School chairmen urge protection of church, trust interests in board reform

The Jamaica Association of Chairmen for Secondary Institutions (JACSI) has backed a Ministry of Education initiative to strengthen governance in schools, while calling for consideration to be given to allowing trusts and churches to appoint the chairmen of their respective school boards.

Last month, the Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC), which falls under the Ministry of Education, announced it was moving to recruit board members based on schools’ specific needs and introducing payment for independent directors through a pilot programme

ETOC Chairman Dr Adrian Stokes said the aim is to improve the composition, effectiveness and performance of school boards.

Fresh from receiving a new mandate extending his term as head of the national body, JACSI President Courtney Wynter told The Gleaner that the move would bring school boards in line with what exists in the public sector and among public bodies.

“There needs to be some minimum skill sets for the appointment of especially chairmen and some positions on the board, independent directors. So we have no issues with that. In fact, we welcome it. We also welcome the fact that they are going to interview fit and proper persons for school board members. But there are still some issues that I think need to be revised or just need to be relooked,” he said.

Topping JACSI’s agenda is the need for trust and church-controlled schools retain decisive authority over their board memberships.

Church-controlled or church-sponsored schools are originally founded, owned, or operated by religious denominations, but function as government-aided schools.

OPERATING UNDER A TRUST STRUCTURE

On the other hand, some of Jamaica’s oldest schools operate under a board of trustees or trust structure established by historical wills and are managed via a legal trust while operating within the public secondary school system under the education ministry.

“Trust and church schools would like to have an input on who is selected as school board members for their respective church schools or trust schools. And so, you know, the consultation would have to happen there to ensure that whatever is finalised, in terms of the new requirements for school boards, that the trust schools and the church schools are satisfied that that is going to meet their requirements as well. But, in general, we don’t have any objection to what is being proposed,” Wynter, who is chairman of the three Wolmer’s Trust schools, told The Gleaner.

He also welcomed the news of stipends being paid under the pilot.

“It is an incentive if you think about it. ... School boards are the largest cohort of boards in Jamaica and, if you were to perform the way you should, in terms of a board, it also can be sometimes very costly on a chairman or some school board members,” Wynter said, noting that some chairmen faced long commutes journeying to their respective schools.

“And so, we welcome that kind of addition in respect to a stipend to some school boards, and we’re hoping that is also an incentive to volunteers or to get better quality volunteers to come into the school system,” said Wynter.

The pilot targets underperforming schools as well as institutions included in the National School Learning and Intervention Plan, launched in a bid to address learning loss associated with COVID-19.

School board terms typically last three years, with a maximum of two terms. However, the minister of education can make exceptions to allow for additional terms.

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com