A School head is the one who administers the school activities efficiently. He makes plans and guides teaching staff through his experience and knowledge. He tries to put in all efforts in order to enhance school learning environment that would be useful for the academics growth of our students. Students excel in different spheres of academics when heads are visionary and efficient for running the administration smoothly. When school heads lack in any component in the administration that would prove as a failure for schools is considered an institutional disaster. From the past couple of years, this is very unfortunate to see that such designed menace cultures are looming in private and public schools in the name of administration that eventually affect schools as well as our students. Many fanatic cultures have shown a tremendous change in schools for the past ten years that wreaks havoc in school environment for the academic growth of students. I think such atmosphere is meant to create politics in schools playing by some teachers. Over the couple of years, lobbyism culture has also been growing rampantly to pave the way for different cultures. This Lobbyism is menace to schools. A small group of teachers along with the head committed to creating a full-fledged lobby system by curbing voices of others though they don’t know what is right and what is wrong of doing in schools. It is possible when heads are inexperienced and having less knowledge about administration gets easily lured by these teachers who always support their decisions and imposing of absurd rules in schools. However, these teachers are intended to run half of the school administration. They just want to make influence and control everything in the system. Their entire planning is to bring the system under control deliberately by putting attempts in different matters. This has largely impacted schools in many facets for example administration toppling, failure of plans, academic downfalls which have direct relation to schools. A school head can be in the web of lobbyism if he has some lacunas himself in the administration. In lobbyism, different tools are being used by making the head mistakenly aware about the school system and the teachers.
Why lobbyism?
It is because that they need high status in schools in front of their teammates and all what is being done should not be passed without their permission.
Availing benefits from the boss like head who is himself involved in the lobbyism.
Curbing the voice of others so that they will not stand to fight for equal respect and work.
Showing ostentatious behavior in talking by making others recessive and marginalized that often seen during meetings.
Utilizing muscle power whenever needed to make a full control in school. In skirmishes, this would also help them.
All heads are not sensible but some have autocratic addiction to keep teachers under stress. It is ignorance and lack of vision that such heads want to rule in schools as dictators. I have seen heads simply as charlatans and know nothing about school administration and academics.
Impacts of lobbyism:
It would create a culture of fanatic people who will destroy the future of students.
It must sensitize the school environment that lead to unbridled men to do unnecessary activities. Like verbal fights, disrespecting others and so on.
It hampers the growth of academics that results in the destruction of professionalism which is a pivotal for the teachers.
It will also make the school system defunct as administration works at the hands of those who may have corrupted the head.
Misusing of administrative powers by cheelas is an insult to the head of school.
Rules infringement that is another factor to topple the moral standard of schools.
Murdering of professionalism is a big crime.
How to stop lobbyism in schools? There are many ways to stop this menace culture of lobbyism:-
• Observe the head of school keenly by noticing his behavior. It will help you to figure out that he is of which understanding. You must acknowledge his overall thinking, experience and capabilities. If his qualification does the match with yours he could not be having that much standard to run the school. His behavior may be rude like while giving orders, assignments to his teachers and even though he may try to impose unnecessarily rules in school in order to show full dominance.
• If you are a new teacher, firstly read the mindset of all the teachers who are working with you. With the passage of time, you will check their pulse individually.
• Don’t get yourself trapped in lobbyism as it may push you back.
• Observe the bonding of teachers. If they are positively serious for the academics as well as students. Accompany them, as this would develop a positive interest in you to lead the way ahead in schools.
• If you found any group leading their own way in the school interest. Avoid and keep yourself away from them.
• Be serious at your work and also be vocal in case of unusual situations arising out in schools like lobbyism; favoritism from any side that resulting in failure of administration.
• If a school has managing body, inform the chairman prior to do anything that the school is undergoing in the declining phase due to some factors.
• If a teacher is being exploited in schools under certain restrictions by his head just want to stop from raising the voice against him. He/she should not move back but teach him all lessons formally.
• Write a letter to the Chief of Education Officer correctly and honestly about these issues. He is well authorized to sort out such issues that are harmful to schools.
• You have a voice to address the fault lines as such lines directly impact the schools and its students. Remain silent is another name of slavery that is indeed a curse.
• No lobbyism and no humiliation over teachers. Heads should be very fair and honest in their words and actions without taking the side of others. All heads are not sensible but some have autocratic addiction to keep teachers under stress. It is ignorance and lack of vision that such heads want to rule in schools as dictators. I have seen heads simply as charlatans and know nothing about school administration and academics.
(The author a teacher by profession has mailed this article to “Kashmir Horizon” for publication in this newspaper. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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