The subject of this write up is
somehow nebulous. This is so because of the possibility of the multiple
interpretations that can be given to it. Some of the possible interpretations
are staff stability as it hampers or fosters good teaching and learning in the
school, is it the stability of the individual teacher/ staff as meaning his
psych-stability? Or is it the institution stabilizing her staff as could be
seen in longer stay in the school? Or is it the retention of a staff in a
position (in a class) or what?
This should not be taken as a mere dribbling
of the subject; it is the understanding in either ways that is often
experienced in the system.
We shall be examining this in three
broad ways: reasons for and against staff stability in a school, principles of
stability of staff and benefits of staff stability as it serves the advantage of
teaching / learning process in the school.
Most proprietors of schools go into
the establishment of school as a branch of their economic enterprise. As a
result they go to all length to ‘make it’
like the woman who sells rice in the market giving a false measure in order to
make more money. Definitely we know that such a woman when discovered by her
customers they will surely cut her off.
The point that needs to be scored here is that those who give true
measures to staff always maintain stability but those who give false measure
always maintain instability.
When a proprietor has no
educational mission/vision in establishing a school this is the beginning of
instability in the school set up. The proprietor must set out clearly the
objectives, goals, aspiration for school in terms of curriculum, assessment,
examinations, classroom behaviour, what do you want to achieve with this
school?
There are proprietors who establish
schools as a means to achieving public corporate image for themselves. These
categories could be likened to the initiator of a rural dwellers project, who
having got approval to propagate her fine programme for rural dwellers went
ahead to launch the programme at the International Conference Centre Abuja,
inviting an audience of people who have never been to any village let alone stayed
in any rural area in all their lives. The point here is that some proprietors
establish schools merely for propagating their name but having no bearing with
a vision or a universal educational objective. Therefore stability of staff can
never be maintained since their stability or otherwise does not matter
Even though, some proprietors have
good intentions and good understanding of establishing schools they are not
equipped with organisational skills with which to run the schools. To worsen
situation very many in this category surround themselves with people who do not
have organisational abilities as chief architects of their school
organisational designs. The stability of staff is affected when within the roll
of staff there are people who know exactly what to do and how to do it but
because they are employees they are not able to change the situation so they
leave the system. The employers not been able to identify the problem frames
ideas and slogans such as ‘’ let him/her go after all many people are rushing
to come here’’ ‘’can she/he get what is obtainable here else where?’’ soldier
go soldier come’’
Another point here is that most employers
in the private educational enterprise do not have staff schedules of duties;
they employ a staff and expect them to ‘know’ what to do! This is an aberration
in Nigerian private schools. Roles must be clearly defined. If objectives are
to be achieved staff must have a clear understanding of roles and
responsibilities, this is essential for the staff’s own sense of well being and
the smooth functioning of the programme. A written job description helps
teachers understand the scope of their own position as well as those of others.
Clearly defined teacher roles also serve as a guard against legal and ethical problems.
Also when roles are stated staff evaluation will be easier.
Unemployment and the hardship of
the times cause several employees get into jobs that are not to their taste, they
are placed in positions where they do not exhibit their expertise, and
therefore they never get fulfilled in their respective jobs. When teachers do
not teach subjects they had studied in school or teach in a level outside of
their qualification, instability sets in. They move to other places whenever vacancies
are announced.
As the great Islamic jihadist of 18th
century in Nigeria Alhaji Uthman Dan Fodio said “the greatest crime that could be
committed is when a man refuses or is not allowed to put to practice what he
has learnt’.
Greed and the desire to become
ordinarily what is unattainable, makes several staff to change jobs. For
instance staffs do compare themselves with others who probably are doing better
elsewhere. The grass is always greener at the other side of the fence. They
never take into account how those people got to their present positions. They
are not even ready to go through what those people have gone through, yet they
want to get to that height overnight. In an attempt to attain this they feel a
compulsive need for change.
Some staff often feels that they
are been oppressed or persecuted, Some employees feel that their employer is
not qualified after all to be their boss by the mere fact that they are
expected to do their job, or even when they are asked to give report /keep
records of their work.
They go from place to place at the
end they may not find the kind of boss they are looking for.
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