Module 9 School Records and Documents

Module 9 School Records and Documents

Although we have made it clear in the last eight modules that the most important aspect of a headteacher’s function is the leadership role, we cannot deny that there is also a need for a certain amount of administration to make sure that schools function smoothly and that appropriate records are kept for those who need them.

The Supplementary Module 9 based on the guidelines School Records and Documents is available online. Just go to the side bar on the right to find it.

This module is a supplementary one and does not form part of the main programme. It is based on the Ministry of Education’s document “School Records and Documents” which has been updated regularly to meet current needs. It is the Ministry’s guidelines for all administrative activity for schools in Guyana. It is an extremely comprehensive guide produced by a large number of persons who wrote it and were part of the consultation process. It gives clear instructions to headteachers on how they should operate in respect of their administrative duties.

Whilst we accept that such administrative tasks are essential in keeping the wheels of the school moving smoothly, we must remember, however, that these tasks are not a means to a successful school in themselves. They assist the headteacher in keeping appropriate records to support him /her to fulfil his / her role as a leader. Alone they will not raise achievement. This is done by coaching, motivating and supporting school staff. School records should be completed, therefore, as far as possible outside of the school day and should not be used as an excuse to avoid working in those areas which will make a real difference to pupil achievement.

The primary purpose of the guidelines is to provide information to school practitioners in an attempt to enhance their competence and confidence. When the guidelines are adhered to, the system of accountability would be greatly improved.

The format of this module is different from that of the previous ones in that each unit will have a short introduction, after which you will be expected to read the appropriate sections of the guidelines. On completion of your reading, you will find a number of reflections and activities which we hope you will complete. We have provided you with a page reference from the guidelines to assist you in this process. The answers to the activities should be recorded in your portfolio in the normal way.

Graduation in Region Two

The Education Management Programme is going from strength to strength in Region Two. This was the region which piloted the programme in 2000 and is about to start with its fifth cohort of trainees. It was also the first region to hold its graduation which coincided with Education Month.

The Graduation, which was held at Anna Regina Multilateral School was introduced by the Chairperson Ms Yvonne Castello, who is also one of the Master Trainers on the course whose group of trainees come from the Pomeroon River. An overview of the Programme was given by Mr Maydha Persaud who is another Master Trainer and Commissioner of the Teaching Service Commission as well as retired Headteacher. The Education Management Specialist from NCERD , who is a VSO from England, gave the Feature Address and urged the graduates to remain steadfast in displaying their leadership skills so as to lead schools successfully through the first half of the 20th Century.

All of the three groups of graduates, which numbered 42 in all, offered a cultural piece to the audience of well wishers, regional officials, Headteachers, teachers, family and friends. Certificates were distributed and prizes were given to the best performers. The top scoring graduate, Laljeet Ruplall offered the Vote of Thanks and the Charge was given by the country's top performing graduate in 2006, Sandra Narine.

The Graduation was attended by, amongst others, the Region's Head of the Education Department, Mr Bardewan Ghir Rambarran, the Regional Executive Officer, Mr Sunil Singh and the Vice Chairman of Region Two, Mr Vishnu Samaroo.

Group 3 Representative performs a poem about "Motivation". Other groups offered a poem and a song and a sketch on "Leadership Styles".


To see all of the photographs of this Graduation, click on the photograph below:-

Mr Mayda Persaud gave an overview of the Programme

Guyana Chronicle Article about NCERD

Article 1st October 2008

Members of NCERD’s team: from left, Jane Quinn, Rajwantie Permaul, Stephen Harding, Bibi Shariman Ali and Sandra Persaud

“To plan and implement all in-service teacher education programmes, in order to improve the quality of education at all levels in the system so that education may serve as an effective instrument of social and economic development”.

This is the foundation on which the seven units of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), have banded together to form a highly professional, accountable, modern and democratic education service.

Established in 1986, to coordinate the functions of its units, NCERD has been able to touch all areas of the education sector, from curriculum and assessments to provision of resources and textbooks, some of which are developed by NCERD.

The seven units, brought together through the efforts and funding by the Ministry of Education and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), are:

* Curriculum Development and Implementation Unit, headed by Bibi Shariman Ali
* Measurement, Evaluation and Research Unit, headed by Claudette Phoenix
* Learning Resources Development Unit, headed by Rajwantie Permaul
* School Libraries Division, also headed by Rajwantie Permaul.
* Materials Production Unit, headed by Albert Sugdeo
* Distance Education and Information Unit, headed by Pauline Stanford and
* Administrative Unit, headed by Lucille Griffith.

