School leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
The 1966 Education Act states that “Principals” are specifically tasked with the day-to-day management of their schools while a “Supervisor” holds overarching responsibility for all public schools and ensures compliance with prescribed powers and duties.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The 1966 Education Act is the main legal text outlining the duties and responsibilities of school principals.
The school principal is to adhere to the 2018 National School Code of Conduct which “provides guidance to all school personnel towards ensuring that the school is a safe and secure learning environment where all children can learn and develop holistically”. The Code of conduct outlines the responsibilities of the school principal.
The Job Specification and Description of Principals in Secondary Schools published by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago highlights the roles and duties of school principals and outlines the “Performance Criteria & Standards” section that highlights the effectiveness of the school principal’s role.
The 2023-2027 Education Policy aims to ensure “greater uniformity of national professional development standards with regional and international standards (UNESCO/CARICOM standards of training)” of school administrators and staff which includes school leaders.
The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), of which Trinidad and Tobago is a member, co-published the 2021 Let's REAP! — Roadmap for Principals Guide No.3 to support principals from the OES and CARICOM to address the unique needs of individual schools.
The 2020 CARICOM Standards for the Teaching Profession Teachers, Educational Leaders and Teacher Educators also outline the multifaceted responsibilities of school leaders, emphasizing their role in national development. Leaders are expected to shape teaching and learning, develop staff and students, and implement strategies to achieve educational goals while considering the impact on individuals and society. The standards cover seven key areas including leading student and professional learning, personal and organizational change, sustainability, accountability, and equity, reflecting the complexity of school leadership and the region's vision for development.
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: The 2018 National School Code of Conduct states that the responsibilities of school principal include establishing “school expectations, guidelines, rules and regulations in alignment with national policy and guidelines” and “formulating and ensuring consistency in implementing school expectations, guidelines, rules and regulations”.
The 1966 Education Act mentions that School principals must be responsible for the suitable application of the syllabus in conformity with the needs of the pupils of the school, and the administration of the school’s programme.
Developing teaching and learning: The 1966 Education Act mentions that the school principal is to ensure the suitable application of the syllabus in conformity with the needs of the students of the school, and the administration of the school’s programme.
Promoting collaboration: The 1966 Education Act states that the role of a school principal encompasses ensuring the physical safety of students, maintaining discipline within the school, overseeing the proper use of school equipment and stock, managing record-keeping, fostering cooperation with parents and approved authorities, and obligatory attendance at all meetings of the Board (art.25).
In the 2018 National School Code of Conduct, the school principal is to communicate the “school expectations, guidelines, rules and regulations to parents, staff, students and all other relevant stakeholders”.
The 2023-2027 Education Policy aims to Develop communities of practice to foster collaboration between and among teachers and principals to exchange their knowledge about their schools and community/ environment
Supporting staff development: The 1966 Education Act states the principal is responsible for the allocation and supervision of the duties and responsibilities of members of their staff. Butthat it is rather the Supervisor who is responsible for “the conduct and supervision of courses of induction and training for untrained teachers in service as well as courses for other teachers”. However, the highlights that principals are to assist “teachers and parents by engaging relevant internal and external stakeholders to resolve student behavior problems”.
The Job Specification and Description of Principals in Secondary Schools states that school principals are responsible of “counselling and assisting teaching staff” and “facilitating training of teachers and providing demonstrations of and guidance in the use of various teaching methods”.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: According to the 2018 National School Code of Conduct, the school personnel including school principals are expected to “are expected to perform their duties with the highest level of integrity” and demonstrate respect, responsibility, honor rights, show courtesy, and prioritize productivity and performance in their behaviors to maintain a safe, dignified, and productive learning environment.
Others: The 1966 Education Act states that principals of schools shall be responsible for the day-to-day management of their school including teaching, supervision of the physical safety of pupils; allocation and supervision of the duties and responsibilities of members of their staff; and school discipline (art.27). Circular Memorandum No. 25 of 2017 on the Duty of Principals as outlined in the Occupational Safety and health Act (OSHA), Chap: 88:08 require principals to take cognizance of Section 6 of the OSHA and in particular make arrangements for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of equipment, machinery, article and substances; the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the safety and health at work of persons in school; the maintenance of the school; the provision and maintenance of a working environment that is safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards amenities and arrangements for welfare at work. They are to ensure that all accidents which occur at schools are reported to the Ministry and to the Chief Inspector of the Occupational Safety and Health Agency in accordance with Section 46 and 46A of the OSHA.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
The 2023 Circular Memorandum No. 9 and the Job Specification and Description of Principals in Primary Schools outline that the minimum qualification of school principals in primary schools is to hold a Teachers’ Diploma or Equivalent, complete in-service management training, have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (with a focus on Education Administration and/or Curriculum) or Equivalent, and have a minimum of eight years’ experience as a certified Teacher in a Primary School, with at least three years in School Administration.
