11 INSPECCIONES DE SEGURIDAD

Addressing the change in policy is not only difficult; it is a mammoth task for school leaders. The main concerns that were raised in the discussions included: identifying approaches to managing large classes; maintaining consistency in attending to teachers and students’ needs; being innovative despite class and classroom size; and keeping a clear flow of communication between school leaders and teachers. In identifying the effects of addressing this changed policy, SL1 said:

Most teachers in this school teach three to four different classes, for two or three different subjects. We would like to address this change in policy with ease but that is not the case with large classes. Often I argue with the teachers but we move on. With the large class sizes, teachers have to double or triple the same kind of work that they were doing prior to the change in policy. Even though there are specialised subjects to be taught, there are not enough rooms or teachers to teach these subjects. Besides

that, we have students who would like to take on certain subjects but we cannot allow them for the obvious reasons that we do not have the teachers or the classrooms to take in more students. I believe that as teachers we are passionate about our work, hence we work on despite the challenges we are faced with.

SL3 and T2 maintained that:

Even though we have more students and additional classes but with very limited resources, we are expected to be resourceful and creative in implementing the policy. The government was fully aware that by establishing free education, enrolment figures will increase, thus creating large class sizes. Yet they failed to ensure that schools were well prepared to take on the increase.

The participants in this study were mindful that the effectiveness of implementing FEP depended on their role as school leaders. Addressing this change in policy is a challenge, especially with the amount of work that comes with it, because with a larger number of students, there is more work to be done. T1 added:

It is a big challenge for teachers who have as many as four different preparations for classroom presentations. As a school leader I am aware that in the city the survival of a child depends on education and being able to earn a living. I therefore encourage teachers to look at FEP from that perspective, even though the classrooms are overcrowded. The teachers do work hard but they are encouraged to do what they can with the limited resources.

In sharing the same viewpoint T2 cautioned that:

Being part of the science department I am always concerned about supervising students in the laboratory, especially when they are doing experiments that involve the use of burners or chemicals. It is a worry when you have an overcrowded room with one door and fifty plus grade nine students. Though teachers are receptive, we are concerned about such dangers because we know that we could get the blame if something bad happens. The government may have overlooked the fact that this could be a danger to large class sizes.

T3 and T4 also pointed out:

We have resource issues in addressing the change in policy. In addressing teacher shortage, some teachers have to take more apart from doing other school duties and responsibilities. It is hard to say that all teachers are

tolerant of this changed policy, especially when you have National Examinations to prepare students for.

This is even more depressing when we cannot get additional resource books from the curriculum even though we are just fifteen minutes’ drive to the department’s materials office. We cannot even get cheaper ones from the book shops. With the limited resources we are mentoring other teachers within the department to assist in teaching specialised subjects. However, having to prepare lessons then mentor others becomes burdensome for the one teacher. Due to the amount of class time some teachers are making alterations and or inclusions to their subject content so as to accommodate large class sizes.

T5 and T7 shared the same notion:

The government did very little in identifying the problems that could come about when implementing this directive. They should not expect teachers to receive this policy with open arms since the increase in class size puts a strain on teachers because of the workload. In fact schools should have participated in some tangible study by way of highlighting the kind of facilities, resource materials and teacher numbers that would help the government understand what schools needed before allowing more students into the classrooms.

It is, therefore, unsurprising that for the reasons presented by the participants not all teachers are receptive to this changed policy. The lack of resources, inadequate facilities and shortage of teachers are challenges that school leaders face in assisting classroom teachers.

In sharing their views, school leaders that despite limited resources and the increase in class size, they are doing what they can in assisting classroom teachers to respond constructively to this changed policy since it is a directive from the national government.

SL1 said:

As school leaders, we are expected to have answers to issues that the school is faced with. It is not easy and it hasn’t been easy. The HODs are encouraged to be consistent in assisting teachers by doing lesson observations and lesson demonstrations. We also urge them to be organised and attentive to the needs of their teachers and be consistent in their role of leadership especially by following through with teachers’ responsibilities within their departments. Again we cannot push them as

they are classroom teachers themselves; in fact we are all classroom teachers. I often deal directly with HODs if something is generally not right with the department. However, if the problem is continuous and involves the same person, then I follow up on the teacher concerned.

Additionally, SL2 and SL3 confirmed:

Being in the role of leadership has its setbacks, but as school leaders we have to ensure that we make the right decisions for the school and most importantly for the students. To make certain that students are taught we closely monitor that no class is left unattended and that teachers are attending to their duties. We can encourage them but they need to have that willingness and open-mindedness to take it on because of the students, even though the class size is large.

These participants were aware that as school leaders they needed to constantly communicate to each other the issues that affect the organisation and management of large class sizes. In their role as school leaders, HODs are tasked with attending to the classroom needs of teachers in their departments. Concurrently, participants in the focus group interview elaborated on their views regarding the response of classroom teachers. T1 and T5 began by explaining that being in a leadership role is challenging since there are other responsibilities other besides teaching and being in charge of a department. They argued that they needed more time to discuss and follow up on teachers within their subject areas. T2 added:

Being a HOD is challenging, you cannot afford to be away from school. There is always so much to do. In my department I encourage teachers to be assertive classroom presenters. Communication between me and the classroom teachers is a vital component to class size management. Maintaining a good working relationship with others is a strenuous role as school leaders. We have teachers who have been teaching for more than twenty years and we can learn a lot from them. But sometimes it is not easy to persuade them to be receptive to this change. The role of leadership is truly demanding.

T3 reported that communication through discussions or sharing of teaching experiences are ways in which she was able to identify how teachers are coping with the changed policy. However, she was unable to do it continuously since she had other responsibilities. She pointed out that in a secondary school classroom teaching is not the only duty that teachers do. This view was shared by T4, who

explained that it was not the attitude of the teachers but the amount of work that they had to do that was stressful.

T6 said:

Helping teachers develop better ways to organise classroom presentations is a challenge. Many teachers are receptive because they have the students’ education at heart. But at times I have to follow up on grade coordinators for consistency. It is not easy to encourage male teachers to actively be responsive, especially if you are a female and in the role of leadership. They will eventually do the task but sometimes not without an argument.

Hence, as T7 explained:

Our role as HODs is challenged when teachers are: behind schedule; are absent; or are not managing classes effectively. The class’s behaviour and reputation becomes questionable because of these shortfalls. When assessment results are low we are called in to explain why this is so, even if we are not teaching the class. Getting teachers to be receptive is a difficult task when they are pressured to successfully manage large class sizes in overcrowded classrooms and do all the paper work that comes with the number of students.