Anxiety Builds As Summer Runs Out

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Another season of work is around the corner for classroom teachers and supporting staff in the school environment. As those in public establishment are preparing, those in schools owned by private individuals have been at work.

The essence of this post is to draw the difference between public schools and private schools on the side of staff. Other aspect I will examine some other times. This will enable parents take decisions base on what appeals to them as a new session is about to begin.

WORK APPROACH IN BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• The staff members of privately owned schools (not all) do not go on summer break. Some share the so called summer school work among themselves in such a way that all of them can have a week or two for themselves by making a roster. So some stay out of school the first two week, others remain and work, and baton is changed later so that they don't lose out entirely. This happens in schools where management and owners have understanding of their staff need and wish to attend to it. In some schools, the entire staff remain, do the summer school work together and come for duty the remaining one week according to the roaster. The reason for all this is simple, to justify the August salary that will be paid. Capitalist don't pay for any job that is not thoroughly done.

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• As for publicly owned schools, the staff have been on holiday which lasts for more than a month. They are returning refreshed people, ready for another long hauling. A staff who has enough rest will be 100 times ready and willing to deliver at the inception of a new session. Teaching work is not a manual labour, neither is it an office work. It is a special kind of job that produces seasoned and nurtured people. Today, teaching has become a sweating job, no rest because you need to secure it and your pay.

• The public school staff enjoy security of tenure. Teaching job in government school is categorised under civil service which is a permanent job. One give the service and receives good pay for a period of 35 years or when the person becomes 60. Any of the above that comes first takes prevails. There is no fear of losing the job. The teachers are transferred from one school to another to prevent the monotony of staying in one school for a long period of time.

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• Those who work in the privately owned school forever live with the fear of disengagement. Not always because of incompetency or lawlessness, but other unprintable reasons that may tingle the ear that hears it. For example, unconsciously, maybe with body language questioning the order of your superior. Or another person assumed to be better than you are applying. You will lose your appointment. No one remembers when you were useful, that is capitalist way, that is obtainable when focus is on profit only.

• It is pertinent to mention that public school teachers are not as serious as private school teachers. I attended public school. Teachers are not monitored to ensure they do the needful. Some miss school and their classes. Some go about their personal businesses to the detriment of the students. The students pass external exams by working hard on their own. They depend on their textbooks as some teachers don't cover more than half of the scheme of the term. All these they do and get away with.

• Teaching and learning is paramount in some private schools. Considering competition amongst schools over which becomes the best, reasonable schools engage their students effectively. They recruit qualified teaching staff and motivate them to work. Private schools that perform well in the external exams are hot cake for well-to-do parents.

• Examination malpractices is not pronounced in government schools. Teachers most of the times don't get involved in the practice. In other words, examination malpractice is not official as the authority frowns at it. If there is such in publicly owned school, it is organised by the students.

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*. On the other hand, examination malpractice is a norm in many private schools. School authority is many attimes in the know of the practice. In some schools teachers are coerced into participating while in some, the authority is indifferent about it. Some instructors get involved in exam malpractices in order to make money, others, to defend their subject and retain their job. School authorities get involved to promote and protect the image of their schools.

• Public school staff are happier than those who work in the privately owned schools. The former are motivated, receive fringe benefits and have timeout, while the latter struggle with more work and less pay.

• Finally, government school staff have all the opportunity to further their studies. They enjoy study leave, within or outside the country try. They get Chrismas bonuses and enjoy NHIS (health scheme) benefit like other civil servants. They are rest assured of their retirement entitlement like pension, gratuity and others.
  Their counterparts in the private schools are far from this benefits. In the place of these benefits, they risk losing their job without pre-information. Many are disengaged without salary of the worked month let alone laying claim to sudden disengagement benefit.

Such and many more are the difference between staffs of publicly and privately owned schools as would not want to bore you with lengthy expository.

Take pride in making known your view in this matter.