By: Gilbert M. Forbes
DepEd, Quezon
For sometime now, I have already written quite a number of articles on school leadership on this portal. There are just thousands of our readers and visitors who have had a glimpse on these articles. In addition this site also provided syndicated articles on leadership from well known and trusted leadership gurus like Francis J. Kong and John Maxwell and other public servants and educators.
I have also read books on leadership particularly that of Stephen Covey and a lot more. This has shaped my thoughts, beliefs and ideas on what leaders should be. These ideas are carefully seen on my articles. Not to include the knowledge and skills I acquired from experience and from both my graduate and undergraduate studies.
These knowledge and skills have helped me along the way. However, I have to rely most of the time on my instinct and personal judgment as I go along the way in my personal desire and preference towards educational reform and quest for quality learning outcomes and excellence.
I have to admit, but leadership theories and principles are easier said or written than done particularly if one works in the government. Government service is different and far from the standards of the corporate world. It is of course changing particularly now under the new regime but in comparison with the fast pace of changes in the private sector, government service is simply lagging.
Sad to say and admit but it seems to be the realities in the government service. The Department of Education is not exempt from these realities. For sometime, even the current education secretary, Bro. Armin Luistro who himself came from the private sector felt dismayed over the slow pace of how things are getting done, and the reforms that have to get its way.
I feel the same thing as the DepEd Secretary. One time out of sadness and may be of dismay, I kiddingly said a couple of times in some tit-for-a-tat with fellow school leaders and trusted teaching colleagues that there should be a way of firing erring and incompetent personnel in the department of education like in the private schools and companies and so in the rest of the government agencies.
I also exclaimed the same in one of the exchanges of ideas in one of our post graduate classes at the Philippine Normal University having touched some important issues in education. Our professor who happens to be a fellow family at DepEd just smiled at me. The challenge actually is how we could address not only the productivity of our personnel particularly both the teaching and non-teaching which is aptly describe in the so called ‘law of diminishing return.’ If this applies in the private sector, it is aptly more serious in the government.
Once a teacher or an employee got his permanent appointment, instead of an increased and improve quality of service, it diminishes over time. It is a fact that nobody could deny. At least with the implementation of the Competency-Based Assessment for Teachers (CB-PAST) it could be checked. However, the lapses being made in its use, will not solve the problem, not unless corrected, it is there to continue. (See Teachers and School Heads Tendency in Accomplishing the CB-PAST) I am afraid that it could even worsen due to the type of young and new teachers who are entering the service which on the most part could be influenced negatively if they are not grounded on the significance of their profession and mission.
CB-PAST provides for the termination of the so called liabilities if used well. The draw back however, is that it could serve as flat-form for abuses by corrupt leaders or the least, none at all.
On both sides, the Department does possess both corrupt and honest leaders. It is just puzzling that the corrupt ones passes unnoticed by their respective stakeholders or may be because, they happen to be lucky to be assigned in places with highly apathetic stakeholders or they are too smart that they can control them in their favor. The worst thing is that some or many of them are relatives of influential people in their respective localities or they themselves are influential or powerful enough to keep opposition at bay.
This blog alone has received a dozen of reports of corrupted MOOE’s by scrupulous school heads. According to sources, they are able to liquidate these cash advances though nothing has been delivered to their schools. In most cases, their teachers don’t know that their school heads are receiving cash advances for their schools. The said thing about these reports is that, all are anonymous and so it could be regarded as a mere intrigue though on one way or another it could be regarded as indeed a fact in the field.
On the opposite spectrum, the straight forward ones however have to comfort themselves, with the slow pace of changes. Many have to deal first with the institutional cultures and values that exist in their respective domains which vary from one place to another. Call it the result of diversity which is both a boon and a bane.
This for the most part is bringing performing school leaders to the test. Many have to choose between becoming populists so as not downplay many of their priority programs and create friction which could upset them emotionally. We may call it win-win solution. Others on the other hand have all the strength to choose the opposite of being stern and strict even when it would mean rejection or friction in the work place.
In this environment, their colleagues have no choice but to follow the wish of their leaders and so all the things he wants for the institution. I find these leaders admirable for changes could be abruptly achieved and programs implemented at all cost in this type of environment. Whoever will succeed him or her will no longer have a hard time paving the way for the way has already been laden. However, it could still be considered a great gamble if continuity of good programs is to be considered once he is replaced or transferred to another station.
On the other hand, populists have to settle with the slow pace of accomplishing things. Experts say that in this case, honey moon period usually lasts for two years. Meaning, it needs two long years for a reformist leader to fully establish and position himself to his advantage. This is the sad reason why change is quiet slow particularly in the field of education. Even if the output is a sure success, in a rat race globalized society, we’ll simply not survive the competition and the demands that a corporate environment requires. Like the private sector, it should and is expected to be the way of the government service, doesn’t it?
Certainly, school leaders and quality education and reform advocates should work hard to establish what they think is the ideal in their respective places. Concerned citizens and stakeholders must lend their helping hands to support their leaders if they desire quality education for their children. They must and should be wise enough to identify the gems in a heap of sand or straw.
After all, as an African proverb says, “It takes a village to educate a child.” Problems and evil exists just because not a few dare to act.
