TRAINING

Training for heads
The need for training in schools has remained strong in Guyana through the years. The complexity of schools as organisations and the demands of the job have been clearly described in the foregoing paragraphs and are acknowledged by all in the field of education. Recognition of this fact is partly responsible for the training trends that have emerged in Guyana. Hence, there is a strong emphasis on pre-service training in the Cyril Potter College of Education and the University of Guyana and in-service training provided by NCERD and the Regional Departments of Education. Let us examine these briefly.

What is training?
In Guyana, the formal training course or workshop is often a rare and precious commodity because funds just do not permit a systematic and regular cycle of programmes. The result is that workshops have tended to become highly sought after. The more formal or informal, alternative meetings of heads or consultation with peers in a neighbourhood, is viewed by some heads themselves as of less importance. However, such meetings are simple to organise, do not cost much and deal mainly with everyday matters. However, costs rise the further into the hinterland that one is working due to transport costs and the availability of fuel. Heads should consider the implications of such meetings for their professional growth and performance very seriously. Not only are they useful for the sharing of information but, ideally, each meeting should contain an element of professional development. REDOs and DEOs who organise such meetings should also ensure that they are run in such a way that Heads feel the benefit and want to attend.

This situation is not likely to improve in the near future. In view of current economic trends, in-service training budgets are always likely to be limited. Whatever the term used, heads need to consider carefully the benefits of these alternative approaches to ‘training’ and encourage regional and ministry leaders to develop this as a training model. All regions are required to hold formal Heads’ meetings. It is essential that this time is used wisely and any bureaucratic element, such as the excessive reading and correcting of minutes, is kept to an absolute minimum. Schools are also required to hold regular staff development sessions. These are precious and should be prepared with care rather than an “ad hoc” arrangements. Heads would do well to collaborate in the preparation of such sessions and run them in each other’s schools.

The Education Management Programme is one example of such an alternative approach. Let us consider its benefits:

¨ It provides the head with a set of hands-on materials.
¨ It taps the available resources in the district, the regions both in terms of materials, facilities and funds as well as expertise.
¨ The programme is viable and sustainable
¨ It is flexible in terms of delivery
¨ It addresses both individual and group needs
¨ It allows flexibility of learning opportunities.

As a head you will need to consider whether the occasional funded meeting or the local or school-focused staff development or self-development programme is likely to see you develop and grow sufficiently in your career. The Programme has the advantage of identifying clearly the training needs of heads and the system as a whole from the outset.

This section should play an important part in addressing and harmonising the needs of key personnel like yourself with the needs of your institution and with national needs as determined by policy-makers. In this context personal needs are to be consistent with institutional needs. In order to understand training needs properly at the personal, institutional and national levels, you should examine the factors that give rise to training needs at the three levels identified above.

¨ the desire to be a more competent head
¨ the variety of experience heads bring to their school on appointment
¨ the different levels of maturity in heads
¨ a desire to keep abreast of the information revolution
¨ changing education trends
¨ social changes reflected in the enactment of new laws
¨ new directions charted by existing governments or new governments taking office
¨ changes in social, professional, managerial attitudes
¨ changes in relationships of accountability; for example, is the head in Guyana more or less accountable to parents and pupils today than ten years age?

In addition to the above factors, you will have noticed from reading earlier parts of this Programme Handbook that training needs could be determined by the nature of your job and the responsibilities it entails and accountability relationships and expectations arising from them. These are some of the factors that under-score training needs. However, it is important for you to understand your specific training needs in areas accepted as constituting the core of your leadership and managerial activities.

To this end, part of a needs assessment instrument is provided for you below. You will see in the instrument that:

a critical behavior is identified in this case leadership
the behavior is broken down into components

Read the following and reflect on your abilities and skills in relation to it.

