Mudasir Ali
This is very unfortunate to see that such a designed menace culture is looming in schools in the name of education that eventually affects schools as well as administration. Many fanatic cultures have shown tremendous influence after they crept into the school system but lobbyism is one of the cultures meant to create politics in schools playing by some teachers. Over couple of years, this culture has been growing rampantly to pave the way for lobbyism. Lobbyism and lobbyists is not always harmful to the institutional system but it can also be good wherein lobbyists think and plan out for the execution of different innovative works for making the system better. But in case of another form of promoting lobbyism, a small group of teachers along with the head committed to creating a full-fledged lobby system by curbing voices of others though they don’t know what is right and what is wrong. It is possible when heads are inexperienced and having less knowledge gets easily lured by these teachers who always support their decisions and imposing of absurd rules in schools. However, these teachers are intended to run half of the school administration in different activities. They just want to make influence and control everything in the system. Their entire planning is to bring the system under control by playing deliberate attempts in different matters. This has largely impacted schools in different facets for example administration toppling, failure of plans, academics failures which have direct relation to schools. A school head can be in the web of lobbyism if he has some lacunas himself in the administration. In the lobbyism, different tools are used by making the head mistakenly aware about the school system and teachers.
Why lobbyism?
It is because that they need high status in schools in front of their teammates and all what is being done should not be passed without their permission.
Avail benefits from the boss like head who is himself involved in the lobbyism.
Curbing the voice of others so that they will not stand to fight for equal respect and work.
Showing ostentatious behavior in talking by making others recessive and marginalized that often seen during meetings.
Utilizing muscle power whenever needed to make a full control in school. In skirmishes, this would also help them.
Impacts of lobbyism:
It would create a culture of fanatic people who will destroy the future of students.
It must sensitize the school environment that lead to unbridled men to do unnecessary activities. Like verbal fights, disrespecting others and so on.
It hampers the growth of academics that results in the destruction of professionalism which is a pivotal for the teachers.
It will also make the school system defunct as administration works at the hands of those who may have corrupted the head.
Misusing of administrative powers by cheelas is an insult to the head of school.
Rules infringement that is another factor to topple the moral standard of schools.
Murdering of professionalism is a big crime.
How to stop lobbyism in schools?
There are many ways to stop this menace culture of lobbyism:-
Observe the head of school keenly by noticing his behavior. It will help you to figure out that he is of which understanding. You must acknowledge his overall thinking, experience and capabilities. If his qualification does the match with yours he could not be having that much standard to run the school. His behavior may be rude like while giving orders, assignments to his teachers and even though he may try to impose unnecessarily rules in school in order to show full dominance.
If you are a new teacher, firstly read the mindset of all the teachers who are working with you. With the passage of time, you will check their pulse individually.
Don’t get yourself trapped in lobbyism as it may push you back.
Observe the bonding of teachers. If they are positively serious for the academics as well as students. Accompany them, as this would develop a positive interest in you to lead the way ahead in schools.
If you found any group leading their own way in the school interest. Avoid and keep yourself away from them.
Be serious at your work and also be vocal in case of unusual situations arising out in schools like lobbyism; favoritism from any side that result in failure of administration.
If a school has managing body, inform the chairman prior to do anything that the school is undergoing in the declining phase due to some factors.
If a teacher is being exploited in schools under certain restrictions by his head just want to stop from raising the voice against him. He/she should not move back but teach him all lessons formally.
Write a letter to the Chief of Education Officer correctly and honestly about these issues. He is well authorized to sort out such issues which become very harmful to schools.
You have a voice to speak up to address the fault lines as such lines directly impact the schools and its students. Remain silent is another name of slavery that is a curse.
No lobbyism and no humiliation over teachers. Heads should be very fair and honest in their words and actions without taking the side of others. All heads are not sensible but some have autocratic addiction to rule on teachers. It is ignorance and lack of vision that such heads rule want to rule in schools as dictators. I have seen heads simply as charlatans and know nothing about school administration and academics.
The Author is a columnist and working as teacher and can be reached at ahangermudasir911@gmail.com
