8DiscoverNEWSMinister visits National College for School Leadership (UK)School leadership is moving up the agenda around the world and major studies have demonstrated that school leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning. Considering that school leaders of the 21st century are operating within a fast moving, complex and diverse environment, it is absolutely crucial that the best leaders run schools. In Brunei, one of the Ministry of Education (MoE) initiatives to promote the quality of school leadership is to introduce a formal licensing programme for head teachers. It is on the MoE agenda to have all school heads in Brunei undergo a series of headship training sessions which would eventually award them the International Professional Qualification for Headships (IPQH).For this purpose, in the week of 16-20 January 2012, a group of officers from the Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Advancement (ILIA) and the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE) along with two head teachers from secondary and primary schools in Brunei visited the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) in Nottingham UK. This delegation was joined later in the week by YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Hj Awang Abu Bakar, Minister of Education and Dato Paduka Dr. Hj Zulkarnain Hj Hanafi, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam for a meeting with NCSL officials. The purpose of this visit and meeting was to explore the possibility of collaboration with the College for future licensing programmes. The visiting group also had the opportunity to benchmark and observe first-hand the school leadership operation of outstanding academy schools in Nottingham. Such excellent leadership would contribute greatly towards transforming Brunei schools into ‘Model Schools’ – a concept envisioned by the MoE. This licensing programme will combine with the existing School Leadership Programme (SLP) offered by ILIA in UBD and will have a greater ability to ensure that Brunei’s school leaders have the breadth of skills and knowledge needed for them to undertake the challenge of improving the lives of Bruneian children.The NCSL is the first college in the world uniquely dedicated to the professional development of school leaders. In the UK, the NCSL plays a central role in supporting school leaders to drive improvement in the school system and to foster a decentralized culture of self-improvement in schools. The focus of their work is to develop and inspire great leaders of schools especially in the early years setting and children’s services so that they make a positive difference to children’s lives. In England, this leadership programme has helped to improve the capacity and performance of England’s school leaders and it is hoped that such a programme in Brunei will enhance and nurture the capacity and performance of Brunei school heads in driving improvements in our schools. By Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati Hj Tajuddin
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