THE EDITOR, Sir:
I FOUND it difficult not to respond to Ms. Orane's article, 'The business of education', in The Sunday Gleaner of June 26. Ms. Orane, in her article, points out that one way to address autonomy and authority in Jamaican schools - a recommendation made by the Education Task Force - is to train principals to the MBA level in management and make them chief executive officers instead of principals. While this may seem like the answer to the problems cited by Ms. Orane, it does not guarantee, or give the principals, the freedom to exercise full authority over the schools.
The present hierarchy of the education system cannot at all accommodate such a model. The system is designed to bring about a process of humanisation and not bottom line (profit). The former is the objective of education and the latter is the objective of 'business'. In addition, since Ms. Orane advocates for the latter, the question is, who really are the customers, the Ministry of Education, parents or students? Usually in 'business' it's the people who pay that are regarded as customers. Surely, Ms. Orane knows that the principals/CEOs have no jurisdiction over either the ministry or parents. If the students are the customers, should we infer that students and the principals would be in direct business relations? Ms. Orane covers this area with a broad brush called 'stakeholders'. It would be helpful to explore how this model works in 'business' and the way it affects bottom line (profit).
As an educator for some years, I cannot endorse the model proposed by Ms. Orane. The model is steeped in business management principles and consequently the principal as C.E.O. suggests that the schools will be run like businesses. There are numerous problems that come with this approach. One obvious problem, as I said earlier, is the difference in the goal of a business to that of a school. The main objective of a business is to make profit (material/financial variable). Thus, when a school begins to operate like a business, the agenda will be driven by how and what can be done to maximise its profitability and may not seek to address the needs and interests of the students (human variable). How will this benefit or not benefit students?
STUDENTS AS COMPETITORS
If profit is the drive to success, then ultimately competition will have to be embraced. Eventually, when the business philosophy saturates the school community, schools/students will be characterised as competitors. Individuals would be encouraged to compete rather than cooperate. Schools engaging in girls and boys champs, for example, would not be perturbed if, in an attempt to win, other students get hurt. After all, this is the 'business' of school.
Furthermore, since the main objective of a business is to make profit, then competition is inevitable and so students will not only be oriented to see themselves as workers but, like their parents, will only be trained as customers in the school environment. Ms. Orane and others in the business world believe that "customers are always right". Can the schools afford to make this statement a central part of their philosophy given what I already said about the need for clarity in this area? So, while I agree with Ms. Orane that, "every one of our Jamaican children deserves the very best opportunity to realise his or her full potential" (humanization), I think it will be much better if the business world minds its own business (profit).
I am, etc.,
DENISE MINOTT
denisemar21@hotmail.com
Educator
