By Our News Analyst
It is a fact that there is much to be desired in terms of our educational standards recently. There was an effective system of paying teachers at their respective schools before the regime of the unchangeable Dr. Minkailu Bah.
For reasons best known to himself, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology suddenly reverted to paying teachers at the banks. As educated as he is, would he not have known that that move was a recipe for absence from duty? Common sense would dictate that teachers would malinger and collect their salaries at the end of the month. Some would even take on other full time duties taking advantage of the lacuna created by the learned Minster lacking in common sense.
This was the situation that prompted principals of Secondary Schools in the capital reportedly to frown on the negative system of payment of salaries.
According to the report, the Principals were disappointed that the new system encouraged teachers who are habitually absent without leave (AWOL). The Principals stressed rightly that the absence of teachers is not in the interest of Secondary School students who are often deprived of lessons. Their last lament was that they lack the authority to withhold their salaries.
It is not known whether before the implementation of this new policy the Minister consulted the Association of Principals of Secondary Schools. The practice is easily applied in the civil service where there are sectional heads that can easily monitor their sections in terms of absenteeism. This is not so with schools with scores of teachers who cannot be easily monitored by the Principals and Vice-Principals who have other administrative matters to deal with.
Educational Deficiency
And talking about education, an illustrious example of one who has a smattering education is a character known as Winston Ojukutu Macauley Jnr who occasionally has shocking lapses in his use of the English Language. Winston should realize that it is not the use of flowery language that determines expertise in the use of the English Language but the proper use of its basics. This is why his misuse of the word Troubleshooter is most unfortunate. He must have assumed to know the use of the English Language to the extent that it is no longer of any use to him. But this is arrogance that has shamed him. A TROUBLE SHOOTER, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a person who investigates and solves problems and not one who causes trouble as implied and suggested by Winston. It is a wonder that he was BBC stringer where the BBC in a hurry could not recruit a better Correspondent. Winston needs more English.