STAFF STABILITY IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA

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 18^th 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.

Also there are societal factors – your friends, relatives, peers and other people and the times may

cause the instability of staff in the school. A person could enjoy his job, but peer pressure may make his life miserable, friends may say ‘Ah, you of all people to be working in such a low and unrecognised place. Don’t you know your class of people’?

On the part of the employer, friends could come round and say ‘Ah, Mr man you are wasting your money, how can you be paying such big salary in the civil service they don’t pay that much. You may think they are helping you but in the long run they disorganize your establishment. The employer may feel, all the money I get I am paying my staff, why? Let me make things hard for them so that they will go then I will employ cheaper labour. With this I can have more money to live up to the expectation of people and the times. Such an employer does not realise that the fact that his staff are leaving he is already living below expectations of his objectives and the times.   

Relatives who work for you must have specified job description and should not poke their noses into what is basically not their business. They must realise that your staff are very important to you and they are the ones that help to make you.

Both the employer and the employee should let morality guide their actions and thinking, and do unto others what you would they do to you.

Consequently the employer should recognise that his /her staffs are his assistants and not slaves, give free hand for them to operate. Recognise merit and hard work of individual workers

Let the spirit of fairness be seen in the remuneration that is given to your workers

Set a standard for yourself and the school and work towards it

Spell out in details what benefit staffs are to derive from working for you from time to time, their conditions of service must be clearly stated and explicit.

The employee must know that a rolling stone gathers no moss. Frequent changes of employment does not popularise you nor does it stabilize you in fact some schools now only employ people who have worked in another place for up to five years as this indicates that they will stay in their new employment. The greatest position a man can occupy is that of a servant. So take time to serve others and per harps one day you may be served if you are not faithful in another man’s thing who will entrust your own to you. Accept your job and your position and attach importance to what you are doing. Nothing brings contentment other than the grace of God. So do not always feel unsatisfied with your position with your employer. Always faith your fate so as to avoid unnecessary grumbling and unhappiness, look more to the work you are doing more than what you are getting out of work.

Some benefits of Staff Stability in the school include a better understanding between the employer and his employees. Teachers will understand their jobs better and do it more effectively. Teachers and pupils would have taken time to study each other which would aid in the good performance of the pupils and the school. When staffs have stayed longer in the school they quickly understand problems and know their solution almost at once. People really come to occupy their real positions when they stay longer in a particular employment

Let it be recommended here that for stability in the school system there should be regular dialogue and consultation between the employer and the employee. The manager should develop the ability to recognise the feelings of his assistants promptly and act accordingly as soon as possible. The employee should as a matter of practicality bear with the employer since he is a human being with limited abilities.

From the above it would seem that both the founders of schools and teachers in schools got it all wrong when they thought that school is a means of making more money. Establishing a school or working in a school ought to be regarded as participating in the rendering of social/ humanitarian services and not only for personal gain. This therefore should be a sacrificial duty, which only those who are willing should be involved in.

Akintayo O. Titilola

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