TEACHERS and education officials on Tuesday farewelled a university lecturer who had conducted a management training for them in the past weeks in Honiara.
Dr Govinda Ishwar Lingam is a senior education lecturer with the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji.
The participants include head teachers, principals and school inspectors.
Dr Lingam told the Solomon Star the participants are a group of motivated educationists who are very curious and prepared to learn during the training.
“Their aim is to make a difference to their schools on their return,” Dr Lingam said.
He said training for teachers is important in this day and age to ensure they keep abreast with changes.
He added teachers played an import role in leading their schools and so it’s important they are well-equipped and effective in the management of their schools.
“The training was geared towards providing them with the relevant knowledge and skills on contemporary leadership theories, research and practice,” he said.
Dr Lingam said the training also offers participants opportunities to evaluate their past leadership practices with the current best practices as advanced in the literature on school management.
“It is envisaged that these participants could later provide on the job training to others especially those aspiring school leaders in their respective institutions,” Dr Lingam said.
The participants were awarded diplomas in leadership and change.
Geoff Laisy from Imbo Community High School said the training helped him realised where he needs to improve.
He said it also made him know about many different types of leadership methods.
Mary Apu of Siohuramo School in South Malaita said leadership is one of the fundamental aspects of running a school.
She said lack of leadership leads to weak and ineffective schools.
“This leadership training changed our mindsets because previously we teach just to earn a salary.”
She added the training is an eye opener for the35 participants.
“Now we realise that teachers are there to shape the lives of students to be good role models and not thinking about how much money they’ll be getting every forthnight.”
Johnson Teika of New Place Provincial Secondary School on Renbel said teachers who attended the training will be going back to their various schools well equipped to run their schools this new year.
The training was a partnership between the Ministry of Education and the University of South Pacific’s School of Education.
Seven women were among the 35 participants.
By GINA MAKA’A
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