PESP Instructional Technology

Subcomponents under the Institutional Development Component

Education Management Information System (EMIS) subcomponent

This involves the development of connect website or intranet and internet services which will provide access to existing databases and the development of the three new databases. These new databases will store information on Personnel, Infrastructure and Finance. The subcomponent will also provide training for users and technical support staff to sustain the system that is being funded through the PESP.

As a precursor to setting up the Education Management Information System a State of Technology study was conducted to review the state of readiness of the Ministry to implement the EMIS.
The following areas were evaluated:
1) State of network infrastructure
2) Electrical infrastructure within the MOEYC and Regional offices.
3) The evaluation of application systems used in the ministry and the readiness for web enablement.
4) Assessment of the human resources within the Ministry and the state of readiness for the proposed technological shift.

Outcome of Study
1) Repositioning of the Management Information System department within the structure of the MOEYC and an expanded role, necessitating a new structure within the department
2) Revised Terms Of Reference for the Education Management Information System consultancy
3) Electrical specification to support the EMIS

Status as of July31, 2003
Negotiations with consultants completed and approval for award being obtained.

Absenteeism Pilot

Two study tours were conducted one to Mexico City in Mexico and the other to Rio De-Janeiro in Brazil by a team from the MOEYC inclusive of Representatives from the Jamaica Teachers Association and Schools with low attendance.
Based on the finding of the study tour Terms of Reference for technical assistance to 100 schools selected was revised.

Status as of July 31, 2003

100 schools with low attendance have been selected for assistance in dealing with the issue. All 100 schools had orientation sessions.
The consultant firm for the pilot of intervention strategies has been identified and the approval for the award of contract being obtained.

Site Based Management and Governance subcomponent

Under this subcomponent new models of school-based management to be developed in 12 school. This will promote teacher participation in collaborative school leadership, site management, instructional innovation and decision-making.
The training of Boards of Management of Schools will also be conducted under this sub-component.

Status As of July 31, 2003

1) Application forms and brochures were sent to all primary schools soliciting applications for the subcomponent.
2) Based on the selection criteria and applications received 12 schools from across the six Regions of the MOEYC were selected.
3) The twelve schools were sensitized as a group.
4) Consultants have been contracted to develop the full concept of Site based Management.
5) Consultants have visited seven schools and all regional offices on a fact-finding exercise.
Training of Boards of Management of Schools
The NCE has been requested to submit a proposal for the training of the remaining members of the school board of management, not included in their training programme.

School District Pilot

The executives of the Ministry of Education are reviewing activities in this subcomponent and an impact analysis study is being commissioned to aid this process.

Information will be made available as decisions are taken.

Principals Diploma Programme

Over 800 principals will be trained in Education Management, Administration and Leadership. 100 principals will be trained overseas while the others will be trained locally. The MOEYC deemed it critical to establish a broad-based diploma programme for school principals that will encourage and permit the greatest number of principals to acquire training in the shortest possible time. The training programme will be offered over the remaining three years of the project’s life. This training will become a requirement for appointment to positions of principals.

The diploma will have five modules of training, each module being thirty hours in length and should consist of the following key areas:

1) Leadership for Effective Schools
2) Organizational Behaviour
3) Education Evaluation and Classroom Supervision
4) Issues in Jamaica Education
5) Practicum in Leadership and Management

After tenders, Mount Saint Vincent University was awarded the contract to train One hundred principals at its Nova Scotia campus in Canada and approximately seven hundred and forty locally at four Teachers’ Colleges located islandwide. The four colleges are: St. Josephs, Bethlehem, College of Agriculture Science and Education and Sam Sharpe. This activity will be institutionalized at St. Joseph’s teachers college.

Status as of July 31, 2003

50 principals began their training on May 26, 2003 in Canada, which will end in August 2003. A local cadre of approximately 235 began their training from July 14 to August 15, during which three modules will be delivered.

Module1: Leadership for Effective Schools
a) Team building
b) Shaping: build school culture
c) Dimensions of leadership
d) Collaboration and the learning environment.

Module 2: Educational Evaluation and Classroom Supervision
a) Programme Supervision
b) Working with Teachers: Professional Development
c) Working with teachers: Evaluation
d) Working with student learning
e) Supervision in curriculum implementation

Module 3:

Institutional Strengthening subcomponent

The project will support the succession process and leadership strengthening through three courses of action: mentorships, internships, and training programmes, in addition to a small number of bonded off-shore study fellowships.
Mentorship activities will involve senior employees working with junior employees to enhance the latter skills. Internship will be more formal placement of trainees with higher-level managers, as executive assistants, to assess the intern’s skills and to determine whether a particular position would be a “good fit”. Interns will be carefully selected and will normally be considered to have the qualification and training to become higher-level managers. The duration of internships will be three to six months.
The training programme will consist of a series of eight formal workshops of nine hours each in eight major areas. The programmes will be designed to improve the leadership and management skills of middle managers in the Ministry. The training programme will continue after completion of the PESP on an annual basis, to implement a strategy of continuous improvement of human resources and succession planning.

The PESP will finance, in addition, five bonded fellowships to provide for overseas doctoral level studies and thirty short-term study fellowships to provide opportunities for managers to study effective and innovative practices in other educational organizations overseas.

Status as of July 31, 2003

Two officers have gone on long-term fellowships. One officer pursued studies in Instructional Technology and Media, while the other studied Educational Planning.
14 officers have undertaken short-term courses in Instructional technology, Mentoring, Guidance, Teacher Education, and Management Information System.

Training Programmes: The consultancy has been advertised and a training institution is being contracted. Training is expected to begin by October 2003