NCEL at Forefront of Training Competent Leaders for Education Sector

The National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL) stands at the forefront of developing effective leadership within Jamaica’s education sector.

An agency under the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information (Mosey), the College plays a key role in designing and executing leadership programmes for principals, middle managers, aspiring leaders and other stakeholders in the education sector.

The Ministry, in consultation with various stakeholders, established the NCEL in 2011 with a mission to develop high-quality educational leaders.

Principal/Director Interim, Keriffe Clark, tells JIS News that the mandate of the NCEL is to “create a cadre of leaders who are committed to improving student performance through effective and transformative leadership practices”. “We develop leadership capacity among educators, provide a platform for professional growth and ensure that school leaders are equipped with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of educational environments,” he explains.

At the core of NCEL’s offering is a comprehensive range of programmes designed for various stages of leadership development.

These include Effective Principals’ Training Programme, Aspiring Principals’ Programme, Strategic Middle Leadership Initiative, Leadership for Safer Schools, Child-Friendly Schools, Leadership and School Policy, Inclusive School Leadership Training Programme, Multi-Grade School Leadership Initiative and Customised Professional Intervention.

“Our courses and programmes target those who have an interest in becoming leaders, those who aspire to become leaders in the education system, and we engage them in critical courses,” Mr. Clark tells JIS News.

Over the past 14 years, hundreds of educators have been exposed to the rigors of NCEL’s courses, which focus primarily on competence.

According to Mr. Clark, what makes NCEL stand out in comparison to programmes such as the traditional Master’s degree, is that NCEL programmes focus primarily on practical competence, whereas Master’s degrees often emphasise theoretical knowledge.

“For example, once we engage pre-service and in-service school leaders through programmes like the Effective Principals Training Programme, the Aspiring Principals Programme, or the Inclusive School Leadership Training Programme, a key component of our approach requires participants to undertake a three-month intervention project within their schools,” Mr. Clark says.

In addition, participants are tasked with developing and implementing a targeted intervention designed to address a leadership, learning, or social deficit within their establishment.

Participants must not only execute these interventions, but also evaluate their impact on the school environment.

Once the interventions are completed, NCEL conducts assessments to evaluate both the rigor of the interventions and their effectiveness on student outcomes and organisational improvement.

“This focus on practical competence sets NCEL apart, as we certify individuals based on their leadership development capabilities in real-world school settings,” Mr. Clark notes. NCEL’s commitment to excellence is validated by its ISO 9001:2015 certification and recognition as the ‘Most Compliant Agency’ and ‘Top Performing Agency’ for 2023-2024. In addition, several graduates of NCEL’s programmes were winners of LASCO Principal of the Year Award, including the 2024 winner, underscoring the college’s role in fostering exceptional educational leadership.

The impact of NCEL on the Jamaican educational landscape cannot be overstated. With more than 2,000 leaders trained since its establishment, NCEL has contributed significantly to professionalising educational leadership in the country.

All courses are offered free of cost, except the Aspiring Principal Programme.

This exception is offered in partnership with the UWI, Mona Campus, as part of NCEL efforts to strengthen partnerships with tertiary institutions to enhance development in educational leadership.

“We believe that effective leadership is critical to improving student outcomes. Therefore, NCEL’s mission is rooted in developing leaders who can adapt to and navigate the complexities of modern educational systems,” Mr. Clark says.