Wellness and Devotion
A Mindful Beginning: Yoga Session
The International Confederation of Principals Annual Council 2025 commenced in New Delhi with India hosting the prestigious gathering for the very first time under the aegis of Salwan Education Trust. The day began with a rejuvenating yoga and wellness session led by Aradhana Mahlawat, where delegates practiced mindful breath work, face yoga, and stress-relieving exercises.
Welcome Dance: The Auspicious Beginning
The inaugural day began on a devotional note with a graceful dance performance dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the harbinger of wisdom and remover of obstacles. The vibrant choreography set a sacred and joyous tone, invoking blessings for the success of the sessions ahead.
Welcome Address by Sh. Harpal Singh, Trustee, Salwan Education Trust, India
Sh. Harpal Singh opened the session by invoking the wisdom of great thinkers—Swami Vivekananda’s emphasis on character building, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s call for the cultivation of the mind, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s belief in uniting intelligence with character. Welcoming the extraordinary gathering of diverse minds, he reflected on pressing global issues such as AI and climate change, highlighting the need for international collaboration. He reminded leaders that their role is not only to share best practices but also to advance bold and transformative ideas. He concluded by extending his best wishes for the success of Day 2 sessions.
ICP President’s Welcome - Leendert-Jan Veldhuyzen
ICP President Leendert-Jan Veldhuyzen warmly appreciated the gracious welcome extended by Salwan Public School, Gurugram, and acknowledged their commendable efforts in hosting the Council. He outlined the four-day plan of the ICP Annual Council Meet 2025, setting the stage for meaningful deliberations and collaborative exchange. He also introduced the new members of the council, fostering a sense of inclusion and shared purpose as the gathering commenced.
Session 1: How international data can lead to improvement in teaching and learning
Moderator: Leanne Otene
Speaker: Yuri Belfali, Head of Division, Early Childhood and Schools, OECD
Background Material: Unlocking High-Quality Teaching | OECD
1. Overview
The session highlighted the importance of international research and data in improving teaching and learning practices. The OECD’s work, in collaboration with networks such as ICP, focuses on providing evidence-based insights to support school leadership and teaching quality globally. The discussion emphasized the practical application of international data, not for ranking purposes, but to guide school improvement initiatives.
2. Key Highlights from the Presentation
Triangulating Insights: OECD combines policy insights, international research, and practical experiences from teachers and school leaders to guide high-quality teaching practices.
Complexity of Teaching: Teaching is multi-dimensional; it cannot be reduced to simple dichotomies such as teacher-centered vs. student-centered pedagogy.
Five Dimensions of High-Quality Teaching (supported by evidence):
Cognitive engagement – creating challenging and meaningful learning experiences.
Quality subject knowledge – ensuring deep content understanding.
Social-emotional support – fostering relationships and classroom interactions.
Formative feedback – providing actionable guidance to students beyond summative tests.
Collaborative practices – peer learning among teachers and professional collaboration.
3. Evidence-Based Findings
Feedback and goal-setting are highly supported by research as effective teaching strategies.
Other areas, such as connecting different content areas, have valuable but less universally strong evidence.
Data from international studies like PISA can help schools:
Understand students’ academic outcomes, well-being, and social-emotional learning.
Facilitate leadership discussions and school-wide improvement initiatives.
Engage stakeholders including teachers, students, and the community.
4. Practical Examples
Some schools use PISA-type assessments not for ranking, but to inform leadership discussions and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Example: Schools identified challenges in scientific critical thinking and student motivation in non-science subjects, leading to initiatives such as cross-disciplinary science programs.
Teacher professional development is most effective when it includes mentoring, collaboration, and classroom observation alongside traditional training.
5. Challenges Identified
Incorporating creative thinking into the curriculum.
Ensuring meaningful teacher feedback on students’ strengths and growth areas.
Supporting effective classroom management and teacher collaboration.
Ensuring school leadership focuses on understanding learners and allocating resources effectively.
6. Reflections and Takeaways
School leaders are encouraged to cultivate their own “compass” for guiding students and teachers, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals through inner development.
Evidence-based data provides a factual foundation, but interpretation and application rely on leadership and collaborative efforts within schools.
Collective efforts, stakeholder engagement, and dialogue are critical for improving teaching quality and student learning outcomes.
7. Engagement Activities
Mentimeter polls and table discussions allowed participants to reflect on key questions and share insights.
