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 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education (Landsverordening voortgezet onderwijs) refers to school leaders as the rector, for preparatory scientific education schools, or directors (directeurs), for other schools and school communities.
The 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education (Landsverordening) states that“each school has one director, who is responsible for educational, organizational and administrative management under the responsibility of the competent authority.”
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The roles of school directors are described in the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education (Landsverordening voortgezet onderwijs) and the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education (Landsverordening).
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: Article 22 of the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education states that the rector or director of the school shall draw up an annual design in accordance with the rules laid down by the National Ordinance, after discussion with the joint teachers, the school work plan, and the class schedule. The school work plan is designed by the competent authority who may be either the executive council or the public body of the island territory.
Developing teaching and learning: The school work plan contains information on the school organisation, objectives, subject matter, didactic teaching methods, teaching materials and time planning. The director of the school implements the school work plan and ensures it is followed.
Promoting collaboration: The director of the school is expected to lead the organization of the parents’ committee in accordance with the National Decree containing General Measures of the organisation, the method of election of the members and the further powers of the parents' (P,B. 1954, no. 43). The director also may invite other parties to these meetings.
Supporting staff development: The director does not plan the in-service training plan for their schools. However, they do regulate activities related to the supervision of aspiring teachers who may be interning at their schools.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: Information was not found.
Others: The 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education charges the executive council of the island territory with the ability to establish regulations regarding the minimum number of lessons to be given by the rector or director of a school.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
According to Article 34 of the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education, only those who can be appointed as a teacher in one of the subjects taught at the school may be appointed as rector or director. Rectors and directors must also have a certificate of competence, proof of sufficient pedagogical and didactic preparation, a certificate of good character, and a medical certificate. In special cases, the competent authority may deviate from those provisions with the approval of the minister.
Article 4 of the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education (Landsverordening) clarifies that proof of competence is issued in accordance with a bachelor’s diploma in the course of teaching primary education or basic education. Necessary qualifications for being a director include “the diploma application course teacher primary or second cycle or the diploma of primary school teacher first or second cycle; a diploma of the in-service training programme for the director of a school for primary education; and at least three years of experience as a teacher at a primary school or as head of a school for a pre-primary education institution”. Furthermore, the aspiring director must have completed a training course in the field of school and educational management designated by the Minister.
Appointment decision
Article 39 of the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education states that the competent authority appoints, suspends and dismisses the rector or principal, the teachers and other staff. For public schools in Curaçao, this could be the executive council or the public body of the island territory.
Employment equity measures
Information was not found.
Working conditions
Rectors and Directors are hired through a contract which is signed by the public school board and themselves. This contract may be permanent or temporary and also contains the rules relating to the legal status of staff working in public education as well as the salary scale. The salaries and allowances to be awarded by the competent authority to the rector or director, according to the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education, are to be designated by the executive council in consultation with the Governor. The 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education states that the salaries and allowances of staff are regulated by an island decree. The regulations also mention the existence of a workers’ union or representative body of the staff of the schools.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
School directors should receive a certificate of competence through their Bachelor’s programme. Article 5 of the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education (Landsverordening) mentions an in-service training programme specific for directors of primary education. Training ideally occurs during the certification process. For example, the University of Curaçao offers a “Bachelor of Education in Foundation Based Education” which develops students into independent education professionals.
Induction and in-service training
According to the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education, the competent authority annually establishes a further training plan in connection with the further training of the school's staff. The further training plan provides an overview of further training activities intended by the competent authority for the coming school year.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
While public schools do not have individual school boards, the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education does call for a competent authority, which may be a public board. This public board serves as the school management committee for all the schools on the island. On Curaçao, the Public Schools Service (DOS) is a school board that falls under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and is therefore a National Service that acts as a school board for all public schools of the country. The DOS functions independently and is responsible for the development of public education. According to the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education, this board must have representation from workers’ unions or a representative body of staff, as well as representatives of the parents of students that make up at least one-third of the board.
Private schools do have their own school boards which have full legal capacity and are responsible for the management of the school.
3.2. Middle leaders
Article 24 in the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education (Landsverordening) states that the director can appoint a “cycle coordinator” (cycluscoördinator) for each cycle. These teachers serve as middle leaders and are responsible for the management of educational matters of the cycle in question.
3.3. Parents
Article 44 of the 1979 National Ordinance on Secondary Education and Article 17 in the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education both state that every public primary and secondary school shall, except by the Minister exemption to be granted, have a parents' committee. This led to the development of the National Decree containing General Measures of the organisation, the method of election of the members and the further powers of the parents (P,B. 1954, no. 43). The decree states that a parents’ committee represents the parents, guardians, and legal guardians. It forms a link between parents and teachers, island authorities and school supervisors. Each committee consists of three to seven members. The parents’ committee may be associated with two or more public schools. Members sit for two years and are selected through election. The parents’ committee may submit comments or requests to the school director, the Minister of Education, the Executive Council, or the Inspector of Education. Meetings are held at least once a year and are held in a classroom of the school building.
3.4. Students
Although there are no policies or legislation in place regarding student organizations. Schools or clusters of schools may have student councils (leerlingenraad).
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
Rectors and directors of secondary schools inform the executive council of the vacancy of a teaching post that needs to be filled, or whether teachers need to be transferred. The appointment or transferral is made by the executive council. According to Article 36 of the 2008 National Regulation for Basic Education, at the primary level, the appointment and transfer of other staff shall be carried out by the competent directors and deputy directors of the schools concerned.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The Education Inspectorate oversees supervising all local types of education. The supervision of secondary schools is the responsibility of the Minister of Education. For public schools in Curaçao, the executive council or the public body of the island territory holds the school leaders accountable, as they are also responsible for hiring and dismissing school leaders.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
School directors supervise the teachers at the school, but it is unclear whether they are involved in classroom observation or other formal or informal assessments.
