The School Development Planning Process

Achieving Effective Management of Learning in Schools

Ms. Pat Flett
The Jamaica All Age Schools Project has been working with project schools to support them in the process of School Development Planning (SDP). Planning is of critical importance to the effective management of learning in schools and the SDP focuses on goals that highlight students’ academic achievement and personal development. There is also a community component in the plans where community goals are identified. The planning and implementation process was designed to foster a close relationship between the school and community through the consultation and collaboration of all stakeholders.

The first step was to train Territorial Education Officers who supervise Project Schools, Senior Education Officers and other Ministry of Education and Culture personnel as trainers. They in turn returned to the regions and trained a Development Action Group (DAG) from each school in SDP. Four people from each school were invited to participate in the regional training: The principal, community member, PTA representative, and the school board representative. The creation of the DAG was to facilitate the development of a culture of collaboration in the development and implementation of the plans.

To support the implementation of the plans, schools will receive both professional and financial assistance. Professional support will be provided through visits at critical times in the planning and implementation stages. There will be further training and support, too, which will take place to facilitate the review of the plans in years two and three of the project.

Financial support will be provided to each school, based on its enrolment figures, to support minor works and curriculum activities in years one, two and three of the project. Funding will also be available each year for every project school community, to support the community development goals identified in the SDPs.