They wonder why the culture of underachievement persists in spite of the presence of strategy. If it exists, then questions could be raised about the efficacy, relevance, and validity of the strategy. Ordinarily, signs of the existence of a strategy should be clear to all and sundry and easy to read among the members of a school community and parents working closely with the school. Such a question is usually rhetorical in nature, expressing doubt. Indeed, there could be an element of doubt about the presence of a strategy if different actors in the same school react differently to the question and provide conflicting views.
A simple, unambiguous answer can settle the question. Any member of staff, when confronted with the question, regardless of position in the school, should be able to articulate and express in unambiguous terms what the strategy of the school is and elaborate on its components. A strategy should be the one denominator that brings a sense of togetherness and unity of purpose among members of staff. In many schools that are merely struggling to survive, a strategy, if any, could exist in the minds of a few privileged and influential members of the school system, while the majority, often occupying less influential positions, know very little or nothing about a school’s strategy.
