Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 18, 2017 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Education is carrying out a number of projects such as painting buildings and executing repair work to improve the physical structures at schools around the island. However, Permanent Secretary William V. Hodge, said focus is also being paid to upgrading leadership and building human capacity at each school.
Two separate supervisory management training courses for primary and secondary school principals have been held at the University of the West Indies Open Campus, which highlighted techniques to boost operational effectiveness and efficiency. The first was held from September to December 2016, while the second took place from January to April this year. Mr. Hodge said the courses were very serious and each participant had to take an exam at the end of the course to demonstrate what they learnt.
On Wednesday’s (May 17) edition of the radio and television programme “Working for You” Permanent Secretary Hodge said similar training will be offered to deputy principals and senior teachers interested in becoming school administrators.
“We want to move away from having to appoint principals at short notice as well as appointing principals without formal training,” he stated.
Regional and international training opportunities are also pursued. In February 2017, six principals attended a workshop in Jamaica dubbed the Transformational Educational Leadership Conference. Later this month, two teachers will travel to Dominica to participate in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workshop.
The representatives are expected to share what they learn by facilitating the STEM session at the Ministry of Education’s Annual Summer Workshops for Government School Teachers. The capacity building sessions usually take place in August where teachers are also updated on changes to the curriculum and innovations in the teaching profession.
