School Leadership

At the school level, the Principal leads the administrative team, supported by Vice Principals, Senior Masters and Mistresses, Subject Coordinators, Year Heads, Team Leaders, and Master and Senior Teachers.

In addition to that, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OES) and Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), of which the Bahamas is a member, published the 2021 Let's REAP! — Roadmap for Principals Guide No. 3 to support principals from the OES and CARICOM and 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 Education Act of 1962 states that the principal, in consultation with the Board, is responsible for submitting major proposals affecting the conduct and curriculum of the school to the Minister for consideration, the latter having the authority to determine the general educational character of the school and prescribe the basic curriculum and syllabuses.

Developing teaching and learning: The Education Act of 1962 states that the principal is responsible for the methods of teaching and arrangement of classes, as well as for supervision of the teaching and non-teaching staff.

Promoting collaboration: The Education Act of 1962 states that, as a rule, there shall be full consultation at all times between the Principal and the Board of a school.

Supporting staff development: The 2019 National Gender Equality and Equity Policy aims to promote “equal participation of women in national governance and leadership”.

Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: The Education Act of 1962 states that the principal has the power to suspend pupils from attendance for any cause which he considers adequate, but in such cases, the principal is required to report the case to the Board and the Minister.

2.2. Selection and working conditions

Degree requirements and prior teaching experience

According to the 2021 paper Principal Preparation for The Bahamas: A Partnership Approach, principals are required to have a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience to be eligible for an interview. It is explicitly mentioned that the principal shall be a teacher in the public service.

Appointment decision

The Education Act of 1962 states that vacancies for the post of principal can be filled by transfer or promotion within the service, or by appointment from outside the service. The School Board shall have prior notification of the appointment and the opportunity to state its reasons if it considers the person to be appointed is not a fit and proper person to be principal of that school.

Employment equity measures

No information has been found.

Working conditions

The Grand Bahama Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association is the primary union for school principals, though no further information has been found on its activities.

2.3. Leadership preparation and training

Pre-service training

According to the 2021 study Principal Preparation for The Bahamas: A Partnership Approach, current programmes are not meeting the needs of principals and teaching staff. Participants in the study expressed a desire for programmes designed to meet their specific needs.

Induction and in-service training

According to the 2021 study Principal Preparation for The Bahamas: A Partnership Approach, principals currently do not receive any significant training to help them in their tasks. Participants mention that most professional development programmes focus more on policy issues rather than content that caters to their needs. The paper recommends identifying the needs of principals and implementing professional development activities that can meet those needs.

However, the Shared Vision for Education 2030 mentions that the Ministry of Education will enhance professional development by allocating 1% of the education budget to training and collaborating with institutions for rigorous teacher preparation. It plans to create a Professional Development Section to offer diverse training, improve mentoring for novice teachers, reorganize curriculum officers to better support teachers, foster professional learning communities, and offer mobility opportunities within the education system. These initiatives aim to strengthen teacher quality and continuous learning.

3. Teachers, parents and students

3.1. School management committees and boards

The Education Act of 1962 states that School Boards may be created by the Minister for each school under their supervision, with membership ranging from three to nine individuals, although schools specified in the Third Schedule of the Act must have nine members on their School Board. These members must be Bahamian citizens over eighteen years old, elected by parents or guardians of students in a manner specified by the Minister, serving for three-year terms. The School Board's Chairman is chosen by its members. In cases where no School Board exists, local government councils must ensure the upkeep of public school buildings.

School boards are responsible for the management of maintained schools. They are required to furnish returns and reports to the Minister as required. They also have the authority to make School Standing Orders related to registration, attendance, examination of pupils, and discipline. Additionally, School Boards are involved in the decision-making process for major proposals affecting the conduct of the school and the curriculum.

3.2. Middle leaders

The Ministry of Education’s Teacher Career Path webpage indicates that teachers may be promoted to Senior Teacher, which requires a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree along with a Teacher's Certificate or equivalent, or a Bachelor of Education Degree. Senior Teachers typically have a minimum of 10 years of training experience and have consistently achieved a remarkable annual performance rating of 4.0 or higher for the past three years. Teachers having served as Senior Teachers for at least five years are eligible to become Master Teachers if they have maintained an exceptional annual performance rating of 4.5 or higher for the past three years. It is not clear if these career advancements come with additional leadership responsibilities.

The Teacher's Handbook and the Bahamas Educators, Counsellors And Allied Workers Union Agreement also mentions the existence of: i) Subject Coordinators, who are trained teachers who are responsible for the supervision of teachers within their subject area; ii) Year Heads, and iii) Team Leaders, who are trained teachers who head a grade level.

3.3. Parents

The Education Act of 1962 states that parents play a role in electing members of the School Board. Furthermore, it also mentioned that “pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents”.

The 2005 Report “Bahamian youth: the untapped resource” recommends that measures be taken to encourage parents to take on greater responsibilities in ensuring that children receive an appropriate school education. It emphasizes the need for a change in the mandate of parents and children from simply being present in school to living by a code of behaviour that promotes learning, suggesting that parents should be held accountable for their children's education and proposes penalties for parents who do not ensure their children's full-time education. It also calls for increased promotion of good parenting and promoting parental involvement through seminars and support.

