Leaders in education urged to keep abreast of progress in the sector   |09 August 2022

PS Eulentin addressing the gathering at the launch of the workshop yesterday (Photos: Joena Meme)

The Ministry of Education has said there is a need to constantly review the roles and functions of educational leaders, as these have changed significantly over the years.

The principal secretary (PS) for Education, Merna Eulentin, made the comment yesterday morning, when officially launching a three-day workshop on ‘Leadership Development for the Education Sector’, being held at The Guy Morel Institute (TGMI), Ma Joie. 

The workshop, the first of its kind, is targeting deputy head teachers, heads of department and heads of subjects and coordinators for both primary and secondary schools.

When addressing them, PS Eulentin said “the school environment is a place where so many lives are touched; therefore we really need to explore the relevant qualifications that the twenty-first century leaders need to have to ensure personal and professional success”.

Ms Eulentin also congratulated the individuals who make it their duty to continually keep up to date with new educational developments without being asked to do so and said this shows a voluntary interest to move forward and make positive changes.

For his part, the director general for the Institutional Support Services Division, Bernard Arnephy, said that in line with the government’s vision to ensure that there are results in work places, it is important that school leaders play their role in bringing better results. He called on the school leaders to focus on the ministry’s strategic plan for 2021 to 2024.

“The contents of this document will inform the discussions that will take place during your training, because whatever you decide to bring as innovations in your daily practice has to be aligned with the ministry’s vision to ensure that service delivery at school level is at its best,” he said.

He also stressed on the importance of technology as the core of effective teaching and learning and called on the leaders to make use of it to improve the education sphere.

“The ministry is greatly emphasising this domain for their institutions by making budget provisions to equip all schools with modern gadgets that will encourage teachers to diversify teachings and motivate students to learn in a proper environment,” said Mr Arnephy.

The three-day training is organised by the Ministry of Education in partnership with TGMI. It is coordinated by the head of Productivity Unit in the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs, Mary-Vonne Francis, and facilitator, Timothy Sinon.

In his remarks, the institute’s acting executive director, Patrick Bristol, encouraged school leaders to adopt a positive mindset, which will in turn lead to a more improved workforce that will have a positive attitude towards their jobs.

“We are working together to transform our workforce here in the country. Having a good understanding of where we are will be able to influence and lead our team more productively.”

The workshop continues today and will focus on the ‘mindset of twenty-first century leadership’, followed by tomorrow’s session on ‘personal leadership’.

A similar one will be held later this month at the Grand Anse Praslin school for educators on Praslin and La Digue.

Sylia Ah-Time