The Centre has launched a massive programme of School Leadership to provide training to about 9 lakh principals / headmasters in Government and Government-aided schools to enable improvement of standards of education in the country. The scheme was launched by Human Resources Development Minister Dr. M. M. Pallam Raju in New Delhi, last evening.

Launching the National Programme for School Leadership Development, Dr Raju said that it is a massive task to initiate a nation-wide programme owing to an array of diversity in our schools. He also stated that a common model of leadership will not suffice and there is a need to work on multiple leadership styles to improve school climate and performance. He said that the focus on school leadership development provides thrust to the quality of education.

The Minister added that Regional Centres of School Leadership would be set up by National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), in collaboration with other regional institutes of repute to bring about long term sustained engagement and capacity building in schools.

Speaking at the occasion, Shri R. Bhattacharya, Secretary, School Education and Literacy, said that the Ministry of HRD is in the process of developing standards for evaluating school performance, which would enable the schools and its leaders to self-assess and benchmark their performance at various levels, including those of their peers. He also added that the Programme would engage the local community and stakeholders with the school governance, and impact the overall quality of the school performance and educational outcomes.

The prime purpose of the programme is to transform current schools into schools of excellence, eventually bringing about improvement in the entire school system through leadership development.

The school is recognized as the basic unit of change and development, placing the child at the centre stage around which the entire transformation process takes place.

The School Leadership Programme ensures internalization and application of learning to bring about transformation in the school. It envisages a one-year long engagement with follow-up provisions for review and feedback as an integral part of the programme.

Source: Press Information Bureau