EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2003, appointments of Boards of Management of public educational institutions will be done on a cyclical basis.
The Ministry of Education's Regions One and Two will be the first to be placed under this new system.
Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman told Journalists at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing on Monday (March 3) at Jamaica House that the idea was to have all Boards in a particular region being subject to the same lifespan.
Explaining the advantages of this type of appointment, he said the appointment dates are less likely to be missed and training could be provided for Boards of Management on the same cycle. Additionally, he said this new approach would facilitate a "lot more tidiness and tightness in ensuring that the management of the schools continues without interruption".
He said that from time to time there are schools operating without a Board as the date for reappointment had been missed.
Region One, which comprises Kingston and St. Andrew and Western St. Thomas will have Boards appointed for the period April 1, 2003 to December 31, 2005. Meanwhile, Region Two, which includes Eastern St. Thomas, Portland, Eastern and South Eastern St. Mary will have their appointments from April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2006.
Senator Whiteman said that the other regions would have different start-up times. Region Four, which comprises St. James, Hanover and Westmore-land would run from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006; Region Five, which includes St. Elizabeth, North Clarendon and Manchester will run from April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2007 and the remaining two regions will operate on a 2005 to 2008 cycle.