The units undertake tasks that are imperative to the realisation of NCERD’s key responsibilities, which have significant impact on the Education sector, according to the institution’s director, Mohandatt Goolsarran.

Director of NCERD, 

These responsibilities include:

* Provision of in-service and continuous training (professional, continuous growth and development) for teachers and other personnel
* Development, testing, implementation and evaluation of curriculums for Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools
* Advising on policy guidelines which relate specifically to Regional Learning Resources Centres (RLRC)
* Collaboration with other professionals to keep abreast of international trends in education
* Conceptualisation, development, evaluation and procurement of learning resources
* Training of library assistants, laboratory technicians and teacher librarians
* Promotion of effective teaching strategy practices
* Provision of assistance in the area of classroom management
* Upgrading of the qualifications of untrained teachers in the top regions through Distance and Open learning methodology
* Provision of formal and non-formal educational radio programmes
* Processing of examination papers and analysing results for use by the relevant personnel within the Ministry and other agencies
* Development of tests and scales required for national examinations
* Formulation and processing National Grades 2, 4, 6 and 9 Assessments and
* Printing, collating, storing and packaging papers for exhibition.

For the achievement of these responsibilities, each unit operates under a specific mission statement that complements NCERD’s general objectives. Functioning in different areas, the work of NCERD parallels those of the Ministry of Education’s Strategic Plan 2003-2007, the director stated.

This is in relation to:

* Professional support for the Hinterland Areas
* Improving equity in education by giving special attention to children in difficult circumstances
* Improving the human resource in the Education sector
* Improving the managerial capability of schools for greater effectiveness and accountability
* Information technology literacy and
* Literacy and numeracy.

NCERD’s literacy and numeracy projects hope to target 14,700 individuals. The initiative, started in May, extends throughout the 10 Administrative Regions of Guyana and purposes to help the participants raise their literacy level. Currently, regional coordinators, in association with 200 plus educators, out of a targeted 300, engage students, adults and interested persons in afternoon sessions five days a week, during an approximate seven-hour study schedule.

This effort by NCERD is only one of the programmes that are currently running which assist in educating Guyanese people for the development of the individual and, by extension, the country as a whole. In addition to the programmes established to educate, there are several others that aim at training or improving the human resource of the Education sector.

These comprise certificate courses and non-graduate courses in a number of fields, such as Education Management, Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics for Secondary Schools, and Basic Information Technology, said the director.

“Without NCERD there is no Ministry of Education,” Mohandatt Goolsarran posited.

He added that because of NCERD’s current role, it has been mandated by the Ministry of Education to widen its scope of activities.

A recent addition to NCERD’s list of brilliant minds is Jane Quinn, formerly of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Quinn stated that her sights are set on developing multimedia skills so as to facilitate the use of multimedia in the classrooms across Guyana. Quinn also added that she hopes to have an online infrastructure established, which would assist in making additional content available to many schools in need, on as many platforms as needed.

With more human-based and innovative technological resources, NCERD is expected to continue along the constructive path it has embarked upon to maintain the positive impact that the institution has had on the Education sector.

Applications for Education Management Programme

Applications

are invited from suitably qualified Headteachers,

Senior and Middle leaders in schools, Regional Education Staff and Officers of the Ministry of Education

Where to Apply

Guyana Ministry of Education

National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD)

Education Management Certificate Programme

The Programme is a Distance Education Course lasting 18 months, in two parts, covering every aspect of school leadership, leading to the Education Management Certificate.

Applicants must have significant experience and be working or have worked in the school education sector at least at Middle Leadership level (HOD, Level Head, SM, DHM or HM) or as a Regional or Ministry of Education Officer.

Application forms can be uplifted from the Regional Education Office or the Department of Education in Georgetown. They must be completed and endorsed by the REDO / PEO.

Success Quotes

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

Keep steadily before you the fact that all true success depends at last upon yourself.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

A failure is a man who has blundered, but is not able to cash in on the experience.

The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities. These may for the most part be summed in these two: common-sense and perseverance.

Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving.

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is:Try to please everybody.

Success does not consist in never making blunders, but in never making the same one a second time.

The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.

Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration.

If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.

Impatience never commanded success.

The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do, well.

To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first.

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.

The man who makes a success of an important venture never wails for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a great lot of grit; but the man that succeeds has both. Anyone can fail. The public admires the man who has enough confidence in himself to take a chance. These chances are the main things after all. The man who tries to succeed must expect to be criticized. Nothing important was ever done but the greater number consulted previously doubted the possibility. Success is the accomplishment of that which most people think can't be done.

