EC EDUCATION CELEBRATES SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

About 480 Eastern Cape School Management Team (SMT) members from different schools of the province were conferred with School Leadership and Management Advanced Diploma during a graduation ceremony by the Eastern Cape Department of Education in OR Tambo Education District this week.

The graduates are part of the department’s transformative program which was implemented in partnership with Marematlou Training Institute (MTI), through Teacher Development and Learning Institute Chief Directorate.  Primarily, this seeks to equip these SMTs with necessary skills, strategies and knowledge to excel in their roles driving school excellence and learner success across EC schools.

Following the completion of the program, the department held a graduation ceremony to celebrate the 100% pass rate milestone.   Director Mandla Makupula Education Leadership Institute and programme coordinator, Pula Tabata unpacked this leadership and management capacitation training drive as the highlights.

“We are excited to have reached this stage because it was not easy, remember these SMT members are working and yet they had to complete this training.  The dedication and commitment of these participants is the driving force behind the success of the programme.  We are very proud of this achievement as the department”, said Tabata.

Additionally, Ida Naile, the Skills Programme Manager at Marematlou Training Institute, outlined the programme dynamics and offerings, “it is a full programme with four (4) modules (Leadership& Management, Mentoring & Coaching, Finance, as well as Governance) which equip participants on different areas and operational aspects that they face daily. 

Naile further expressed pride and humility in the partnership the MTI has with the EC Education Department, saying “we are proud to have been trusted with this programme by the department, we acknowledge the participation of each SMT member in the programme, and we congratulate them as this is a step to greater heights.”

Speaking on behalf of the hosting institutes, Mthatha Provincial Teacher Development Institute Director, Lubabalo Mpongwana applauded the initiative, highlighting the expectation and change the programme will bring going forward. “We believe there is a lot that they have learned in the process which will contribute to good leadership and management in their schools, through this programme and many to come we will have better schools as the teachers and learners will benefit immensely from this initiative,” said Mpongwana.