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The key differentiator of a good school is good governance and leadership development at all levels. The Board, the staff, the students, the parent body and the community must be part of the leadership development ecosystem. It all begins with Governance, where a good school leads the average.
The Board recognises and manages the School’s main stakeholder groups, pivotal to good governance. Stakeholder management requires skill and tact, and relationships must always be balanced. We will examine the role of the Board / School Management Committee, the Staff, the Parents, the Community and the Students.
The Governing Body (Trust / Society) should be an independent body that ensures the vision of the not-for-profit schooling organisation is not compromised. There must be a set of Rules and Guidelines to focus on the charity’s mission that is formed to govern the school organisation. As a Trust or a Society can establish the schools, it is imperative that there is no conflict of interest and yet the school is independent and a sustainable enterprise. We have to give regard to professional acumen and the sentiment of the founders.
There must be leadership showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. Setting up a school is often “an entirely altruistic act”, with an element of selfless, self-sacrificing, self-denying, considerate, compassionate, kind, decent, noble, public-spirited and charitable motive. We must not forget that it must be sustainable. The board’s biggest challenge will be to become a public charity over a while; it is often a challenge for the investor to let go. Social enterprise will give dividends through better human capital and a good citizenry; this alone is the cornerstone for a developed economy and society.
The role of the School Management Committee (SMC) in the school’s operations is vital, and a good SMC will be an asset to school operations. Section 21 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (RTE) mandates the formation of School Management Committees (SMCs) in all elementary government, government-aided schools and special category schools in the country. The RTE Act envisions an SMC as the basic unit of a decentralised model of governance with an active involvement of parents in the school’s functioning. This body involves the parents and the community in running the school and is a conscience keeper for the institution. The members of the SMC should be involved in the school’s operations and assist the Principal in effectively managing the school.
The School Staff should be involved beyond the classroom, and there must be a model of effectively having them involved in the decision-making and effective functioning of the school. Clubs, Societies, Sports and Extracurricular activities must allow staff members to pursue their passion and lead. Right from the position of the Vice-Principal (deputy head), the Deans, Heads of Department, Teachers and Administrators must be able to see the ladder for climbing up in the school organisation. The Staff should see a way forward in their professional careers and be empowered to make decisions at all levels. The more we delegate, the better our leadership at the school will be.
As teaching is a profession that is by chance and not by choice, we have to ensure that the staff feels much wanted and valued; this alone will bring about a change from average to the leaders they must become. The most crucial step is building learning communities. The teachers must join organisations like Learning Forward and find out how to plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so that the team can succeed in the school system.
Good schools have an excellent Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and the school partners with parents and teachers to build an ecosystem to help children develop emotionally and intellectually. The children must care for the environment, the community, and the country; this is only possible when the family and the institutions work to better the young people. Today, most teachers rue that parents have no or negligible time for their children as they have to juggle their lives between profession and the economic necessity of a family. This makes the role of a PTA even more paramount as parents can work together to help each other in addition to depending on just the teacher/tutor to lead the learning process. Parents are involved effectively in good schools, which is the most crucial factor in making a good school.
The students at school and the ex-students must also be involved in institution building. Schools must develop the children’s minds and their physiques, skills, personality, and leadership traits and create a sense of fellowship with their less fortunate brethren if they are to be good citizens.
Public Schools emphasise all-round education. To develop latent talents and skills, a variety of hobbies are offered, and the choice of one per year is made compulsory out of Photography, Art, Pottery, Sculpture, Carpentry, Metalwork, Electronics, Aero-modelling, Philately, etc. In addition, to build talent and develop leadership abilities, these schools are well organised in debate, dramatics, and music and have unique interest societies in disciplines such as astronomy, wildlife, literary affairs, history, human rights, etc. Each school endeavours to have its student-run publications, newsletters and magazines. Pupils are encouraged to compete against themselves in the programmes of the Royal Life Saving Society, St. John’s Ambulance Brigade and the International Award for Young People.
The perfect system and a strong adventure programme (mountain climbing, river swimming and other outward-bound activities) teach character and leadership. The actual practice of democracy inculcates good citizenship by letting the students run all the activities. Care and concern for their fellow human beings and the environment are created by a solid social service programme which includes working in the villages, going on disaster relief expeditions, working with the blind, deaf, dumb and mentally retarded, working on tree planting, gardening, compost pit making etc.
The alumni association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students (alumni). These associations often organise social events, publish newsletters or magazines, and raise funds for the organisation. Many provide various benefits and services that help alumni maintain connections to their educational institutions and fellow graduates. Additionally, such groups often support new alumni and provide a forum to form new friendships and business relationships with people of similar backgrounds. This network is the most crucial determinant of the brand value of a good school. They must be involved in the governance and have due representation in leadership positions in a good school.
Leadership at school is a major catalyst in helping build a Good School. Promoters and social entrepreneurs must think beyond investment and the ROI (return on investment). The school works for future generations, and crystal ball gazing is difficult. A student may end up in a particular school for fifteen years, and preparing a child for a decade or two ahead is the most complex task rather than a mere economic enterprise.
Developing strong vision and mission statements can help stakeholders in your school reach such a common understanding. This can only be achieved by ensuring we build leadership at school at all levels.
Sandeep is a School Improvement Coach and author of My Good School – Where Passion Meets Education, published by Rupa Publications. For more information, please visit his website www.sdutt.com
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.