File | Nation Media Group
What you need to know:
- If banning the cane was intended to relieve students of the stress caused by the fear of it, it resulted in the unintended consequence of shifting stress to the teachers in general and principals in particular.
- Of late, the Ministry of Education admits one or two extra streams of students without considering the school’s capacity to accommodate them.
About 20 years ago, a couple of law postgraduate students from Yale
University, in the United States, conducted research in Kenyan schools
on the extent of (ab)use of the cane.
In one school, the Yale students took a photograph of a teacher using the cane to point at what he had written on the blackboard as a way of emphasising important facts about the topic that he was teaching.
They pointed out that the students were tensed in the classroom
because the teacher was wielding a cane while teaching. In another, they
found a school with the motto “No gain without pain” and inferred that
the source of pain could most likely be the cane used.
Their report found its way to an international conference on education in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, where Kenya was roundly condemned for allowing teachers to subject students to brutality by caning them. As a result, the government outlawed corporal punishment in schools. Incidentally, a few states in the US had not outlawed caning in schools.
If banning the cane was intended to relieve students of the stress
caused by the fear of it, it resulted in the unintended consequence of
shifting stress to the teachers in general and principals in particular.
Other methods of correcting wayward students, such as guidance and
counselling, have been applied to various levels of success largely
since teachers and principals barely have advanced training on the
subject and teachers have a huge workload, leaving little time for it.
Thirdly, as soon as KCSE ends, the KCPE results are released, leading
to parents looking for principals in an attempt at getting their
children into their preferred secondary schools — never mind that this
process has been automated. Fourthly, of late, the Ministry of Education
admits one or two extra streams of students without considering the
school’s capacity to accommodate them. This is a major stressor for
boards and principals.
Fifthly, as the principals grapple with preparations to receive Form One students, the KCSE results are released. Woe unto a principal whose school has not performed well! They are subjected to all manner of ridicule, including demands for transfer or demotion — and this comes at a time when they have not had time to rest from August of the previous year.
This is likely to get worse come January 2021, when these principals have to administer Covid-19 protocols, which are, obviously, financially straining to the schools.
Secondly, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association may need to
set up an acceptable process of peer support for their members at the
sub-county level.
Thirdly, the appointment of board members and election of parents’ association members could consider including individuals knowledgeable in psychology, sociology or psychiatry in their midst to assist principals to manage stress. Fourthly, guidance and counselling courses for teachers need to be provided continuously.
Finally, the principals themselves need to find time to relax and forget about school challenges for a few hours every week.
Without this, they could suffer burnout, break down and get replaced by younger zealous principals who will, in due course, have to contend with the same cycle of stress.
bksogomo@gmail.com.
In one school, the Yale students took a photograph of a teacher using the cane to point at what he had written on the blackboard as a way of emphasising important facts about the topic that he was teaching.
Their report found its way to an international conference on education in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, where Kenya was roundly condemned for allowing teachers to subject students to brutality by caning them. As a result, the government outlawed corporal punishment in schools. Incidentally, a few states in the US had not outlawed caning in schools.
Major stressor
However, stress among teachers is not solely caused by indiscipline of students. In Kenyan schools, especially secondary school, stress levels among principals is, in my view, high. First, parents have very high expectations of the performance of their children, exerting a lot of pressure on principals at their annual general meetings. Secondly, principals have in recent years been made to be personally responsible for managing the KCSE examination — a novel idea, indeed, but stressful.Fifthly, as the principals grapple with preparations to receive Form One students, the KCSE results are released. Woe unto a principal whose school has not performed well! They are subjected to all manner of ridicule, including demands for transfer or demotion — and this comes at a time when they have not had time to rest from August of the previous year.
This is likely to get worse come January 2021, when these principals have to administer Covid-19 protocols, which are, obviously, financially straining to the schools.
Counselling
Going forward, the following need to be considered. First, the employer, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) may, from time to time, have carry out studies on stress levels of principals with a view to assisting those found to be highly stressed.Thirdly, the appointment of board members and election of parents’ association members could consider including individuals knowledgeable in psychology, sociology or psychiatry in their midst to assist principals to manage stress. Fourthly, guidance and counselling courses for teachers need to be provided continuously.
Finally, the principals themselves need to find time to relax and forget about school challenges for a few hours every week.
Without this, they could suffer burnout, break down and get replaced by younger zealous principals who will, in due course, have to contend with the same cycle of stress.
bksogomo@gmail.com.
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