Twenty-seven teachers participated in a course designed to build leadership within the public school system.

Education Minister El James spoke in the House of Assembly to congratulate the 27 participants for completing the Aspiring Leadership Course.

Mr. James said: "The blueprint for reform in education emphasises our commitment to strengthen and distribute leadership throughout the school system with the Department of Education committing to recruiting for and sustaining a trainee programme for aspiring school leaders.

"The Blueprint also speaks to the importance of having in place a succession plan and the need to increase efficiency and build leadership capacity. The Aspiring Leadership Course addressed all of these areas."

The Minister said the course was initially available to 15 teachers but with 70 applications, the Ministry was "forced" to double the number of spaces. He said: "Today I salute the 27 individuals who successfully completed the course.

"These educators attended three hour sessions twice a week for the past three weeks and completed various readings and homework assignments in order to sharpen their skills for leadership."

The course included modules on change leadership, distributive leadership, supervision of teaching and learning, school governance and teaching and learning.

Mr. James said the modules were delivered by the Ministry's officers. On Friday., he also said he has received "positive feedback" from the participants and will offer the course again in the Fall.

"This is an area that quite frankly, we have overlooked in the past although research tells us that we must focus on it.

"Iron shapes iron and so we must provide opportunities for people who work in similar environments to come together periodically to discuss challenges, but even more importantly, to share solutions to the challenges."

For the course, the teachers participated in 18 hours of coursework. Ten of the participants have applied for one vacant principal post and 27 have applied to become deputy principals. One teacher has applied to become a preschool administrator.