Headship of a school is a crucial matter in the education sector. It is a sensitive matter where capability of the successful candidate must be considered since the head of centre is the accounting officer who over sees the running of the school activities.
For schools with big population, the responsibility is most likely to be doubled and a sober intelligent competent individual with a good track record is preferred.
In any government school, the founding body, the board of governors, the parents, leaders, association has a say in who the ministry has to post. Other stakeholders like teachers, parents have an influence on to allow, all these can easily advise the students on whom they think will work for them.
A new trend is now arising where those bodies, governing bodies only want the headteacher posted to be an old student, as one of the determining qualities whereas an old student is most likely to have the school progress at heart as he/she is a link between the current and the past and is able to quickly identify with the school culture. A competent and reliable decision maker should be most sought for. The school head has expectations from the boards, the community, the students and the teacher.
However even if one is not an old student, mastery of the norms of the school to an intelligent resilient leader doesn’t take long. And to the ever-changing world, who worked twenty years back, may not necessary work now, society norms are constantly changing.
Therefore, irrespective of whether the aspiring candidate is an old student. A chance to serve should be given to any who is willing to serve the school.
Of recent, there has been a rift at Kiira college Butiki when the current students and old boys rejected the transfer of a headteacher from Kaliro High School on grounds that over the years the school’s performance has declined due to headteachers who are not obs and hence considered to have little interest in the overall school progress making Mr. Semwanga Mosoes a former Deputy Headteacher, academics at Iganga a Girls school, an OB of the school the most suitable and successfully declared headteacher.
A similar incident has happened at the same school in 2000 where a one Mr. Mulongo from Busoga College Mwiri was once denied entry into the school premises by the students on grounds that since he is coming from what they considered as ‘’rival schools’’ it was indication that he had little interest in the school. He however managed to lead the school.
Unfortunately, if one maneuvers through after an over resistance, he/she is most likely to get internal resistance and endless in fighting which will definitely not favour academic progress.
The ministry and all the boards should rely more on the individual achievement, a good track record and a competent headteacher for the post than one they call old students.
The writer (Nankumbi Rebacca) is a professional teacher
