Jones
Klao Bell, Education Editor
"THE EDUCATION system is a handcuff to the modern way of running an organisation. The returns on investment is unsatisfactory in terms of use of resources, because some decision makers in the schools do not know how to manage the funds and resources for which they are responsible," said Erwin Jones, chairman of the board of Dunoon Technical High School, at last week's sitting of The Gleaner's Editors' Forum.
Mr. Jones, along with other school board chairmen at the Forum, organised as part of The Gleaner's year-long focus on education, argued that the management training and support for principals and orientation for members of boards were just two of the issues critical to the proper running of schools.
HINDRANCES
Some chairpersons indicated that the complexity of the language of the Education Regulations, overlapping roles of principals and board chairpersons and interference of the Ministry of Education in internal affairs, were some of the other hindrances to effective management of schools.
"In the Code of regulations the requirement of a chairman is very high... It would be useful if the Ministry would do something like maybe a five-page document simplifying how to do it effectively. That would help," said Father Louis Grenier, board chairman of St. Mary's College.
Gregory Shirley of Munro College said he was surprised to find that the role of a board chairperson was "more integral than in a private sector organisation". As such, he said preparation was essential.
However, other board chairpersons said, while they naturally brought private sector training and expertise to the role, their skills were not fully utilised. Instead, principals did most of the work and turned to them only to sign cheques and "rubber stamp" decisions already made.
Intentions to improve on management practices were frustrated because of outdated mode of practices.
Donald Foster, chairperson of the Clan Carthy and Chief Technical Director at the HEART Trust Training Agency, informed the Forum of the progress being made in technical schools across the island, because of ongoing training of principals through the Technical High Schools Development Project.
"Principals of the 14 technical schools across the island have been trained in leadership development and management, focusing on human resource management, strategic planning and school development planning. In fact, each principal has developed a detailed, three-year action plan which is evaluated and revised at the end of period," Mr. Foster said.
Due to limited resources, this programme is not yet available to other schools but Mr. Foster said ways must be devised to improve the capacities of principals to manage schools.
A beneficiary of the leadership training is Curline Christie, principal of the St. Andrew Technical High School.
"The training has been essential. You see, you don't know what is expected of you when you become a principal and being in the classroom as a leader is different from leading the whole school. You need to have a vision, know how to share it and how to get the whole school on board. Efforts should be made to make similar training available to all principals," Mrs. Christie said.
