School principals, experts discuss education challenges, prospects in Tbilisi conference

Hundreds of public school principals, education experts and officials shared their experience in management and leadership in education within a Tbilisi conference over the weekend.

Principals from more than 200 public schools as well as 50 local and foreign experts of the field came together within the Conference on School Management and Leadership, hosted from September 9-10.

They reviewed best practices of school management and professional development and discussed current trends, achievements and challenges in educational management.

Speakers of the conference discussed challenges of efficient school management, role of principals and education reforms. Photo: teec.ge.

Participants of the event also talked about the role of school principal in forming student-centred instructional system, practices of efficient management and introduction of innovations into schools.

Along with keynote speakers invited from the United Kingdom and United States, participants discussed school leaders' role in strengthening teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and defining school development priorities.

The conference was attended by Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Aleksandre Jejelava, who in his address emphasised importance of taking into account students' diverse interests and aspirations for ensuring a student-centred instruction.

Legislative initiatives were highlighted at the event by Head of the Parliamentary Committee of Culture and Education Mariam Jashi and First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Ketevan Natriashvili.

The conference was held within the frame of the Teacher and Principal Professional Development project of Millennium Challenge Account - Georgia, an initiative of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the US government.

The project is implemented locally by Georgia's National Centre for Teacher Professional Development.