MONTEGO BAY, St James — President of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) Owen Speid says while the association welcomes the appointment of Karl Samuda as minister of education, there is nothing to celebrate.

[But] I don't think there is anything to celebrate about the appointment, more than to say that we are happy that our request has been granted in terms of having a full minister,” Speid told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Up to his appointment, Samuda had served as minister with portfolio responsibility for education, following the resignation of Ruel Reid from the Cabinet and Senate in March last year.

Speid, who had long called for the appointment of a full-time education minister, said yesterday that the association in not “so much concerned” about who is assigned to the post.

The president of the more than 25,000-member association also made it clear that Minister Samuda will not be getting a honeymoon period.