In a message today to the Directors of the Year 2021 Awards Gala President Klaus Iohannis stressed that he wants to see an "honest" scrutiny of the way this year's competitions for the positions of school principals have taken place.
The gala is organized by the Association for Education Values, under the high patronage of President Iohannis.
"Through the 'Educated Romania' project, I undertook to support a professional educational management, based on responsibility and autonomy, capable of innovating and deciding without external pressures. In this school year, when competitions are being organized for school principals, I want us to identify and multiply those models of excellence in management, like the award-winning principals today. I also want to see an honest scrutiny of how the competition for principals took place, in order to enhance what was done well and correct what didn't go so well. I noticed the active involvement of the private sector in this competition, including through the Association for Education Values, bringing together experts in the field of human resources, who are willing to invest time and knowledge in order to select today the principals of tomorrow," the head of the state said in the message presented at the event by presidential advisor Ligia Deca.
According to Iohannis, "the purpose of a school principal is to make a change in the lives of students, fellow teachers and the educational community he/she is part of."
"Leading an educational institution and teach is a challenge that requires a high level of understanding and patience, commitment, openness to knowledge and a solid set of values. A good principal has a people-centered approach, responsibility towards students and the community, integrity in decision making and objectivity, has a moral behavior with emphasize on honesty, fairness and respect, gets informed from reliable sources and fights misinformation in the educational community under his/her coordination. School principal ladies and gentlemen, before anything else, we are all teachers. The ability to inspire, to encourage a young person to develop their skills and perform well is the essence of this profession to which I am still strongly attached and which is very important for the future of our society," the President said.
He stressed that the return to in-person attendance in classes is essential and depends on compliance with health regulations and Covid vaccination.
"This has been a difficult period for students who lived different experiences, depending on the technical possibilities, the involvement and flexibility of the teachers, and the support and resources of their parents. It hasn't been an easy period for teachers either. Dedicated teachers from all over the country prepared lessons and conducted online classes with their students; many of them didn't just electronically send worksheets or homework, but also held their classes live on various platforms, innovated through alternative teaching methods in order to keep interaction with their students alive. And all these efforts are visible and deserve appreciation. The return to in-person classes has been and is essential!," Klaus Iohannis wrote.
The head of the state added that the efforts of Romanian companies and NGOs in support of communities should be appreciated and welcomed, and in the end congratulated the nominees and winners of the Directors of the Year 2021 Awards Gala.
"I want you to continue to fight for every child in Romania to have a chance at a better future. Your merits are undeniable and I am glad that the students you guide have the huge chance to see their educational process delivered by leaders who inspire and support them, by true mentors," Iohannis said.
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