Albeit isolated, there are bright spots on the horizon, keeping alive hopes for the resurgence of good and better-governed schools on a larger scale. The existence of effective schools in the system, albeit few in number, that fulfil their mandate and outshine peers cannot go unnoticed.
The most critical question is why only a few schools consistently serve students with distinction. Is it on account of community and stakeholder participation in the business of schools? This is partly true. Yes, it is true that when their services are sought and enlisted, communities could make a profound impact on the running of a school system. However, community support assumes a secondary and additional position in the pecking order. Schools, first and foremost, should endeavour to stand on their feet. They should be founded on the spirit of self-help. In and of themselves, schools should mobilise internal resources at their disposal to achieve the purpose for which they were created. The life and direction of a school rest principally on the shoulders of those charged with the responsibility to govern and lead it. In other words, a self-supporting institution stands a better chance of succeeding and weathering storms than a school that relies heavily on external support. A school that seeks to achieve a lot in terms of offering first-class service to students should invest in getting its act together before it can cast its net wide to attract external patronage.
