What a grouchy minister

from w
I feel pity for the members of a meeting in Labasa of school principals when the visiting minister - who no doubt was given a salusalu and a nice meal - berated them for being slack and damaging in their school environments. Come on, Mr Minister - be positive!

School heads told to lead

Luke Rawalai
Saturday, May 02, 2015

INCOMPETENT school heads and principals can destroy a school system including the dreams of students and their parents if they fail to live up to the expectations of the ministry.

These were the words of Education Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy, while addressing acting school heads and principals in the North during their Future Leaders Workshop in Labasa yesterday.

Dr Reddy told teachers as leaders of institutions, they would be involved in the marshalling of their generals who are the teachers on the ground.

"You will be marshalling these teachers and leading but often we see that the calibre of our school leaders fail to portray these requirements," he said.

"We have head teachers and principals who tend to be led by their staff which creates a lot of problem.

"Loss of confidence and morale on leaders among teachers, and the gradual movements of staff from the school are indicators of these failures."

Dr Reddy said this would lead to conflicts between teachers and students, including the whole school until the system collapsed.

"Head teachers and principals do not realise how much damage they can do to the school system if they are not living up to the expectations of the ministry.

"Slack leaders can destroy their entire school and therefore, destroying the dreams of the students and their parents. Leaders of the schools play an important role being well grounded in subject matters to boost the morale and confidence of teachers."