Unaccountable Staff

By: Prem Prasad Sigdel

We have started school three years before under my leadership. The work was perfect at that time. So far I can remember that the teachers were always busy and they have been working laboriously. We haven’t seen them irresponsible and they used to say that there was no time to raise head. But these days the frequency cheating is too high. I have been realizing that the staffs have no accountability at all as the quality has been decreasing.

The condition is too bad as the teachers haven’t taken their duty properly. It’s being bad due to the irresponsibility of the teachers. There are some ups and down this year. We have started building construction and it has some disturbance. Moreover, we have building materials here and there in the ground so we have been feeling some disturbance. Sometimes the construction work also disturbs us producing sound and the rampant spreading of materials.

The teachers have taken as opportunity of taking rest as we don’t have time to have sound supervision. Moreover, the teachers are used to these days as it is a rule of the nature in comparison to three years before. We have democratic decision making processes. I always encourage the teachers to share their ideas. While I was speaking in the meeting; if I hear or feel that the teacher who wants to share his/her ideas would have been encouraged. We have even teachers’ sharing in the meeting about their teaching styles; sometimes we have shared the best or the worst experiences in the meeting. That also helps us to make our meeting more interesting as teachers have participated in discussion. We think that teachers have been encouraged to work in the school since there is their involvement. However, the consequence is taking vicious circle.

The teachers seem that they have listened something for the sake of listening not for implementation. I have been telling them to check the notes of students and submit to the office. No teacher has submitted it which reflects their ignorant nature. It might be seen from two ways; either the teachers can’t do their duty well, or they seem ignorant towards the official decision. Though the information has been repeated time and again, teachers haven’t shown responsibility at all.

The last meeting held before just three days before while the First Terminal Examination is on the process. At that time I have raise the question why they didn’t submit notes though I have been telling them time and again. When asked individually, they admitted that it was ready and they didn’t bring it for stamp only. They were asked to take re-unit test examination to those who have secured less than 15 marks out of 25. No teachers have submitted the marks till date. When reminded them they replied that they have done it but they haven’t given to office only.

It made me realize that teachers have done the work but there was no test at all.  Neither do I get the note copies nor do I get re-unit test marks. It is the fault of the teachers as they can’t assure me. Thus I raised the question with them to whom they are accountable for. I gave them an example of a cook. Suppose that a cook has prepared meal. He hasn’t given anyone to test it and he has kept himself preparing. Who can know that he has prepared the meal? Or, how could we know that it is good or bad? There is no one to verify his works as teachers have done.

It is their duty to claim that they have done it but they don’t give it to others for testing. In this way, I couldn’t believe them at all which is the symbol of being lazy or deferring the duty. It made me think differently to change in supervision policy of the teachers. The works should have been completed before the examination but they have deferred it till date. So I have given them the chance to complete before result which should be published before 10 days of the last day examination.

I have analyzed it in three ways: the first thing is that the personnel have not realized their duty. The second one is that the supervision mechanism is too weak. Thirdly, being the leader of the institution I couldn’t guide them properly. I have realized that it is one of the common diseases of working culture of our country. The system which was established in the institution is to be followed by the personnel. However, the consequence is just opposite. I have learnt that the national scenario and the working culture of our institution are same. It’s quite difficult to our personnel to make them work.