Director/Principal of the National College

for Educational Leadership (NCEL), Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, is encouraging school

principals and administrators who are at home due to the novel coronavirus

(COVID-19) to utilise its online platforms to continue their leadership

training.

She said that through the entity’s website,

YouTube and Facebook pages, programme participants can access a range of video

and audio clips on various topics.

These include curriculum implementation,

visioning, teacher leadership, emotional intelligence in leadership, and

partnership and stakeholder engagement.

“The college went full speed in developing video and audio around these topics so that our principals can be kept engaged during crises like the COVID-19. These bite-size videos facilitate principals and leaders who are on the go and are seeking new ways and approaches to improve and enhance his or her practice,” she noted.

“Now that the principals are at home, they

have over 30 learning videos they can access to learn different approaches to

leadership,” Ingleton added.

NCEL was established in 2011 to equip

school leaders with the competencies required to ensure that schools operate

effectively in an increasingly demanding environment.

To achieve its mandate, NCEL provides

continuous professional development for leaders across the education sector

with a view to building on existing competencies and to keep them abreast of

current practices and trends.

 Dr.

Ingleton contended that NCEL recognises the importance of technology in

delivering its programmes, and for the past two years has developed its online

platforms “to ensure that stakeholders are consistently engaged whenever and

wherever they are”.

As she sees it, the COVID-19 pandemic

provides an opportunity for programme participants to complete courses online

and at their own pace.

“I think, in hindsight, we were preparing

for something like this. I am happy that NCEL has all of these online platforms

that are fully supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information,”

Dr. Ingleton said.

Meanwhile, Acting Principal of the Duanvale

Primary School in Trelawny, Beverly Canningan, who accessed training through

NCEL’s online platforms, said in addition to the leadership training, she is

also better equipped technologically to lead her team at this time.

“With the challenges COVID-19 presents,

because of the access that I have during my training, I am more proficient in

the use of online platforms,” she told JIS News.

“I have been using videoconferencing to

keep in touch with my team, so we are able to have a full day of school even

though we are away from the physical plant,” she noted.

Principal of the Ferncourt High School in

St Ann, Sheldon Thomas, who participated in the college’s Child-friendly School

programme recently, credited his exposure to the content, which was fully administered

online, with being able to ensure that students are engaged in the teaching and

learning processes during the COVID-19 crisis. 

He explained that lessons are delivered through

Facebook, WhatsApp, and are also uploaded to a Google site.