QR codes provided access to presentations, photos, and session notes for ongoing reference.
8. Key Quotes
“Evidence-based doesn’t lie; it shows the truth, but depends on how you interpret it.”
“Students need a compass to guide their life.”
9. Visual Highlights from the Session
Image comparisons: “Who is advancing fast: students vs. ChatGPT?”
Integration of sustainability issues within the curriculum.
Challenges of including creative thinking in pedagogy.
Conclusion:
Session 1 underscored the value of international data to inform teaching and learning, the complexity of pedagogy, and the importance of leadership in translating evidence into meaningful action. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their leadership practices, engage in collaborative discussions, and leverage research evidence for school improvement.
Session Title: Sustainable Leadership: From Thought to Action
Moderator: Damian White
Speaker: Páiric Clerkin, CEO, IPPN
Background Material:
Primary School Leadership: The Case for Urgent Action – A Roadmap to Sustainability (IPPN)
UNESCO GEM Report on Leadership – Lead for Learning
1. Overview
Session 2 focused on the sustainability of school leadership, linking research findings from Ireland with global insights from UNESCO’s 2024 Global Education Monitoring Report. The discussion emphasized that effective leadership is compromised when principals’ well-being and role sustainability are neglected.
2. Key Findings
Irish principals rated their role sustainability very low (average 3.2/10), with teaching principals even lower (2.88/10).
Over 50% of principals manage classroom teaching four to five days per week; 98% of deputy principals maintain full teaching loads.
UNESCO highlighted similar global trends: declining student performance, reduced education funding, and principals overburdened with administrative tasks, limiting instructional leadership.
Leadership sustainability globally was rated 5.6/10.
3. Essential Conditions for Thriving Leadership
The session identified five critical enablers:
Focus on instructional work – prioritize teaching and learning leadership.
Adequate leadership time – ensure leaders have protected time for strategic responsibilities.
Supportive structures and resources – administrative assistance to reduce non-educational workload.
Shared leadership capacity – delegation and collaborative leadership across staff.
Leader well-being – prioritize health, work-life balance, and professional growth.
4. Practical Initiatives in Ireland
Clustered administrative officers for small schools.
Executive support staff in larger schools to handle procurement, compliance, and administrative duties.
Emphasis on freeing principals to focus on instructional leadership and student outcomes.
5. Collaborative Dialogue & Next Steps
Delegates engaged in table discussions and plenary sessions to explore role clarity, workload management, and actionable solutions. A global research partnership between ICP, ESHA, and Deakin University was proposed to expand evidence on leadership sustainability and inform policy advocacy worldwide.
Learnings from Table Discussions- Principal Accountability Challenge
The discussions underscored that while principal accountability is universal, role clarity differs across contexts—ranging from India’s all-encompassing responsibilities to Canada’s focus on graduation outcomes and Australia’s emphasis on whole-school and community results.
Global Workload & Delegation Challenges
Kenya: Principals face excessive consultations; parents and students bypass deputies. Deputies often undertrained, limiting delegation effectiveness.
Uganda: Head teachers teach multiple periods while serving as CEOs; delegation to department heads often ineffective.
Australia: Principals work 50–70 hours/week, with evenings for administrative catch-up.
Singapore: Younger educators avoid leadership roles; recruitment of quality teachers declining.
South Africa: Principals manage all school functions despite existing deputy structures.
Common Voice: Delegation is essential but constrained by resource gaps, inexperienced deputies, and cultural expectations. Globally, principals face mounting pressures from societal blame for youth issues, parental demands, and compliance requirements, which erode time for instructional leadership, curriculum focus, and innovation. This disproportionately impacts disadvantaged students.
Sustainable leadership requires:
Delegation and structured administrative support.
Prioritization of educational over managerial tasks.
Wellbeing measures, digital modernization, and optimal tenure (~7 years).
Context-specific strategies, such as tailored curriculum leadership and workload sharing.
Multi-level systemic support—through clear guidelines, helplines, and coordinated structures—is essential. The ultimate goal is to balance accountability, workload, and instructional leadership, ensuring both principal wellbeing and improved student learning outcomes worldwide.
Conclusion:
The session reinforced that sustainable leadership is essential for effective teaching and learning. It highlighted actionable strategies to reduce administrative burdens, support principal well-being, and ensure leaders can focus on instructional excellence—ultimately benefiting students in classrooms.