(The author himself is a practitioner in the field of school management for almost a decade now. He holds both the Bachelors degree and MA (CARMA) from the Philippine Normal University, Quezon and Manila Campuses. This represents the views of the author and not of DepEd Quezon.)
DepEd, Quezon
For sometime now, I have already written quite a number of articles on school leadership on this portal. There are just thousands of our readers and visitors who have had a glimpse on these articles. In addition this site also provided syndicated articles on leadership from well known and trusted leadership gurus like Francis J. Kong and John Maxwell and other public servants and educators.
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| Images courtesy of www.linkedin.com |
These knowledge and skills have helped me along the way. However, I have to rely most of the time on my instinct and personal judgment as I go along the way in my personal desire and preference towards educational reform and quest for quality learning outcomes and excellence.
I have to admit, but leadership theories and principles are easier said or written than done particularly if one works in the government. Government service is different and far from the standards of the corporate world. It is of course changing particularly now under the new regime but in comparison with the fast pace of changes in the private sector, government service is simply lagging.
Sad to say and admit but it seems to be the realities in the government service. The Department of Education is not exempt from these realities. For sometime, even the current education secretary, Bro. Armin Luistro who himself came from the private sector felt dismayed over the slow pace of how things are getting done, and the reforms that have to get its way.
I feel the same thing as the DepEd Secretary. One time out of sadness and may be of dismay, I kiddingly said a couple of times in some tit-for-a-tat with fellow school leaders and trusted teaching colleagues that there should be a way of firing erring and incompetent personnel in the department of education like in the private schools and companies and so in the rest of the government agencies.
I also exclaimed the same in one of the exchanges of ideas in one of our post graduate classes at the Philippine Normal University having touched some important issues in education. Our professor who happens to be a fellow family at DepEd just smiled at me. The challenge actually is how we could address not only the productivity of our personnel particularly both the teaching and non-teaching which is aptly describe in the so called ‘law of diminishing return.’ If this applies in the private sector, it is aptly more serious in the government.
Once a teacher or an employee got his permanent appointment, instead of an increased and improve quality of service, it diminishes over time. It is a fact that nobody could deny. At least with the implementation of the Competency-Based Assessment for Teachers (CB-PAST) it could be checked. However, the lapses being made in its use, will not solve the problem, not unless corrected, it is there to continue. (See Teachers and School Heads Tendency in Accomplishing the CB-PAST) I am afraid that it could even worsen due to the type of young and new teachers who are entering the service which on the most part could be influenced negatively if they are not grounded on the significance of their profession and mission.
CB-PAST provides for the termination of the so called liabilities if used well. The draw back however, is that it could serve as flat-form for abuses by corrupt leaders or the least, none at all.
On both sides, the Department does possess both corrupt and honest leaders. It is just puzzling that the corrupt ones passes unnoticed by their respective stakeholders or may be because, they happen to be lucky to be assigned in places with highly apathetic stakeholders or they are too smart that they can control them in their favor. The worst thing is that some or many of them are relatives of influential people in their respective localities or they themselves are influential or powerful enough to keep opposition at bay.
This blog alone has received a dozen of reports of corrupted MOOE’s by scrupulous school heads. According to sources, they are able to liquidate these cash advances though nothing has been delivered to their schools. In most cases, their teachers don’t know that their school heads are receiving cash advances for their schools. The said thing about these reports is that, all are anonymous and so it could be regarded as a mere intrigue though on one way or another it could be regarded as indeed a fact in the field.
On the opposite spectrum, the straight forward ones however have to comfort themselves, with the slow pace of changes. Many have to deal first with the institutional cultures and values that exist in their respective domains which vary from one place to another. Call it the result of diversity which is both a boon and a bane.
This for the most part is bringing performing school leaders to the test. Many have to choose between becoming populists so as not downplay many of their priority programs and create friction which could upset them emotionally. We may call it win-win solution. Others on the other hand have all the strength to choose the opposite of being stern and strict even when it would mean rejection or friction in the work place.
In this environment, their colleagues have no choice but to follow the wish of their leaders and so all the things he wants for the institution. I find these leaders admirable for changes could be abruptly achieved and programs implemented at all cost in this type of environment. Whoever will succeed him or her will no longer have a hard time paving the way for the way has already been laden. However, it could still be considered a great gamble if continuity of good programs is to be considered once he is replaced or transferred to another station.
On the other hand, populists have to settle with the slow pace of accomplishing things. Experts say that in this case, honey moon period usually lasts for two years. Meaning, it needs two long years for a reformist leader to fully establish and position himself to his advantage. This is the sad reason why change is quiet slow particularly in the field of education. Even if the output is a sure success, in a rat race globalized society, we’ll simply not survive the competition and the demands that a corporate environment requires. Like the private sector, it should and is expected to be the way of the government service, doesn’t it?
Certainly, school leaders and quality education and reform advocates should work hard to establish what they think is the ideal in their respective places. Concerned citizens and stakeholders must lend their helping hands to support their leaders if they desire quality education for their children. They must and should be wise enough to identify the gems in a heap of sand or straw.
After all, as an African proverb says, “It takes a village to educate a child.” Problems and evil exists just because not a few dare to act.
(The author himself is a practitioner in the field of school management for almost a decade now. He holds both the Bachelors degree and MA (CARMA) from the Philippine Normal University, Quezon and Manila Campuses. This represents the views of the author and not of DepEd Quezon.)
