Programme, everyone’s business

Letters

THE INSTRUCTIONAL programme of a school is everybody’s business.
This is irrespective of position and hierarchy facilitates to promote teaching-learning process as the technical core.
Teachers are the key players in propelling the technical core but principals determine the success.
Further, the magnitude of success of any learning institution is concisely determined by the principal as the leader of the school.
General leadership practices in Papua New Guinea are profoundly influenced by cultural values irrespective of the organisations and those that lead.
A leader in PNG context is referred to as ‘Bik Man’ (Tok Pisin) or ‘Big Man’ in English version.
School principals generally take such style of leadership.
They draw attention to management and administration and shift the instructional focus to middle managers and teachers.
Principals perceive instructional programmes not as part of their calling and or promotion as the leaders of schools.
They postulate instructional programmes as the duty of the teachers that they continue to remain in offices.
The practice has widened the gap between the principals as the leaders of the schools and the instructional programmes.
It sets a precedent for upcoming school leaders that they adopt the same or similar style of leadership.
School principals generally see their leadership as another public office.
They do things to capture the attention of the public then the teaching-learning process as the integral core of the schools.
Leadership context in PNG is substance-based and not concept-based.
School principals turn to be non-instructional leaders.
They do not teach.
They concentrate on how they can manage and administer the school and undermine the real purpose of establishing educational institutions.

Waugo Mack
M. EdC
Lecturer
Balob Teachers College
Lae