A series of consultations with school board heads, which began last week, is to result in the formation of a national organisation of school boards with greater independence in the management of Jamaican schools.

The proposed new structure – the National School Board Association (NSBA) – is also to see boards made more accountable to parents for the performance of students in the system.

The first in the series of consultations for the NSBA was held in Kingston last Thursday. Its formation is a recommendation of the report of the National Task Force on Education, which is guiding the transformation of the island’s education system.

Speaking at the meeting, held at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston, Sharon Wolfe, communications director of the Education Transformation Team, said the new model of governance recommended by the report speaks to devolving more responsibility and autonomy to the local level.

“This is where boards of management are critical to that success… Evidence strongly suggests that greater school autonomy results in higher motivation from both staff and students, better community involvement and improved standards and quality,” she said.

Wolfe noted that the proposed system would empower schools and communities to meet local needs better, focus on school improvement and target limited resources more efficiently.

Acknowledging that there were many models of autonomy, the communications director disclosed that the Education Transformation Team was “putting together a group to ensure that we have a Jamaican model of school autonomy that is effective and suits our needs”.

But she gave notice that the school boards would have to change the way they presently operate. She said, for example, that all board members would have to be trained and certified and that they will have to develop strategic plans with principals. In addition, Wolfe said boards are to hold principals accountable for the achievement of performance targets.

At the same time, she said the operation of the Ministry of Education and Youth is to be decentralised to the various regions, with regional education authorities established to which the school boards will be responsible.

Reverend Ernle Gordon, chairman of the Drews Avenue Primary and Infant School, led the gathering of board chairmen, principals and ministry officials in a discussion on the vision, mission, objectives, constitution and composition of the NSBA.

There have, meanwhile, been mixed reactions to the move to set up a national association. Chairman of Boys’ Town All-Age, Reverend Rupert Young, scoffed at the decentralisation.

“I am not satisfied with the whole procedure as decentralisation does not suggest autonomy for (school) boards because autonomy does not belong to school boards,” he said.

“There is an overall education policy that must be determined by the education ministry, and directed by the government of the country so I am not at all satisfied with this committee. I am just not satisfied that we should just move swiftly and decentralise the association,” Young told the Sunday Observer.

But chairman of the board of the Queens School, Reverend Vivian Cohen, lauded the association as timely, noting that it will achieve democratisation.

“It is a timely and welcome association, which will achieve democratisation and input from all levels as all the stakeholders will get a chance to make appropriate decisions,” he said.

At the same time, principal of Morant Bay Primary in St Thomas, Ester McGowan was warm to the idea of the association.

“It is a very good idea because boards will now be able to speak with one voice,” she said.

McGowan noted that greater decentralistation and all that it entailed would serve to whip some board chairmen into shape as far as recognising and carrying out their duties.

“Not all board chairmen know what they are there for. Some of them think they are just there to sign any old document you give them. Some of them are nothing more than rubber stamps agents,” she said.

“This will now provide an opening for training in what their duties and responsibilities are, their purpose on the board so to speak, because many of them don’t know what is going on in the schools nor are they really aware of their responsibilities,” McGowan added.

This first consultation was held in Region One, which comprises schools in Kingston, St Andrew and Western St Thomas. It is expected that similar consultations will be held in the other five regions of the island.

additional reporting by T K Whyte