The current rhythm in school leadership -Unheard voices from the education space

Mr. Praveen Kumar G., Faculty, School of Continuing Education, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru

Students experiencing the best learning journey is the ultimate purpose of the school as an educational institution. One of the major set of people who could maximize this impact are the school leaders or principals. They are the topmost decision-making authority at the school-level. A school leader is the driver of change in the school. They have a huge role to play in creating an environment in schools that ensures high teaching quality and promotes student engagement. For many of the students, school is still the only accessible institution to build their academic knowledge and social skills.

The school leader, who is the power center of the school, has to step in and identify the different needs of the students, teachers and parents. For them to be able to respond to differing needs, it is essential that state governments invest in leadership development programs. Crucial skills like problem-solving, building and leading teams, conflict management and building partnerships need attention. The state system is the most sustainable agent to build these knowledge and skills among the school heads.

Mr. Ravi Kasi Venkatesan, Headmaster, Maraimalai Adigal Higher Secondary School, Pallavaram, Chennai

I have been a school leader for five (5) years and worked in two (2) schools. The most discussed, yet what continues to be the most challenging, aspect for a school leader is wearing the hat of an administrative head. School leaders have to deal with day-to-day hurdles such as teacher vacancies, teacher absenteeism, and the lack of office staff, subject-specific teachers, sanitary workers and basic infrastructure like toilets and drinking water. The challenges are beyond the circle of control for a school leader.

Ultimately, the price we are paying for it is huge. The high teacher-to-student ratio and difficulty in meeting basic needs have a huge connection to student learning outcomes. As a leader, my success lies in ensuring quick student challenge redressal and improving infrastructure accessibility. Unless the other administrative burden is removed off our shoulders, we will find it challenging to enhance the quality of the teaching-learning experience for teachers and students alike.

Mr. Jeyakumar V, Joint Director, SCERT Training, Department of School Education, Tamil Nadu

Though we make decisions at a state level, only the school head knows what is best needed for their school at any moment. They are the people who continuously engage with all the internal and external stakeholders of the schools. Leading a school is a tough job. The challenges are multi-faceted and most often arise randomly. Being prepared to face this rapidly changing environment is the biggest job in front of school leaders. Failing to equip them with the right skills and knowledge at the right time will make the future scarier. It becomes important that state governments consider school leadership development to be of high priority. The aspects could involve from diving deep into students’ learning outcomes to building a team in the school.

Interestingly, the quickest and most efficient way to reach every child in the school is a school leader as compared to the high teacher and student ratio. In this scenario, the state plays a significant role in understanding their needs and equipping them to do their best. This ensures that every child is best supported both academically and holistically and the school is on a continuous development journey. By capacitating leaders we are ensuring better future leaders in the system who understand the reality and take need-based actions.

Deeksha Sudhindra, Communications Associate, Samarthya

It is extremely challenging for a school leader to be the only person to make all the decisions for an entire institution that has multiple contributors and actors. There is a need to move from individual school leaders to collective leadership, greater participation and collective decision-making. This spirit of collective ownership comes alive in government schools through School Management Committees (SMCs) that serve as a platform for parents, students, teachers, school leaders and local government representatives to come together for school development.

SMC is an avenue to bring the concerns and aspirations of different stakeholders to the table, to brainstorm collectively and align on key decisions that impact the local school ecosystem. They deliberate on how school grants can be spent effectively, how student attendance can be improved and how appropriate learning resources can be arranged. This, thereby, ensures need-based actions and initiatives based on the school context. Since the decisions on these matters are taken in a collective, collaborative and inclusive manner, an SMC functions as a regular and sustainable check on all school-related issues. Decisions taken by SMCs can ensure a tangible impact on the learning experience and outcome of students.