Mmegi

Fixing a broken school

Once entrenched and accepted as a new normal, a culture of academic underachievement could become very stubborn, a hard nut to crack, proving difficult to dislodge. Fixing a completely disoriented and broken school can be a daunting ordeal.

It is important, therefore, to avoid at all costs a state where a school loses its spark and relegates to a desperate level of becoming synonymous with hopelessness. A school seeking to stay afloat and intentionally rooted on its purpose should frequently sharpen and upgrade its instructional and governance practices. The role of school principals and oversight entities in keeping a school on its lane cannot be over emphasised.

The processes and practices defining a good school should be relentlessly monitored and fine tuned to keep a school on course. Experience has shown that complacency has brought about the downfall of many schools, which previously served students well. Since recovery may appear insurmountable in a completely broken school, no school should be permitted to degenerate and deviate fundamentally from its core mission of serving each and every child. Interestingly, schools that do not perform never run short of reasons justifying under achievement.

Editor's Comment
Justice delayed is trust denied

Batswana who marched peacefully for 'Justice for Tshepi' demanded answers. They have now received a detailed account of police investigation and a promise that the file is with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The real test is whether the state now keeps its word without further prodding. In his address, the minister asked the nation to trust the process. He spoke of rigour, not neglect, and pointed to 10 months of...

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