And one quote just for fun.....

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a fool about it.

Master Trainers' Workshop

We are pleased to report that the Workshop for Master Trainers for the Education Management Programme held in NCERD was a great success.

28 Master Trainers from all over the country attended the 5 day workshop facilitated by Stephen Harding (Education Managemner Specialist) and his wife Mary Harding (Curriculum Specialist) Both are VSOs working in NCERD.

Although there was some educational theory, the activities were mainly of a practical nature relating to schools. The principle theme was one of “Proactive Leadership” and how Headteachers, through their own practice can influence the direction of a school in a positive way. Great emphasis was placed on the “expectations” of Headteachers and the “accountability of all in the system.

We were able to have frank and open discussions about the current situation relating to the education system in Guyana and have focused on solutions and overall principles. These principles have been embraced by the participants

The attendance and participation was excellent and the Master Trainers have displayed a passionate and informed desire for improvement of the system through the provision of support for all staff at every level. It is clear that they have welcomed and embraced many of the changes and suggestions given in the last training session.

In the results of the last cohort of trainees, there was a pass rate in excess of 94% - the best ever. The average score was higher than any other previous year The examination focused much more on skills and evaluation rather than simply recall of information. The best performers were in regions away from Georgetown in Regions 6, 10 & 3

We all now feel that there is a need for all officers of the Ministry of Education and Regional Departments of Education to take a greater ownership of the course, its management and organization and support of its participants.

On the final day, we were please to have received the Honourable Minister of education, Mr Shaik Baksh who gave us his views on the programme and the educational provision in Guyana as a whole. This was reported on NCN News and in several newspapers.

The text of the article published in the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday 9th August is given below:-

Aiming for higher standards…Baksh warns education non-performers will be fired

By Tajeram Mohabir (EDUCATION)

Minister Shaik Baksh yesterday announced that measures are being put in place to fire all non-performers at the different levels in his ministry.

He made the announcement at the conclusion of a five-day master trainers workshop in the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) in Kingston, Georgetown.
Taking a touch line, he told the group of senior teachers that, while there are few effective managers in the education system, too many have a lackadaisical approach to work. He said headteachers and regional education officers need to adjust their attitude to create the change necessary for propelling the sector to a higher plain or leave their jobs.

Baksh emphasised that the majority of headteachers are reactive rather than proactive and seminars like the one just concluded are a salient effort to reverse their behaviour. He exhorted the trainers to be aggressive change agents and said they would not be working alone because a newly established team of education inspectors will assist them to address the many deficiencies in the schools.

Baksh encouraged the trainers to be self-motivated and channel their energies to alter the mindset of teachers, so they give of their best and produce the desired results. He said, for the education system to succeed, teachers will have to demonstrate a sense of commitment and dedication. The minister said the argument about work according to pay is grossly ridiculous and declared that teachers engaged in the practice lack the slightest idea of the danger they are causing to children’s lives.

Baksh said his ministry recognises the need to upgrade salaries and has been doing all within its means to ensure proper remuneration and appealed for a sense of patriotism and a passion for change in return. Those values should be enforced by the Guyana Teachers' Union (GTU) but, apparently, the latter is only is clamouring for increases in pay, Baksh stated.

He indicated that the teachers who were trained in the education management programme will also have to fill a similar role and his ministry will be looking forward to the feedback on the strides made. Baksh said the Central Ministry has already been reformed and emphasis is now being placed on the regional and school systems to ensure operational efficiency. He pledged to do all within his limit to make sure his ministry functions and delivers effectively at every level before he demits office. Baksh underscored the importance of the capacity building workshop, pointing out that it will significantly aid teachers to positively reform their schools and impart their knowledge to colleagues through similar workshops and seminars. He expressed optimism that the trained teachers will produce quality results that would serve as a catalyst to instill values of high standards in headteachers and teachers who are incapable of effecting positive changes.

Baksh commended the facilitators of the workshop, Mr. Stephen Harding and his wife, Mrs. Mary Harding, for their sterling contributions towards updating the Education Management Programme which is designed to meet the needs of the system.
Mr. Harding said those trained were acting headteachers and senior teachers drawn from the 10 Administrative Regions.The Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) volunteer said the teachers were engaged in mostly practical work, intended to make them adopt a proactive stance in problem solving, planning and implementation. Harding said the focus was on the expectation of headteachers and accountability to all in the school system. He proposed that the programme be prolonged for another few years, so that all headteachers will benefit.

Harding disclosed that 350 of them graduated from it this year.