Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

 

Choosing the Best'

I am of the opinion that all posts of principal in schools belonging to religious organisations or particular organisations should always remain with a person who belongs to that faith, doctrine or a member of the organisation.

However, the vice and assistant principal may go to people of other faith or doctrines, but they can act in the post of principal for as long as six years. This should be made very clear to everyone so that when the post of principal becomes vacant the vice principal and the qualified assistant principal should not waste their time applying for the post. And for that matter people who are qualified but do not belong to the religion or doctrine should not waste their time either. A very painful thing is to be VP for many years and running the school while the principal sits and twiddles his or her thumb while the VP runs the school and after having applied for the post, it is given to someone else who belongs to that faith.

We have to come to conclusive decisions and do this, otherwise we will be dilly dallying and VPs will be wondering if they will get the post or not.

The Ministry of Education must work with school boards (who have a lot of say in who will be the next principal of their school) and make the decision I am suggesting.

 However, school boards, in conjunction with the MOE  may approve a person of a different faith to be principal.

Sometimes people who are qualified but INCAPABLE of leadership roles, have been given posts ahead of similarly qualified and vastly experienced people capable beyond of the chosen principal and it is heart breaking in many instances.

Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in Fiji. I thank Allen for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.