Leadership and Management of TVET in Selected Secondary

Schools in Jamaica: Implications for Student Outcomes

Keshawna Salmon-Ferguson, PhDGareth Phillips, PhD

Shermaine Barrett, PhD

Jamaica’s 2030 Vision:As Jamaica strives to become the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business, one national outcome is world-class education and training.

Given current trends, this education and training will need to include TVET and STEM based curriculum and approaches.

There is increased emphasis on TVET to improve social and economic status of the country.

Drive by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Jamaica to infuse TVET universally in the secondary schools’ curriculum.

UNESCO Shanghai consensus in May 2012 is that TVET be linked with general education to ensure flexible pathways for learners and that they are provided with skills that are relevant to the labour market.

A number of schools have already been offering TVET subjects to their students.

Useful to study what is happening in TVET in the schools to identify some best practices.

Emphasis of study is leadership and management in schools that experience much success in the respective subject areas.

The purpose of the study was to understand how schools in Region One are doing in TVET at the CSEC level and to describe the leadership and management principles and practices in TVET in selected top performing schools in the region.

1. What is happening at the CSEC level in TVET in selected secondary schools in Jamaica?

2. What training do persons who teach TVET subjects in selected schools in Jamaica have?

3. What are the leadership and management principles, philosophy and practices that guide the offering of TVET in selected schools in Jamaica, that do well in respective subjects?

Research Design – Mixed Methods Quantitative

◦ CSEC Data for 2014

Qualitative◦ In-depth interviews

Population and Sampling Quantitative: All secondary schools in Region

One – 41◦ Traditional – 19◦ Upgraded or New – 19◦ Technical – 3

Qualitative: Top 3 schools from each category with at least 5 TVET subjects in CSEC - 9◦ Traditional - 3◦ Upgraded and new - 3◦ Technical - 3

Data Collection Procedures

Quantitative Reviewed CSEC data for 2014 – TVET

Subjects◦ Number of TVET subjects done per school◦ Average TVET scores per subject◦ Overall performance of schools in TVET◦ Performance in Maths and English in selected

schools

Data Collection Procedures

Qualitative Interviews with Principal or vice principal of

the 9 selected schools

Subject No. of Schools

Avg.Score

Physical Education and Sport 29 99

Theatre Arts 17 96

Home Economics Management 28 90

Food and Nutrition 33 89

Electronic Document Preparation and Management 34 88

Agricultural Science (Single Award) 13 85

Information Technology 40 80

Clothing and Textiles 29 80

Building Technology (Construction) 17 79

Visual Arts 37 74

Technical Drawing 31 74

Building Technology (Woods) 19 68

Mechanical Engineering Technology 17 64

Electrical and Electronic Technology 25 59

Agricultural Science (Double Award) 2 30

School No. of TVET Subjects

Average Score

CAMPION COLLEGE 3 100

WOLMERS GIRLS' SCHOOL 7 100

ST ANDREW HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 7 99

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION HIGH SCHOOL 3 98

THE QUEEN'S HIGH SCHOOL 8 97

CONVENT OF MERCY ACADEMY ALPHA 6 96

WOLMERS BOYS' SCHOOL 5 95

HOLY CHILDHOOD HIGH SCHOOL 9 94

ARDENNE HIGH SCHOOL 10 94

MERL GROVE HIGH SCHOOL 8 92

ST HUGH'S HIGH SCHOOL 7 90

ST GEORGE'S COLLEGE 8 89

School No. of TVET Subjects

Average Score

EXCELSIOR HIGH SCHOOL 12 88

MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL 8 87

CALABAR HIGH SCHOOL 8 85

OBERLIN HIGH SCHOOL 13 82

JAMAICA COLLEGE 4 82

KINGSTON COLLEGE 8 80

CAMPERDOWN HIGH SCHOOL 8 75

School No. of TVET Subjects

Average Score

Gaynstead High 6 98

Mona High 11 92

Edith Dalton James 8 87

Norman Manley High 11 86

Clan Carty High 12 85

Vauxhall High 11 82

Papine High 13 81

Holy Trinity High 11 79

Charlie Smith High 11 78

Tarrant High 13 79

Tivoli Gardens High 7 74

Pembroke Hall High 12 69

School No. of TVET Subjects

Average Score

Kingston High 8 69

Penwood High 10 68

Donald Quarrie High 10 68

Mavis Bank High 8 64

Haile Selassie High 11 58

Denham Town High 12 56

Trench Town High 8 53

School No. of TVET Subjects

Average Score

Dunoon Park Technical 11 76

Kingston Technical 11 72

St. Andrew Technical 14 71

School TVET Avg.

