The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is placing greater emphasis on developing its people as it enters the next phase of its transformation agenda, with a focus on strengthening leadership, skills and capacity to improve the delivery of education services.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Kasan Troupe, said the approach will build on work already undertaken to strengthen the Ministry’s systems, structures and processes, while placing greater emphasis on the people responsible for carrying out its work.
She said the approach will include team building and leadership development, personal improvement plans, empowerment, training and opportunities for professional growth.
“This year is about the people in the Ministry of Education and the change management,” she said.
Dr Troupe was speaking to JIS News on Thursday (August 20) at the Jamaica Association of Education Officers’ Annual General Meeting at Iberostar Resort in Lilliput, St. James.
She said the focus is part of the Ministry’s wider transformation agenda, which is being implemented through the Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) initiative.
TREND is based on the 365 recommendations of the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission’s 2021 report. The initiative is intended to improve performance across the education system and position Jamaica to become more globally competitive.
Dr Troupe said the Ministry has spent the first three years of the transformation process strengthening its systems, structures and processes.
She noted that the systems work is continuing as the Ministry responds to changing demands; however, attention must be given to human capital development within the ministry.
Dr Troupe said the objective is to strengthen a culture of excellence among those carrying out the Ministry’s mandate.
She said the emphasis on developing people is also important as the Ministry incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) into education management and supervision.
She said AI should complement the work of education officers by reducing some of the technical tasks and allowing them to devote more time to the human aspects of their responsibilities.
“It doesn’t necessarily need to replace us but it does, as education officers, give us more time to conduct the human element of the job,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Troupe commended education officers for their contribution to the education system, noting their willingness to go beyond their regular duties in support of students and schools.
She said the Ministry is now looking to build on the progress made and strengthen the capacity of its people to execute the transformation agenda.