The 2009 Ten Year Education Plan’s goal no. 22, “Creating Additional Opportunities To Encourage Parents To Become More Involved in Their Children’s Education”, contains similar recommendations. To this end, it outlines both short- and long-term objectives. The short-term objectives include establishing Parents' Desks in each school district, encouraging parent volunteer programmes, expanding the National Parenting Programme, recognizing exemplary parental involvement, introducing a flexible system for parent visits, providing counselling and support for parents, enforcing a National Homework Policy, improving home-school communication, distributing Parents' Handbooks, redefining the role of Parent Teachers Associations (PTA), and increasing parent and community involvement in educational decision-making. In the long term, the objectives focus on making greater use of multimedia for communication, introducing legislation to regulate homeschooling, and offering short-term courses in key areas to parents, guardians, and the wider community. These objectives aim to foster a stronger partnership between parents and schools to support students' success and educational development.

While no legal provisions have been found governing the formation, roles and responsibilities of parent-teacher associations (PTAs), these appear to be in place in numerous primary and secondary schools across the country.

The Shared Vision for Education 2030 mentions that “the school is most effective when it has the support of the family and community and both of those institutions are stronger when they support the school”, acknowledging the role of the family in education processes. It recommends that policies and practices should be continually developed to encourage active parental involvement in education and promote collaboration with the community, including unions, churches, and education-focused NGOs. Additionally, the school board shall actively engage the community in student development and, with support from Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), increase parental involvement in the school. To achieve this, the school shall measure parental engagement and implement policies to address gaps caused by a lack of parental or guardian support.

3.4. Students

The Education Act of 1962 contains no mention of student councils or for any form of student representation within the school administration. However, the 2009 Ten Year Education Plan’s goal no. 2, “Developing National Pride, Civic Responsibility and a Strong Work Ethic in Students” specifically calls for the introduction of student councils at all secondary schools to foster a practical understanding of democratic living.

4. Governance

4.1. Autonomy of school leaders

The 2005 Report “Bahamian youth: the untapped resource” states that principals currently hold too little authority vis-à-vis the Department of Education, as most decisions are made directly by the Minister. Principals do not have control over their approved budgets, which limits their ability to allocate resources to optimize teacher and student performance. They also cannot provide financial rewards for good teaching. The power to hire, fire, and discipline teachers is given to the Public Service Commission, appointed by the Governor General on the recommendations of the Prime Minister. The Constitution and the Public Service Board of Appeal further complicate the process, making it time-consuming and politically charged. They are only allowed to recommend, at the beginning of each academic year, teachers for posts of responsibility, notwithstanding that other officers previously held the posts (Teacher's Handbook).

Principals are unable to do anything significant in managing their schools, relying more on their presence and personality rather than the law or regulations.

The report recommends adopting a different approach to school leadership in successful schools like the Knowledge Is Power Programme (KIPP) schools in the USA, whereby principals have control over their school budget and personnel.

According to the 2005 Report “Bahamian youth: the untapped resource”, principals do not have control over their school budgets and personnel. They cannot hire, fire, or discipline teachers as teachers are considered "public servants" and subject to the provisions of the Constitution.

Furthermore, the Education Act of 1962 states that it is the Minister who shall determine the general educational character of the school and its place in the educational system of The Bahamas, and shall prescribe the basic curriculum and syllabuses of the school.

4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders

The 2009 Ten Year Education Plan’s goal no. 20 aims to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework with short and long-term goals. In the short term, the objectives include creating a monitoring and evaluation system by September 2009, developing relevant indicators by July 2009, setting up a dedicated unit for implementation within the Ministry of Education by June 2009, enhancing the accounting system by December 2010, initiating bi-annual school financial audits by September 2011, increasing the use of data-driven policies by 100% by September 2010, and revising the data collection system by September 2009. In the long term, the objectives involve engaging district-level bursars in managing school finances by September 2010 and reviewing the certification, standards, benchmarks, and procedures for educational institutions. These efforts aim to improve efficiency, promote accountability, and ensure that education policies, programmes, and funding are aligned for the benefit of the Bahamian public. However, the role of principals in this monitoring and evaluation system is not explicitly described.

The 2021 Let's REAP! — Roadmap for Principals Guide No. 3 mentions the importance of leadership and accountability. It suggests that principals and vice-principals form small communities of practice to focus on leadership for learning recovery. The Ministry of Education should offer additional guidance and resources but not directly train principals, allowing them to retain agency in implementing sustainable school transformation.

4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders

The Education Act of 1962 states that the principal is responsible for the supervision of the teaching and non-teaching staff. Principals may also provide written assessments through the Ministry of Education’s Performance Assessment Form used during promotion cycles for teachers.

The 2005 Report “Bahamian youth: the untapped resource” suggests that the current system of teacher evaluation and compensation is based solely on seniority and the number of teacher training courses taken, rather than on the Department's needs in specific subject areas or student academic achievement. It does not mention whether principals play any significant role in this system.

Last modified:

Wed, 16/10/2024 - 18:45