Avg. In Maths

Avg. in English A

Wolmers’ Girls School 100 95 99.5

St. Andrew High School for Girls 99 98 99

Gaynstead High School 98 80 80

The Queen’s School 96 85 97

Mona High School 92 60 87

Edith Dalton James High 87 30 41

Dunoon Park Technical 76 42 42

Kingston Technical 72 58 69

St. Andrew Technical 71 20 35

Overall, Region 1 performed well in TVET subjects (m = 81.2)

Significant difference among types of schools

in Mathematics, English, TVET subjects

Traditional schools outperformed other types in Maths English and TVET scores

Mathematics, English, Number of TVET subjects, and school type affected overall TVET scores

There is a strong positive relationship between TVET scores and English ( r = 0.827) and moderately strong positive relationship between TVET scores and Mathematics (r = 0.764).

There is a very strong positive relationship between Mathematics and English scores (r= 0.909)

Introduced to TVET in grades 7 & 8 Select specific TVET subject/area for

concentrated study in grade 9 or 10 Departments related to TVET areas/subjects Managed by Vice Principal and Heads of

Departments

Delivered by staff with training in TVET

Most staff have degree in specialized areas

Staff who teach in TVET areas have qualification in the respective areas, usually at the bachelor’s level. Few staff have diplomas

Mix of veteran and young teachers

There is however some concern about their level of technical / practical understanding and the ability to pass on relevant up-to-date skills to students.

Staff has limited industry practice

Less time than core / non-vocational subjects

Time allotted to TVET subjects per week range from 1 to 5 hours.

Number of sessions/hours per week usually depends on grade level. With higher grade levels getting more time.

Choices made by students in collaboration with parents and teachers

Choices and final selection guided by performance/grades, interests, career choice

Preparation for selection done through one and one conversations, workshops, presentations from experts, career expo, discussion with parents, students’ involvement in related clubs

Limited resources – financial & physical Outdated resources especially in heavy

equipment areas Managing resources – Creativity in use and

repair of existing resources Sourcing resources – maintenance fees,

personal funds, past students, partnerships with business, share with other institutions

Teachers – caring, drive/push students, technical knowledge, devotion

Extra lessons Improving literacy and numeracy skills Conditions and features of class space

which encourages productive activity Students’ ability to produce written and/or

practical work

Every student to leave with at least one TVET subject

Students will have confidence and competence in TVET area studied

Leadership by example Participatory / distributed Inspirational /motivational Providing resources Guided by mission of institution Forming policy Setting targets and monitoring achievement Giving direction and sharing vision

Effort should be made to improve students’ literacy and numeracy. English and Mathematics are the foundation for TVET.

Teachers in TVET areas should be required to undertake periodic professional development in their respective skill areas through direct involvement in activities in the associated industry.

Teacher training institutions also need to look at the extent to which teachers are adequately prepared through industry attachment and emphasis on lifelong learning

Additional links need to be forged with industry to facilitate teachers getting further experience in their respective skill areas – institution-to-institution collaboration, policy, apprenticeships

Structures for managing TVET are established in the schools. These structures seem to be effective in facilitating the various TVET related processes in the schools. Leaders are encouraged to continue to maintain and /or improve on such structures to further facilitate positive student outcomes.

It is useful to introduce students to TVET areas before final selection of subjects in higher grades. This facilitates students making more informed decisions about TVET subjects.

The processes for preparing students to choose subjects and helping them to make final decisions about TVET subjects could facilitate students’ motivation to do the subject where they are not coerced.

The measures used to prepare students for choosing TVET subjects need to be further evaluated to determine their effectiveness.

Parents play a crucial role in students’ selection of TVET options. It is very important to educate parents about the various TVET subjects and options available to students to get their buy-in. Preparation of parents for TVET is important.

Much emphasis is placed on the teachers’ role in students’ achievements. While teachers should continue to support and encourage students there might be a place for getting students to become more internally motivated to pursue the respective subjects. This has implications for undertaking future studies beyond the secondary level and developing 21st century skill. Strategies need to be found to increase students’ internal motivation.

With increased emphasis on TVET and what is required to effectively complete TVET subjects in terms of time and physical resources, consideration will need to be given to increasing these in a deliberate way, especially if the goal of having all students complete a TVET subject is to be realized.

Leadership which facilitates the sharing of vision re TVET, which involves staff in the overall planning and development of TVET and which seeks to encourage and motivate teachers in their work in the TVET area through the provision of incentives and resources seems to be useful in the overall process of getting good results in TVET.

Further research: Performance and leadership in TVET in

other regions in Jamaica and other Caribbean territories

Relationship between selected variables and results in TVET

Comparison of leadership and management in high performing and low performing schools in TVET

Thank You!!!