The installation of four newly appointed School Supervisors is yet another step by the Ministry of Education in ensuring that principals and teachers receive critical support in implementing quality educational standards for the nation’s students. The School Supervisors officially received their Letters of Appointment from the Honourable Anthony Garcia, Minister of Education and Chief Education Officer, Harrilal Seecharan at a ceremony held at the Education Towers on Wednesday 21st March, 2018. They have been assigned to primary schools to commence their duties.
Minister Garcia, a former principal who is aware of the importance of School Supervisors in the education system, urged them to become knowledgeable about the directives of the Teaching Service which will assist them in the execution of their duties. “A Supervisor is supposed to be well acquainted with the regulations that govern the Teaching Service. We have the Public Service Commission Regulations and Supervisors must be aware of these Regulations because if they want to be effective in the discharge of their responsibilities, they must be well acquainted with those Regulations,” he said.
He stressed that School Supervisors must know every facet of the Education Act and the Concordat. “I urged them to know the Education Act inside out and of course the Concordat which has been in existence since 1960 and governs the relationship between the Denominational Boards and the Government. Supervisors, because they will be required to supervise Assisted Schools, they need to know a lot about the Concordat,” he said.
Minister Garcia noted that the School Supervisors will also be able to advice principals and teachers with recommendations to assist them with the management of their schools, which is part of the implementation of the School Based Management System. He added that another crucial role that the new School Supervisors will be playing is ensuring that primary school pupils leave the primary school sector fully equipped with the necessary literacy and numeracy skills to help them succeed at the secondary school level.