Taken out of context, this could be interpreted as something bordering on dictatorship. But this declaration gives a little more insight into the position of the school principal at the time - the powers the position wielded and the clout it carried. On matters of providing instructional direction, the school principal offered unparalleled leadership.
The school principals on matters of instructional leadership used to be the ‘undisputed kings of the ring’ and the life of schools effectively revolved around the vision of their leaders. As they say, a school is as good as its leader. Almost every facet of a school reflected the character and vision of the principal. Fully conscious of the fact that the buck stopped with them, school principals were fully accountable, taking all responsibility of what was happening and not happening in their schools. When results were not going their way, it was a rarity for the school leaders to transfer the responsibility to external factors beyond their jurisdiction. That was accountability at its best! Across all levels, the management team was manned by two people, the principal and deputy and in larger and little more complex establishments like unified secondary schools, an additional post of assistant headmaster was created for purposes of strengthening governance.