The Job Specification and Description of Principals in Secondary Schools mandates candidates to possess a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized University, along with a certification in teaching or education, supplemented by an 11-week in-service training in Education Administration. Additionally, candidates should demonstrate at least eight years of teaching experience following the completion of the postgraduate Diploma in Education, inclusive of a minimum of two years serving as Vice Principal II or its equivalent.
The 2019 Criteria for Assessment of Qualifications for Teaching at the Secondary Level states that for teaching, the aim is to have all secondary schools staffed with teachers who possess at least a Bachelor’s Degree with specialization in their particular subject area.
The 2024 Circular Memorandum No. 6 outlines states that the minimum experience and training requirements for a Principal (Secondary) are the possession of bachelor’s degree in a specialty subject area from a recognized University, certification in training as evidenced by the possession of a Diploma in Education/Teaching and eight years teaching experience after obtaining the post graduate Diploma in Education or equivalent including at least two years as Vice Principal (Secondary).
Appointment decision
The 2023 Circular Memorandum No. 9 states that Applications for the position of school principal are submitted online through the designated Online Application for promotion to Administrative Offices in the Teaching Service. Detailed instructions and guidelines for using the online application system were provided in Circular Memorandum No. 18 issued on October 16, 2019, accessible on the Ministry’s website. Applicants must use their official Ministry of Education email address for submission and ensure that all required documents, including Special Report forms and School Profiles, are uploaded before the application deadline. Principals and Schools Supervisors are to ensure that all Application Forms are accompanied by Special Reports and submitted on or before the closing date of the applications using their official Ministry of Education email address. Schools Supervisors of each Education District are further expected to submit School Profiles for the school identified in the advertisement. Successful applicants not immediately placed as Principal (Primary) or Principal (Secondary) will be listed on an Order of Merit List valid for one year, allowing re-application. All applicants must meet the specified requirements by the closing date. School Supervisors must submit School Profiles for advertised schools by June 30, 2023, while Principals are responsible for disseminating this Circular Memorandum and submitting a list of applicants to the Human Resource Division by the same date.
Employment equity measures
The 2018 National Policy on Gender and Development (Green Paper) advocates for equal representation of men and women in national leadership positions across all levels, including state boards and statutory bodies. It emphasizes promoting transformational and inter-generational leadership by developing gender-aware career enhancement and personal development programmes that encompass career planning, tracking, mentoring, coaching, training, and retraining to equip individuals with the skills needed to attain equitable access to leadership, managerial, entrepreneurial, and technical positions.
Working conditions
The 2023-2027 Education Policy refers to the “Principals’ Associations” that supported the development of the policy itself. School principals of secondary schools are therefore members of the Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools Trinidad and Tobago (APPSSTT). School principals of Denominational Schools are also members of the Association of Principals of Assisted Secondary Schools (APASS). With respect to primary schools, principals form part of the National Primary Schools Principals Association (NAPSPA). School principals are members of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers association (TTUTA)
The 2022 Estimates of the Revenue and Expenditure of the Statutory Boards and Similar Bodies and of the Tobago House of Assembly states that Principals in secondary schools are Grade 8 in the salary scale but does not specify the amount. The Salary Settlement 2014-2017 and 2017-2020 between TTUTA and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) for 2014-2017 & 2017-2020, however, outlines the minimum salary of a school principal in “Grade 7” (Primary) as $17,446 and the maximum as 22, 546. With respect to a school principal in “Grade 8” (Secondary), the minimum salary is $19,160 and the maximum is $22,546.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
One of the objectives of the 2023-2027 Education Policy is to establish an “Academy for training principals”.