Session Title: School Governance and Collaborative Leadership
Overview
The session on school governance highlighted the growing complexity of preparing students for an uncertain future. Speakers emphasized the widening gap between societal needs and the skills schools currently provide, with 70–75% of future jobs expected to be new and unforeseen. Collaboration among stakeholders—teachers, parents, students, alumni, and the community—was presented as essential for equipping students with resilience, adaptability, and future-ready skills.
Key Themes
Balancing Accountability & Governance
Principals face competing pressures from diverse stakeholders.
Schools must clearly define their aim: preparing future citizens with critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability.
Parental Role & Trust
Parents and schools share equal responsibility in shaping students.
Parents should actively support schools while trusting teachers to manage student growth and discipline.
Teacher & Student Voices
Inclusive governance requires giving teachers and students an active role in decision-making.
Student councils, elections, and roundtables encourage debate, collaboration, and leadership development.
Alumni Engagement
Alumni provide real-world insights, mentoring, and support for students’ evolving needs.
Schools as community centers foster long-term connections and shared values.
Future-Proofing Education
Schools must adapt curricula to fast-growing sectors such as FinTech, AI, and autonomous vehicles.
A focus on 21st-century skills—collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and compassion—is crucial.
True Collaboration in Practice
Examples included joint efforts of principals, teachers, and parents to nurture student passions (e.g., robotics).
Insights from Post session Table Discussion
In lively post-session discussions on school leadership sustainability, delegates from around the world shared insights into the growing challenges principals face. Administrative overload, unclear role boundaries, and high accountability are limiting leaders’ ability to focus on teaching, learning, and student outcomes. Delegates emphasized the importance of effective delegation to capable deputies, supportive systems, and context-specific solutions to reduce non-educational burdens. Workload pressures affect principal wellbeing, work-life balance, and long-term leadership pipelines, with recruitment and retention emerging as critical concerns. Success stories from both private and public schools highlighted collaborative leadership models, digital tools to streamline administration, and structured peer networks that enable shared learning. The discussions reinforced a collective vision: moving beyond simply sustaining school leadership to creating conditions where principals can truly thrive, drive educational excellence, and inspire the next generation of learners.
Conclusion
The session reinforced that collaborative leadership is central to effective school governance. By engaging all stakeholders—parents, students, teachers, alumni, and communities—schools can align education with societal needs, prepare students for uncertain futures, and ensure equity, innovation, and resilience in learning.
Session Title: Revolution in Indian Education
Presented by: Salwan Education Trust
Moderated by: Dr. Indu Khetarpal
Speakers:
Mr. Himanshu Gupta, Secretary, CBSE
Dr. Vedhita Reddy, Director of Education, Delhi
Mr. Harpal Singh, Trustee, Salwan Education Trust
1. Overview
The session on Revolution in Indian Education highlighted the remarkable journey of India’s education system—from its modest beginnings at independence to becoming one of the largest and most diverse in the world. Literacy has risen from 18% in 1947 to 75% today, serving a population of 1.4 billion through 1.5 million schools and 10 million teachers. Despite this growth, participants noted the continuing socioeconomic divide between government and private schools.
Mr. Himanshu Gupta, Secretary, CBSE, shared how the board has emerged as a global leader in education with 32,000 schools and 28 million students worldwide, including over 250 international schools. With 4.5 million students appearing for centralized exams annually, CBSE has set benchmarks in efficiency with rapid result processing. Looking ahead, he announced the launch of the CBSE Global Curriculum (2026–27), designed for international schools seeking an Indian curriculum with worldwide recognition, strong STEM focus, and adaptable humanities.
Ms. Vedhita Reddy, Director Education, Government of NCT Delhi, emphasized the importance of inclusive education, highlighting how government schools are empowering even first-generation learners and bridging access gaps across socioeconomic groups.
The discussion traced India’s legacy from the gurukul philosophy, rooted in character, humility, and service, to today’s National Education Policy (2020) reforms—ushering in competency-based assessments, vocational learning, foreign university participation, and AI integration.
Closing reflections reminded delegates that education must prepare not just the smartest minds but also the wisest hearts. As UNESCO’s Julian Huxley observed, the true role of modern educators is “not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts”—expanding possibilities and nurturing children to dream, imagine, and flourish in a rapidly changing world.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller