The Government is moving to reform the process for appointing school boards, with proposed changes to include objective standards for selecting members and fit-and-proper criteria for board chairpersons.
Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, informed that legislative changes are being contemplated to strengthen governance and ensure that boards have the skills required to effectively support schools.
“Our boards need to be filled with individuals who can help our schools move forward. So, you’re going to see me come with legislation to change the way boards are appointed. So, it’s going to be based on their ability to do the work. So very objective standards,” Senator Morris Dixon said.
She was addressing the 62nd Annual Conference of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny recently.
The Minister said strong leadership at both the board and administrative levels can have a significant bearing on the performance of schools.
She noted that she has begun scrutinising the qualifications of persons being proposed to chair school boards, particularly at institutions experiencing performance challenges.
“Every single board, actually, I go through the CV of the chair to make sure that the chair can do the job,” she stated.
Senator Morris Dixon said the proposed reforms will examine standardising the composition of school boards and establishing a national pool of individuals with the requisite skills who are willing to serve.
The Ministry will also look at increasing training for board members and introducing fit-and-proper criteria.
Attention will also be given to improving the appointment process, which the Minister acknowledged can sometimes take too long.
Senator Morris Dixon underscored that strengthening governance is critical to improving outcomes throughout the education system and ensuring schools have capable leadership at all levels.