Induction and in-service training
The 2023-2027 Education Policy mentions is the intention to “establish a National Online Open School of Trinidad and Tobago” in which the focus will be the “upskilling of principals and teachers”. It will also provide training to staff to facilitate operating in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment, the training demands that to avoid traditional, outdated approaches to management and leadership. These efforts are aimed at providing ongoing professional development to administrators, and key personnel of the Ministry of Education, utilizing a blend of traditional and virtual methods in order to “encourage the development of professional learning communities at the school and fraternity levels, incorporating the concept of mentorship, to provide guidance and support for teachers and administrators to increase their skills and knowledge, and enable optimal performance of their duties”. Additionally, the Teacher Education Performance and Professional Development Division (TEPPDD) of the Ministry of Education, is the unit charged with the responsibility for the advancement of professional development of all ECCE, Primary, Secondary and Special Needs Teachers, Principal, Vice-Principal and Administrators within the public education sector (Ministry of Education website). Some of the services provided include induction programmes for new teachers, continuous professional development for administrators and teachers, administrative leadership training and the national open school of Trinidad and Tobago.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
The 1966 Education Act outlines that for any school deemed to have been established as an assisted school, there shall be established, for the purpose of exercising the control of the school, a Board of Management. The general powers and duties of the Board of Management are stated in the 1966 Education Act.
The 2005 Local School Board Regulations made under section 86 of the 1966 Education Act. Local School Boards for Government Schools with a term of two years are constituted by the Minister in accordance with regulations, with each board responsible for the management of its respective school... The composition of these boards includes the Principal or acting Principal and up to nine additional members appointed by the Minister. Among these additional members are representatives from the school staff, a representative teachers' union, the Parent Teacher Organization, one student from the student body, and three persons nominated by the Minister in consultation with relevant interest groups and stakeholders. These nominated members are required to have an interest in the school and possess expertise relevant to the board's operations. The board appoints its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman from its membership, excluding the Principal, staff, or student representatives. Each board is mandated to submit an annual report of its operations, including a financial and management audit, to the Minister.
The Board is entrusted with various duties and powers to support the Principal in effectively managing the school. These include developing a strategic plan for the school plan, conducting operational and environmental audits, implementing school improvement plans, receiving and addressing public feedback, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation among stakeholders, seeking assistance from local government bodies and agencies, ensuring essential services like water, electricity, and sanitation, engaging with the local community, mobilizing support for the school, strengthening community relations, suggesting improvements for the school's performance and infrastructure, preparing capital improvement plans, implementing maintenance programs, enhancing school security, organizing fundraising activities and managing funds, making recommendations to the Minister, liaising with past pupil associations, and taking actions beneficial to the school's welfare.
The 2018 National School Code of Conduct highlights that the local school board supports school leadership in communicating the National School Code of Conduct to all stakeholders and personnel, while also aiding in monitoring and evaluating the effective implementation of school expectations, guidelines, rules, and regulations in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
The 1966 Education Act mentions that if a Local School Board has not been established, the control and management of Government schools will be overseen by a Supervisor of Schools who is appointed as the manager of the school. The Supervisor will act according to the directions given by the Minister and will carry out powers, functions, and duties as assigned by the Minister (art.24).
The 2015 School Based Management Document outlines the School Based Management Committee as the main School Management Committee vested with the responsibility of monitoring school operations in eight core areas: Leadership and Management; Student Services; Teacher Development and Management; Curriculum; Exam, Testing and Assessment; Physical Infrastructure, Environment and Resources; Key Stakeholder Involvement and Engagement and Students. The School Based Management Team consists of key members: Principal, Vice-Principal/Senior Teacher, Head of Department, Dean, Student, Local School Board representative/Denominational Board Representative, Parent Teacher Association Representative and Student Support Service Staff. Other staff may be incorporated such as the School Health Safety and Security Officer, Librarian and Building Supervisor
3.2. Middle leaders
The 2018 National School Code of Conduct refers to “Heads of Department’’ who are responsible for engaging teachers in clinical supervision to enhance teaching and learning, developing strategies to improve academic standards aligned with school benchmarks, administering internal and external examinations under the vice-principals supervision, monitoring students' academic progress, and ensuring curriculum implementation complies with national guidelines. Reference is also made to “Deans” who are responsible for assisting in the development and implementation of the School Discipline Plan; monitoring academic and discipline performance of a group of students; preparing and delivering instruction and guidance to students whose progress falls below the required standard; monitoring students’ use of school transport services and engaging Student Support Services after consultation with the principal.
