AS a parent, I am alarmed that a headmaster of a secondary school is openly challenging one of the policies of the Ministry of Education. As a headmaster, he is expected to execute the policies of his employer, in this case the Ministry of Education. If he finds the policies are not to his liking, he could do a number of non-confrontational things, for example, he could produce a well documented argument to the policymaker for consideration; while at the same time continue policy implementation. I am still to learn of any such approach used by the experienced headmaster.
Can the headmaster produce for public consumption the criteria he used to determine when a child should not be promoted? How many subjects must a student pass at the examination? Which of the term test/ examination determines promotion? At what policy was it recognised that the student should not be promoted? What is the quality of the various assessments that were used by the school and who certifies the validity of such assessment s? Is the assessment or promotion based only on the academic attainment of a student?
I will strongly oppose any headmaster who would not promote my child based on a one-shot examination. Further, I will consider legal action against him for the psychological damage that my child has to endure. Is this a new form of child abuse? Where are the Rights of the Child advocate on this matter? Why are they silent?