“Tlale - rightly laments the apparent lack of debate on the matter. He further questions the motivating circumstances underlying this move.
In that regard, he (Tlale) chooses to ignore the genesis of the evolution of the CJSS. It is against such a premise that I vehemently argue that such a take over of CJSSs has long been overdue as these institutions have never been community schools in the true sense as was envisaged at the time of their inception.
The take over of CJSSs by govt is an obvious discernible and ultimate culmination of frustrations over development of partnership between the Ministry of Education and the various communities.
Of concern here is to what extent has the various communities been involved in the CJSS - if there has ever been such involvement? Such a take over can also be justified as an acknowledgement of the fact that there are significant problems in keeping a large and complex education system relevant to the community at large.
Implicit in Tlale’s assertions are fears which seem to be prevailing amongst his ilk who are headmasters. (Himself being a School Head in a CJSS). There appears to be widespread fears of losing direct control over the support staff who in the past have been easily manipulated by the schools leadership. In some instances, the head would decide on when they should be paid.
There is also an implicit fear of losing direct control over finances - an ultimate drive to the power erosion of CJSS heads. The control of finances by heads has had a fair share of controversy. Such losses will undoubtedly have immense impact on the parochial interests of these school leaders - Perhaps cases of maladministration and harassment of staff by these heads will be on the decline.
The government take over can also be interpreted as the government‘s acknowledgement of the problems currently characteristic of management and leadership in these schools - the common problem of ineffective school heads. The 1994 Revised National Policy on Education admitted that the “increase in the numbers and spread of educational institutions in this country, especially at primary and (junior) secondary level presently poses a problem of ineffective administrators.
‘In this regard such a take over can be seen as means of assisting those who are and remain ineffective as a school heads.
Even though it remains highly debatable whether such a take over is the step in the direction of cost recovery, it remains a justified step in ensuring uniformity in service delivery by these institutions.
How have we been justifying the obvious stark contrasts in terms of infrastructure and service delivery by the various CJSSs? Tlale sums it all when he says that there are “those schools that become preoccupied with making savings at the detriment of providing quality teaching and learning experience to the students.”
Tlale also appears to be pessimistic on maintenance of infrastructure under the new arrangement. What is perhaps baffling is the very fact that delays in maintaining infrastructure will be nothing new in the CJSS .
It has over time become a culture that both teachers and students alike have come to live with and perhaps such a take over will help alleviate the situation as there is talk about contracting out certain projects.
There is plenty to be gained from the take over - at least in the eyes of all those who are not heads of CJSS. I hope and pray that the sentiments expressed in Tlale’s article are his and his alone and not in any way those of BOFESETE
Siamisang Sammy Sehuhula
GABORONE
