Education administrators must adapt to change swiftly, says Nevis official
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| Published on Friday, April 27, 2007 |
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CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: Principal Education Officer in the Department of Education on Nevis Jennifer Hodge told education officers that, as administrators of education, they had to adapt to change quickly if they were to provide an effective and empowering framework, to manage the inevitable changes of the 21st century.
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| (L-R) Dr Robertine Chadderton, Joseph Wiltshire Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Jennifer Hodge Principal Education Officer |
Hodge was at the time delivering brief remarks at commencement of the Department of Education’s two-day Education Retreat on Thursday. The retreat is being held under the theme “Empowering People – Effecting Change through Training” with facilitators Dr Robertine Chadderton, Hazel Brandy-Williams, Budget Analyst, and Colin Dore, Treasurer.
According to Hodge, the retreat underscored the opportunity for the Education administrators to critically examine targets for their Corporate Plan which spanned the next three years and to expose them to issues related to Budget reform.
She noted that the Department recognised that teaching was a very demanding profession but had to cope with the rapid changes in education added to the social issues which blindsided the Department dealt with them and provided support for its teachers.
“We in fact are agents of change in education and must engage in constant sharing of strategies to deal with the rapid changes around us especially to assist those in our schools who are directly affected by these changes.
“We must approach our task here over the next two days with a vision, clarity of purpose and a keen sense of direction. We must work as a team driven by a common purpose to deliver the best possible education system for our young people,” she said.
Meantime, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Joseph Wiltshire who stood in for Premier and Minister of Education Joseph Parry, during remarks said he was hopeful that the participants would acquire additional knowledge and skills to better equip themselves for the Herculean task of delivering quality education to the nation’s youth.
He said he was convinced that with the added knowledge and skills, the education officials would be better positioned to effect much needed change in their lives, in the institutions and communities on the island.
“I am confident that the knowledge and skills that will be acquired should strengthen our resolve to continue our mission and so realise the power and importance of the theme.
“We are all aware that training is important, training is essential, training can help to break the shackles of dependency and disperse the dark clouds of ignorance. Let us therefore embrace this opportunity to transform the educational landscape of our island,” he said. |
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