Secondary school heads discuss focus area

THERE are certain priorities which schools are required to include in their School Learning and Improvement Programme (SLIP) focus areas, Morobe senior secondary schools inspector Gesengsu Aisi says.
These include student welfare, curriculum, staff development, leadership, management, infrastructure, good governance and public relations.
Asi said this at a recent Morobe secondary school heads meeting in Lae.
Wawin National High School principal Pu’u Pal said that most boarding schools spent 90 per cent of their income on food, health and hygiene including medicines, transport and emergencies, chemicals, detergents and toiletries for student welfare.
Other major cost items include uniforms, sporting activities and mobilising student representative councils.
Aisi said that curriculum development was also vital and embraced text books, teaching guides, libraries books, office equipment, basic stationeries and sporting gear.
He said staff development involving school handbooks and guidelines, induction, duty statements, teaching aids, staff meetings, in-service, supervision and mentoring were other essential elements of successfully running a school.
“Everything requires administration leadership and management by principals, deputy principals and senior staff embracing daily routines and supervision of teachers,” Aisi said.
Salamaua High School principal Dusty Imaita said that needs of urban schools was dissimilar to those in rural areas like Aseki-Menyamya, Salamaua, Morobe, Wasu and Siassi.
Imaita said that among the critical issues facing rural schools were security and difficulties in delivering school supplies, maintenance and rebuilding of learning infrastructure and maintaining
relationships with stakeholders and communities.