adminMorris Mtisi
We all know that school heads do not own schools. We also know they have no right to head the same school until the Lord calls them to join the Heavenly choir.We also know it is the sole jurisdiction of the Provincial Education Directors and the Public Service Commissioner to transfer a school head from one school to another. And oftentimes these two relevant education principals prudently suggest and make such transfers.
It is common sense to believe that sometimes school heads are moved from one school to another because of need….promotion being one of the needs.
If one school suffers from particular challenges or problems threatening its development or progress, why not, transfers are inevitable.
The PED or PSC have the prerogative to shift heads, like in a cabinet reshuffle, as a solution to specific challenges.
That too is common sense. It is part of their job, anyway.
But we also know that some transfers are not initiated by relevant authorities but nose-pokers who have the muscle and administrative energy to trespass and recommend or influence such transfers.
Some individuals have personal scores to settle with these school heads who in the process become victims of targeted reprisals. Sometimes it is sheer exhibition of power and nepotistic predatory heartlessness that some bigwig, usually a political one, wants to worm in a friend or relative into a good school.
And nepotism is one form of corruption. There is no other way of describing it.
Besides the evil in corruption on one hand and the sanity of legitimate or prudent transfer on another, there is also, at least there must be . . . the moral side to this equation, which must balance.
A headmaster is appointed to a school in good faith. He faithfully serves for 10 to 15 years and achieves remarkable progress in infrastructural development and the hot-potato issue of pass rate.
He has established perfect team work amongst the teachers who were fragmented and existing in factions characterised by hate, back-biting and primitive mud-slinging when he arrived. He has established order and the gravy train is running smooth.
He has done everything from purchase of a new school bus to stocking the library which was not there before. He has facilitated the training of computer teachers, putting the President’s computers to good use and the computer lab now speaks innovativeness and appropriate technology in the school.
He personally bought every flower, bush and tree that makes the school now boast being the most scenic for miles around.
He literally owns every cockroach and every rat in the school kitchen kkkkk! When he arrived the school was on plain ground of thorn-creepers and dust. Now the school is romantically picturesque and a feast to the eye.
He has changed the school uniform from the dull cheap country coffee material tailored by a local backyard township tailor to a brightly coloured sophisticated design supplied by an up-market city dealer.
The school has changed in very sense; from a shack-to-college sort of story.
Most importantly the pass rate rose from 8 percent when he arrived to a whooping 60-65 percent. The ‘A’ levels which were not there at the school at the time, now easily attain the 70s to 80% pass rate.
The behavior of students which used to be synonymous with that of caged animals has disappeared. The boarding school is now an oasis of high standards of learning and discipline. Twice it has won the Education Merit Award.
Then one day an order comes from ‘above’ . . . not Heaven of course: “The headmaster has been transferred to… (some dreadful school behind the sticks is mentioned by name) with immediate effect. The officer is hereby advised to assume duty at…(that school) on…(date, day and month supplied).
The rest is history.
Is there anything like moral conscience allowed to play in the transfer of school heads, most of them family men and women? His or her children’s school? Cost of moving house? The fate of property acquired over the years?
Livestock, orchards, farm-land-no matter how small? All lost or disrupted! And what for? Because someone’s friend must come and enjoy all these achievements built by one headmaster who is too small to say NO! Well, that aside.
What about the rapport built amongst staff members over the years? Will it thrive in his absence? His new levels of pass rate? The perfect discipline?
No two heads share the same administrative competence and leadership style. The one who comes may be Leo, while the victim was a Capricorn or Libra. It will simply not work! Let alone continue. His donors? Don’t forget he sourced them.
They built a relationship over many years and his development projects enjoyed prosperous support. Will the new head inherit the donors and the good-will established over many years?
There are many questions that seek good answers. Meanwhile, the most likely thing to happen is that the new regime will suffer from an inevitable acculturation and adoption crisis.
We are tired of seeing reputable schools, bastions of superior teaching and learning tumble down to mere adult kindergartens; with new-comer heads who have not a single shred of conscience rooted to anything the former heads established; new-comer heads who have love for the school, the post of course, but lack the tap-root that goes deep enough to love and protect what made this beautiful school what it is; even lazy incompetent new-comer heads who idly bask in the glory of the transferred head; new-comer heads who receive awards for the meritorious sacrifices of the previous heads. These things happen. What no one knows is whether there is a way of stopping it.
While changes are sometimes necessary and inevitable, unwise regime changes can amount to tampering with peace, order, security and progress.
And nothing can be more counterproductive! Food for thought!
Online Reporter