The state department of school education, along with the West Bengal Council for Higher Secondary Education, has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta) to impart leadership development training for the head teachers of government and aided schools across several batches.
The first edition of the Leadership Development Programme was organised in 2021-2022 and trained 985 head teachers across from West Bengal over five batches at the IIM Calcutta campus in Joka on the southern fringes of the city.
In this second edition this year, the aim is to impart leadership development training for over 2,000 head teachers. The leadership programme will be directed by IIM Calcutta professors R. Rajesh Babu, Chetan Joshi and Sumanta Basu.
The first batch of the leadership programme was held on June 17 and 18 at IIM Calcutta. Speaking on the occasion, Peeyush Mehta, chairperson, Consultancy and Management Development Programmes (CMDP) said this programme will have a significant impact on the school education ecosystem. The contents of this programme are curated for senior teachers and administrative heads of schools in West Bengal. This adds to a wide portfolio of leadership development programmes offered by IIM Calcutta.
R. Rajesh Babu noted that the heads of schools play a critical role in transforming the life and experience of the future generation, fellow teachers and the community at large.
Empowering and motivating the head of the schools to take the lead and be the change agent for their school and community will be the key focus of this leadership development programme.
Chetan Joshi added: “We, at IIM Calcutta, feel honoured and privileged to get this opportunity to shape the leadership sojourn of school leaders in Bengal. All of us recollect the indelible impact the teaching fraternity had on our lives. This is a moment to share our knowhow and thereby say thanks to all gurus who transformed us.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Sumanta Basu emphasised the much-thrived focus of IIM Calcutta to develop social impact through its executive education and this leadership development programme for the school heads will greatly motivate this pursuit.