The ‘’Curriculum Officer’’ responsibilities include treating all school personnel professionally, providing support and training for effective curriculum delivery, collaborating with school leaders on curriculum matters, monitoring and evaluating curriculum implementation, offering guidance on subject syllabi and assessment, and managing curriculum-related issues in cooperation with principals and school supervisors.
The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) delivers an array of psycho-social,educational and behavioural services to students to provide environments which support their healthy development, enabling them to become responsible, productive citizens.
The additional leadership responsibilities assigned to teachers include reporting continuing student misbehaviour to appropriate school authorities and immediately reporting any misbehaviour that may lead to suspension or expulsion, as well as any suspected child abuse or situation of neglect in accordance with relevant legislation such as the ChildrenChildren’s Act, the Children’s Authority Act, and the Sexual Offences Act.
3.3. Parents
The 1966 Education Act states that parent-teacher associations are members of the National Advisory Committee for the purpose of advising the Minister as to the performance of his responsibilities.
The 2023-2027 Education Policy refers to the “National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA)”.
The 1976 National Council Parent Teacher Associations (NPTA) Act No.18 states that the NPTA coordinates all member unit Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and encourages the formation and development of more PTAs. The NPTA is to also gather and distribute relevant information and techniques to member units, aimed at enhancing their capacity for service and facilitating the adoption of best practices within Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). The NPTA endeavours to keep both the public and member PTAs informed about modern educational methods and pertinent issues, while also fostering closer relationships among PTAs through conferences, group projects, and engagement in matters of mutual interest and concern.
3.4. Students
The 2005 Education (Local School Board) Regulations refers to “pupil association”. The Division of Education, Research and Technology of the Ministry of Education has a list of eight secondary schools and their websites/pages. Some schools have student councils but do not provide information on their roles and composition.
In April 2015 the Chief Education Officer issued a circular “Establishment of a Student Council in Each Primary and Secondary School with an attached manual that provided guidelines for their establishment.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
The 1966 Education Act mentions that school principals are responsible for the “allocation and supervision of the duties and responsibilities of members of their staff” and “making of financial reports through the Supervisor to the Minister containing a statement of accounts in the form approved as well as such information as is required by the Minister” (art.27).
The 2023-2027 Education Policy states that it aims to “Develop a succession planning process that incorporates the provision of opportunities for delegation of authority geared toward strengthening the capabilities of principals” by establishing a “a framework for principals’ involvement in recruitment of staff”.
The Job Specification and Description of Principals in Secondary Schools includes special authority duties allocated to school principals which include expending “funds allocated to the school in accordance with policies laid down by the Ministry of Education” and “authorize payments, within approved limits, for the purchase of school equipment/material for school in keeping with relevant Financial Regulations”. Circular Memorandum No:10 E:9/1/23: Accounting Manual, further provides information and guidance on accounting personnel and practices within Education Divisions and schools.
The school principal can “modify the school programme as appropriate to needs of school”.
In terms of hiring and dismissing staff, school principals can make recommendations to the Ministry of Education/Denominational School Board with respect to the selection, promotion, transfer and discipline of staff” and assigning “teachers to classes as well as allocate duties and responsibilities”.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The School Supervision and Management Unit states that the “school inspection” process has evolved from “Inspector of Schools” to “Education Officer” in the late 1950s. Later, the post was enshrined as “School Supervisor” in the Education Act of 1966.
According to the 1966 Education Act, school supervisors are to inspect “the supervision and inspection of the programme of education required by the curriculum” (art.26) and “supervising the due performance of the functions of Managers”, but the act does not specifically mention school principals in regards to assessment and accountability.
The Job Specification and Description of Principals in Secondary Schools outlines that the secondary school principal reports to the Schools Supervisor III and it involves periodic supervision by the school supervisor based on broad procedures. The primary school principal reports to the Schools Supervisor I or II responsible for their school. The Schools Supervisors are responsible for assessing the performance of principals and completing their staff confidential.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
The Job Specification and Description of Principals in Secondary Schools states that a school principal oversees both teaching and non-teaching staff, which involves monitoring their performance, conducting staff appraisals, providing counseling and assistance as needed, organizing regular staff meetings, and facilitating teacher training and guidance in various teaching methods.
This profile has been reviewed by Jerome De Lisle, Professor of Educational Leadership, The University of the West Indis.
