India - IIM-A to offer management course for school principals

Armed forces, working professionals, and officials from public and private organisations have all benefited from various courses offered by IIM-A. Now, it is the turn of principals of rural and municipal schools to draw some benefits from the premier B-School. If everything goes as per the plan, IIM-Ahmedabad will soon have a curriculum on strategic management and leadership for principals.

A curriculum is being devised to help these principals learn the basics of how to manage and motivate people from diverse fields be it politically-motivated sarpanchs, students' parents, teachers or leading from the front.

The Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF), a non-governmental organisation, came up with the idea to train principals. The aim is to bring about a change in the functioning of the schools and providing a better and motivated environment for children to study.

The curriculum will be divided into four parts- social, instructional, institutional and personal leadership. "The social part includes tips on how to deal with sarpanchs, students and their parents. The instructional aspect will include motivating teachers and other staff members to work towards a goal," said Aditya Natraj from KEF.

He added: "The institutional aspect will focus on creating a positive environment and culture for learning. The personal part will talk about how to lead an institution where children get inspired by their principals."

The duration of the programme in Rajasthan and urban municipal schools in Ahmedabad will be three years.

IIM-A Prof Rajeev Sharma, who is working on the curriculum, said, "We have visited Rajasthan where we have had a series of meetings with various school authorities."

KEF along with Bodh Shiksha Samiti has signed memoranda of understanding with about 100 schools in two districts of Rajasthan. "We have decided to have another such programme for principals of municipal schools in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat," Natraj added.

IIM-A is already conducting training programmes for CBSE school principals in 'strategic leadership and management'.