.

It has been criticised by Opposition Spokesman on Education Damion Crawford who said the importation of foreign teachers raises several troubling questions.

In response, the Education Minister stressed that the use of foreign teachers in Jamaican classrooms is not new.

She noted that teachers from overseas are already in the system.

Mrs. Williams added that the new teachers would fill the gaps identified in the public education system.

Williams reiterated that the Government has been offering scholarships, especially in STEM areas but it will take time before local teacher numbers increase.

She was speaking on day 3 of the 60th Annual Conference of the Jamaica Teachers Association, in Trelawny.