Administrators from Public Schools throughout The Bahamas attended a two-day workshop recently to learn of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology initiatives for 2014-2015. (Photo by Aletha Cooper)
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Nassau, Bahamas -
Administrators
from New Providence and the Family Islands heard the Director’s Charge from Mr.
Lionel Sands, Director of Education on day two of the National Public Schools
Administrators’ Workshop. Under the theme, “Re-culturing
for Quality Education” hundreds of Public School Administrators met in a
two-day workshop 19th to 20th August, 2014 at the Church
of God Auditorium, Joe Farrington Road.
Director
Sands expressed thanks and appreciation to the educational leaders for their
endless efforts to invest in the nation’s youth. He explained that re-culturing
for quality education requires changing long-held theories, thinking,
expectations, and behaviour that represent the custom of educators in the
organization. “Structural change deals with programs, policies, procedures and
rules; whereas, “re-culturing” requires changes to traditional schooling
practices that have been endured for centuries. “Re-culturing” certainly will
create divergence, but it is achievable, providing there is a commitment to
continuous development”, he said.
Mr.
Sands called on the administrators to be change agents. “You must not only be
knowledgeable and possess the skills required as an instructional leader; but
you must acquire influence in order to activate change”, the Director stated.
He encouraged the leaders to be confident in their ability to affect change
during challenging circumstances as they seek to move their teachers, students and
the organization forward to establish a new order of things.
Mr. Lionel Sands, Director of Education gave the charge to administrators to be agents of change in order to re-culture the quality of education in The Bahamas. (Photo by Aletha Cooper)
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The
Director shared that re-culturing for quality education is even more important
today because of the national spotlight on higher curriculum principles,
evaluations and accountability. “The Department of Education is committed to
ensuring that quality in education occurs as we seek to transform our
educational system. It is our endeavour to train more teachers, but also
provide adequate financial resources and benefits. We recognize that quality in
education occurs when an investment in quality leaders and teachers is made”,
he said.
During
the workshop, attendees received information about the 2014-2015 initiatives of
the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. These include the National
High School Diploma; the Special Education Centre at Our Lady’s School;
Administrators’ Leadership Training; The Mabel Walker Professional Development
Institute; Educational Data Collection and Instruments; Performance Monitoring
for Quality Education and After School Programmes. An update was also given on
the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (19thCCEM)
scheduled to be held 22nd to 26th June, 2015.
