Education Minister Urges Teachers To Pursue Training At NCEL
By: September 3, 2015 ,The Key Point:
The Facts
- Education Minister, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, said this is necessary to acquire the requisite qualifications to effectively manage the institutions they seek to head, as well as to be considered by the Ministry for appointment.
- The Minister was speaking at Glenmuir High School’s annual academic conference, Colloquium 2015, at the institution in May Pen, Clarendon, on September 1, under the theme: ‘Flagrans Fire: Blazing the Flame of Excellence’.
The Full Story
Teachers seeking promotion to administrative positions in secondary schools, particularly as Principals, are being encouraged to pursue training at the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL).
Education Minister, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, said this is necessary to acquire the requisite qualifications to effectively manage the institutions they seek to head, as well as to be considered by the Ministry for appointment.
“There will be no signing of an appointment of Principal, unless the person applying has shown engagement in the curriculum of the National College for Educational Leadership. Those who aspire to leadership must provide themselves with the competence necessary, in order to be able to warrant (elevation) to that position,” he emphasised.
The Minister was speaking at Glenmuir High School’s annual academic conference, Colloquium 2015, at the institution in May Pen, Clarendon, on September 1, under the theme: ‘Flagrans Fire: Blazing the Flame of Excellence’.
Rev. Thwaites said school administrators should also strengthen their institution’s middle management regime, comprising personnel such as heads of departments and form supervisors.
Pointing to what he described as a “challenge” encountered by some schools as it relates to this component of their administrative structure, the Minister argued that middle management strengthening is of “vital importance,” in order that “you can support and buttress the work of line teachers.”
Rev. Thwaites said advancement in knowledge has resulted in the need for the Ministry’s re-examination of college programmes for teachers, with a view to providing specialist training, where required, in order to position teachers for instructional delivery to students in a manner “that can make a difference.”
“We have to deal with the fact that generalist training is, very often, not sufficient…and we have to be resolute to change this,” the Minister emphasised.
In noting that “these are some of the challenges that face us as we go ahead”, Rev. Thwaites urged that “they are not to be seen as daunting.”