Demoralising secondary-school principals

Esther Tyson, Contributor

Here is my question: Has the Government of Jamaica developed an agenda to demoralise the principals of secondary schools?

I have started to wonder because of a series of actions carried out by the Government.

First, they implement a policy of free education for all up to secondary education, then ignore the economic cost of educating each child and send to the schools less funds than what is needed for running a school efficiently. In the meantime, when the principals arrange with parents to pay additional fees to cover the cost of the quality education that they require for their children, the leader of the nation declares that these principals are "extortionists".

This is while the Government is, at the same time, putting forward goals that are to be achieved, but without the necessary funds. For example, principals have been sent a document outlining the Ministry of Education's (MOE) policy on safety and security in schools. This document states: "As the chief executive officer of the board, the principal must ensure that school infrastructure is safe and secure for students and staff wherever they may move about or gather." In addition, "principals are expected to develop a programme of routine maintenance of the school premises, paying particular attention to littering and garbage disposal, defacing and graffiti, immediate replacement and restoration of doors, locks, windows, grilles and furniture."

Now place those goals against the following realities: The Ministry of Education gives each principal $50,000 per year for maintenance of schools. The provision of security by the Ministry of Education is two watchmen, who are paid to watch the school in the nights. There is no provision made for security guards to be employed during school time. How do principals, therefore, accomplish the mandate sent from the Ministry of Education?

Many principals depend on the profits from canteens or tuck shops and auxiliary fees from parents to carry out the task of, for example, putting in perimeter fencing, employing security guards, replacing damaged windows, etc. Yet in the very act of seeking to carry out our mandate, we are accused of being "extortionists".

Furthermore, when tragedies occur in schools, our government leaders issue statements that principals will be held accountable because they are to ensure the safety of their staff and students. These are the very leaders who decry the principals for seeking to get the funds to pay the security guard, to repair fencing, and to replace doors.

When our Government declares that parents are not required to pay additional fees, there are some parents who take this as an opportunity to verbally abuse the principal and the staff when they ask about the auxiliary fees. Therefore, the Government continues to create opportunity for parents to abuse the principals by these politically motivated pronouncements.

no clear governing structure

In addition to demanding that principals attain the MOE's goals without the accompanying resources, the Government expects that principals will be good managers of their schools. Being a good manager requires that you employ and assess staff and ensure that they are working to meet the stated goals of the school, as agreed by the school board. It might require that some persons have to be terminated from their posts. When the MOE authorises an investigation because of the written complaint of a dismissed employee without the board's involvement, while at the same time making its actions public without completing the investigation, the minister is apparently intending to demoralise the principals.

When a principal finds ways and means to develop his school while under the direct supervision of his board, and a government ministry oversteps the authority of the board and orders an investigation into the school's canteen without going through the MOE, the Government is sending a very clear message to principals: that there is no clear governing structure in place to which you report, and you are an open target to any politically motivated government official who is intent on destroying your career and your good name.

Are we are aware of the environment within which principals are operating in modern Jamaica?

Many of our secondary-school principals have to face the constant challenge of leading schools with children who are the product of an increasingly coarse, uncivil, violent, and lawless society. Principals do not produce these children. The adults, the parents, the wider society have produced them. "Children live what they learn." (Desiderata) Compounding this is the fact that principals are confronted with young teachers, many of whom are unable to deal with the trials with which they are faced in the classrooms. Many are products of our ravaged communities and homes and are not even able to help themselves, much less the children. Principals are, therefore, confronted with the necessity to find ways to help these teachers overcome their own problems and train them to help students.

Principals are increasingly faced with the possibility of physical harm because children are being taught by example and precept that "unnu nuh fe tek nuh diss fram nobady". Correcting a child these days is perceived by some as a diss. Many teachers are becoming afraid of correcting students' misbehaviour.

Yet our leaders, who should be encouraging the principals to deal with this daunting task of educating the children of this society, seem intent on making their jobs more difficult. When there is no clear line of authority, when decisions seem to be politically motivated without just cause, when pronouncements are made which make you vulnerable to abuse by those you attempt to lead, when your best intentions are misconstrued and deliberately misinterpreted, when your integrity and good reputation is destroyed by unproven accusations, there seems to be little to motivate principals to remain in the system or for bright young minds to aspire to such a role.

If our Government, therefore, has accomplished nothing else, it seems it is becoming quite accomplished in this area: the demoralising of secondary-school principals.

Esther Tyson is principal of Ardenne High School. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.