Leader Behaviour

The head must:

HIGH
¨ create the vision for the school
¨ provide leadership that appropriately involves staff, parents, students and the community in the identification and accomplishment of the school’s mission.
¨ organise teams
¨ apply effective human relations skills
¨ analyse relevant information
¨ make decisions
¨ delegate responsibility
¨ provide appropriate support and follow-up
¨ identify and creatively co-ordinate the use of available human, material and financial resources to achieve the school’s mission and goals
¨ be accountable

The head must:

¨ explore, assess, develop and implement education concepts that enhance teaching and learning
¨ bond the school community through shared values and beliefs
¨ initiate and manage constructive change
¨ participate actively as a member of local, regional and national professional groups
¨ make an overall assessment of leadership proficiencies
¨ develop professional growth activities

Comments
We hope this needs assessment has enabled you to determine where you are now in your acquisition of desirable knowledge, skills and attitudes in the leadership and management of your school as well as to establish the extent and urgency of your own needs as they relate to yourself, your school, district, your region and country.

Prioritizing training needs
In Module 1, Unit 3 you will probably be confronted by a variety of training needs. In practice it is not possible for you to address all your needs at once. Instead you should deal with some clearly identified needs in methodical manner.

Use some of the following considerations to help you to rank your needs:

¨ personal preferences
¨ strength of current needs
¨ relevance of needs
¨ public pressures
¨ pressure from the employer, education department or other interested groups
¨ inherent interest in learning or acquiring new skills, attitudes or knowledge.

Below is a chart you might use to rank your leadership and management needs. To rank needs is to place them in priority order. You could also ask your staff to prioritise them. Consider and reflect upon the final results and identify specific needs relating to each prioritised task.


COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Working with parents and community groups,
INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT
Working with teachers on improving the learning / teaching process and monitoring the school
CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT
Working with teachers to plan, monitor and evaluate the school curriculum programme
DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT OF PHYSICAL FACILTIES (SCHOOL PLANT)
Seeing that building maintenance is accomplished, supervising the maintenance staff; seeing that the necessary systems are in place
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Ensuing that students’ extra-curricular activities are planned, coordinated and supervised
STAFF EVALUATION
Ensuring that required evaluation of teachers and staff is accomplished
SUPPORT SERVICES MANAGEMENT
Managing food service, transportation, medical service, residential accommodation and other school support needs
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Preparing budgets, administering school financial matters, preparing the necessary reports
STAFF & STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
Setting up and supervising the school
REGIONAL AND MINISTRY CO-OPERATION
Attending and representing the school at cluster, regional and ministry meetings.
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES
Working on issues relating to Special Education, Guidance and Counselling
SELF IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
Pursuing activities relating to personal and professional improvement

The activity just completed will probably have given you the opportunity to see how much common ground exists between you and your staff with regard to priority tasks. In addition, you will have been able to determine whether your needs in those task areas have been met. While an instrument like the one you used offers a method of priorities, tasks and needs, it is important to remember that the prioritising of needs cannot be divorced from your school’s operational context. You must seek to establish harmony between your needs, those of your school, the expectation of public offices and other interested groups.

We have touched on the complexity and demands of the role of the head in Guyana. We discussed the variety of challenges and problems you face. To ensure that you are equal to the job demands, you were presented with modes of training available to you. Without the training that answers your needs, you are ill prepared to meet the expectation
of the various groups.

Overall Summary
In this Programme Handbook we have provided you with a background to the Education Management Programme as well attempting to answer some of the more frequently asked questions about the Programme. In addition we have given advice on different methods of study and how to organise yourself to work effectively in a programme delivered in the Distance Education mode. We have looked at the best ways of using the modules in order to gain maximum benefit from them. We have considered the different pressures on a Headteacher in Guyana in the 21st century as well as looking into those groups to whom a Headteacher needs to be accountable.

The key to success in any venture is to be well prepared, thorough in the activities you undertake, be confident and persistent. The Education Management Programme aims to assist you in the preparation. The rest is down to you! We hope that you will thoroughly enjoy the process and the learning and, at the end of your 18 months of training, come out a more confident and self assured Headteacher who will be more able to meet the needs of the pupils, staff, school, community and country.