Dear Editor,

Every well-thinking Jamaican parent wants quality teaching in classrooms. As a parent myself, this rings true, yet meaningful teacher development often receives less than its fair share of attention.

It is fair to say that many Jamaican teachers’ experience of classroom supervision is inspection of lesson plans and evaluation of performance rather than being provided with an opportunity for professional growth. Presently, there is an opportunity to change this, and if the Jamaican education system is serious about improving student achievement at all levels, instructional supervision should be at the forefront and geared towards a collaborative, developmental, and continuous approach.

Why does this matter? It is simple: Student achievement depends on quality teachers, and the quality of teachers depends on the effectiveness of instructional leadership.

Despite several proposed reforms, instructional supervision often remains lacking. This is alluded to in the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC) report, which highlights that many principals spend a large portion of their time on administrative matters, leaving them with significantly less time for classroom supervision, coaching, and instructional leadership.

Additionally, a recent Jamaica Observer editorial argues that addressing Jamaica’s educational challenges requires far more than teacher appraisal. The article further highlighted the need for stronger educational leadership support across the system. This, I believe, can only be achieved if greater emphasis is placed on principals leading instructional changes through coaching and supervision. Ultimately, this will reinforce the argument that instructional leadership should focus on improving teaching rather than merely evaluating performance.

Another recent study on Jamaica’s education system provided strong empirical evidence that instructional leadership plays a significant role in improving teacher development and student achievement. The research highlighted the need to strengthen principals’ capacity as instructional leaders, moving them away from being only administrators. It further noted that principals who practice effective instructional leadership are more adept at guiding school improvement plans.

It is true that in recent years Jamaica’s education system has made progress through reforms such as the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) and the Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) programmes, to name a few. These programmes, along with others, have placed the education system on a path to success; however, true success cannot be boasted of if instructional leadership and supervision do not serve as the glue connecting national policy and everyday classroom practice.

I have had discussions in the past with teachers in the system, and based on these discussions I have learnt that one of the greatest barriers to improvement is ineffective supervision. It can be argued that supervision too often becomes merely a performance evaluation rather than a more fruitful opportunity for collaborative reflection. As a result, teachers receive little to no substantive guidance, while schools fail to build professional learning cultures.

Drawing on my experience as someone responsible for developing instructors, I have observed that continuous mentoring has strengthened performance and facilitated effective knowledge transfer from instructors to trainees. It would be good if, rather than viewing supervision as evaluation, schools saw it as a means for continuous improvement. One notable way to do this is to use collaborative supervision, which allows teachers and their supervisors to work together to share best practices.

Research conducted on the Jamaican education system found that instructional leadership had a transformative impact on principals’ effectiveness and contributed to student achievement. This form of impact reflects collaborative supervision. This is when the principal, teachers, and their supervisors can work together to implement instructional coaching. This would help teachers, especially young teachers, improve their instructional capabilities in the classroom while building their confidence to address classroom challenges.

I strongly believe that in order for these reforms to be successful, teachers should be required to participate in collaborative learning and principals mandated to provide regular mentorship to teachers.

As the education system continues to evolve, it is important to understand that transformation depends not only on new policies but also on effective instructional leadership. Imagine a Jamaican education system in which supervision provides inspiration for growth rather than a routine for evaluation. With this in mind, there could not be a more opportune time for policymakers to make instructional leadership the driving force behind education transformation.

The time has come to rethink supervision — to not just treat it as a bureaucratic task, but as a catalyst for educational excellence.

Leroy Orr

orrleoy82@gmail.com