Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training Santia Bradshaw yesterday.
Change is difficult.
So says Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, as she acknowledged that there is some consternation about the transfer of some principals and deputies to other schools, a move which some say was done in an ad hoc manner.
In fact, there is an online petition quickly gathering signatures lobbying to “save” one principal from a Christ Church secondary school from being removed from his post.
Minister Bradshaw was speaking to the media at the end of the first session of meetings held with parent representatives from the island’s Parent Teachers’ Association at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium yesterday afternoon.
Clarifying that the transfer of principals is not a decision made by the principal, the Minister stated: “Change is always difficult for people to come to grips with. Just as ministers have to adapt to changes in ministries, we expect that leaders of institutions across the board, whether at the corporate level in our public institutions, will also be able to do the same. I am confident that wherever our principals are transferred, or acting principals or teachers have to go, that they are a competent group of individuals that will be able to hit the ground running. So I expect great things from a number of the persons the transfers have been put in place for.”
She went on to explain that the movement of principals at the beginning of the school term is not a new phenomenon. “If anything, we do it moving forward a bit earlier, but principals are accustomed to movement and no principal really is expected to remain at an institution indefinitely. That is part of the profession. If you speak to most principals they will understand and appreciate that they have that fluidity as well.
“I think we have some really good principals in the system and that there are some schools that will perhaps benefit from the transfer of some of these principals and I look forward to being able to see what they are able to do at the other institutions,” she said. (JH)