New year, same challenges in the education sector, Part 3



Performance of workers in the Ministry of Education

The performance of any system depends on the 'proper' functioning of all of its parts. In the case of the education system, its 'proper' functioning depends on the effort that all of its members - the 'parts' of the education system - are willing to exert in completing the tasks to which they are assigned.

In two previous posts, I have examined the major challenge faced by the education system and the specific challenges faced by the Minister. In this post, I will turn my attention to the workers in the Ministry of education, briefly examining one of the major challenges that they face in being a part of the policy process to improve the performance of the education system, a challenge that will in turn impact the achievement of the desired outcomes from the system.

One of the major challenges that these workers face is that of getting out of the game of 'passing the buck'. For many workers in government their primary responsibility seems to be that of 'protecting their backs'. For many, this means doing as few things as possible, to avoid giving an account, if it becomes necessary to do so. They do not want to be in any 'mix up' or they do not want anyone to 'call their names', they often say.

They do not trust each other. They believe that their colleagues are 'up to no good' where they are concerned. Therefore, they spend their working lives primarily manoeuvring their way around or through systems of accountability.

They do only what they are told to do, exactly as it has always been done. Many of these workers put their initiative into hiding because they believe that if they take action which does not yield a positive result, they will be left all alone, without any support, having to fend for themselves. That is, they will have to give an account, an account that they prefer not to give. So, they continue to 'pass the buck'. If it is not 'their' job in the most obvious sense of the word, it does not get done.

The bottom line is that they do not want to be blamed for anything that can go wrong in the organisation, or to be called on to give an account of anything that is going on in the organisation. However, their personal ambitions are fully activated. They are interested in advancing in the organisation. They, therefore, take action that will protect their interest in the organisation. That is, they do whatever it takes to preserve their chances to get one of the few promotions that will become available in the organisation. This does not necessarily mean doing a 'good' job as defined by some measure. Longevity which does not involve 'rocking the boat' is often rewarded in these systems

With the government introducing elements of Managerialism into its functioning, workers are now being forced to take on responsibility, and they are also being called on to be accountable. However, the game is still being played. If one tries to examine the stewardship of these workers, one will find that there is much that many of them are unable to recall.

Workers in the Ministry of Education, therefore, pose a challenge to the achievement of the outcomes that their department wants from the education system. If these workers are reluctant to fully accept responsibility then they will continue to carry out their functions without being fully invested in them.

To help the Ministry to achieve its goals for the education system, many of these workers will have to challenge themselves to improve their provision of the services which the Ministry offers to its clients by being more responsive to these clients than they have ever been before.

They also will have to become more engaged than they have ever been before with the work of the Ministry. To do this, though, they will all have to, in addition, to focusing on realising their personal goals, focus on realising the goals of their organisation as well. And, they will have to be willing to embrace the notion of accountability.

If the workers in the Ministry of Education are willing to carry on business as usual, the improvement in the performance of the education system for which the Minister hopes, will largely remain an illusion.

Read part 4 here.

Image: pixabay.com








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