For the new academic year and beyond, the Education Ministry has announced an overhaul of the supervision of students from nursery to secondary schools with guidelines that allow for greater monitoring.
Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain issued a circular informing of the changes.
It was outlined, “The evolving dynamics of our education system requires synchronised changes in the allocation of teachers and their functions within respective schools. This is necessary for improved supervision and student outcomes and more efficient functioning schools.”
In nursery schools, general guidelines now provide that headteachers will no longer be counted as a teaching unit. Instead, a headteacher must conduct a minimum of eight supervision sessions, classroom supervisory visits or walk-throughs per week.
It also outlined that multi-grade classes should be avoided where practical and should only be established when there are less than five learners per year group. Additionally, two teachers are to be assigned to any class with more than 15 students.
One additional teacher, preferably with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) training must be assigned to each class where there are three or more SEND learners. Each nursery school must also have a Data Entry Clerk.
At the primary level, provisions are now made for headteachers and deputy headteachers to also conduct at least eight supervisory sessions. Deputies should not be assigned fixed classes but may serve as a floating teacher until a full complement is hired. More than 20 pupils in Grades One to Two, and more than 25 for Grades Three to Five will require two teachers.
The Ministry has stated that one Information Technology teacher must be appointed to each primary school that has a computer laboratory, and teach classes on a timetabled basis. Grades A and B primary schools can have a minimum of two Spanish teachers.
In secondary schools, supervisory sessions will be required from headteachers, deputy headteachers, senior masters/mistresses and heads of department.
In cases where classes have more than 30 students, two teachers must be assigned to each of those classes. Each school with a CAPE programme or dormitories will have an additional senior master/mistress. Large secondary schools will have more than one teacher designated as Guidance and Counselling Officers.
Acknowledging that immediate implementation of these changes can shock the system, the Ministry has clarified, “These changes must be made gradually over the next academic year and beyond. School leaders must conduct a consultative rationalization of their staff to begin the implementation process. School leaders will be held accountable for the sporadic and indiscriminate implementation of this circular.”
The Ministry is working aggressively to pursue universal secondary education, and creating facilities which are conducive for learning.
As such, Government is eliminating primary tops, with the construction of several secondary schools across the country. New schools will call for greater resources in the teaching sector.
Schools to be built are the $1.9 billion Kopinang Secondary School (Region Eight), the $2.5 billion Hosororo Secondary School (Region One), the $2 billion Kwebanna Secondary School (Region One) and the $2 billion Jawalla Secondary School (Region Seven).
With establishment of the new Jawalla Secondary School, the Ministry would be able to close the primary tops in Philippi, Wax Creek, Chinoweing, Imbaimadai, Jawalla, Quebanang, Kako and Kamarang.
The new Kwebanna facility will serve the villages of Kwebanna, Santa Cruz, Waikrebi, Chinese Landing, Kokerite, Kariako, Warapoka, Assakata, Unity Grant.
After being ravaged by fire, the North West Secondary School, Region One is also being rebuilt.
