With an aim to further lift the standards of school education in the state, the Punjab Government has decided to send 36 school principals to Singapore for a five-day training program, informed Mr. Harjot Singh Bains, School Education Minister, Punjab. He said that 198 principals and education officers had already completed training at Singapore's Principal Academy as part of the Leadership Development Programme.
The seventh batch of 36 school principals is scheduled to depart for Singapore in March this year. An "International Education Affairs Cell (IEAC)" has been set up in the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to provide international-level training to teachers, school heads and school education administrators working at different levels in the Education Department.
Sharing the details about eligibility criteria, the School Education Minister stated that candidates should not be older than 53 years as of January 31, 2025, and must possess an Indian passport that is valid until at least September 2025. Additionally, it is crucial that there are no pending charge-sheets, inquiries or criminal cases against the candidate.
All candidates who fulfil these preliminary conditions will move on to the second round, where selections will be made based on merit, which will be determined by educational qualifications, experience, ACRs and awards. S. Harjot Singh Bains said that the visit to Singapore for the principals is designed to provide them with a comprehensive training experience that focuses on enhancing their leadership and educational skills.
During their stay, they would engage in various workshops, seminars, and hands-on activities that expose them to advanced teaching methodologies and educational practices used in Singapore schools, which are known for their high standards. This exposure visit is expected to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement among the principals, allowing them to bring back innovative ideas and strategies to their own schools.
By sharing their own experiences and insights, they would help to create a collaborative learning environment. It would create a systemic impact, fostering cross-learning, high motivation and improved teaching-learning processes in schools, he added.