Prize giving: Just what is the price of good performance?

The Good Book teaches a number of gem truths. One of these is: Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, (2 Corinthians 9:7).

This statement may be applied to appreciation of the good performers in 2015 KCSE exam. A number of schools that performed well have been holding prize-giving days to reflect back on their achievements as well as appreciate their members,  who contributed to the great achievement. Various stakeholders have been rewarded: The principal, former students, the teachers and the support staff. 

In a number of schools, each aggregate mean of A is awarded a mandatory Sh1,000. Best subject(s) as well as best teachers for different categories are rewarded. Prizes for these categories range from cash rewards, goats and sheep to cows, among others. Quite encouraging, indeed!  After all, human beings love appreciation.

The problem is when the appreciation becomes a means of extorting money from parents.  Firstly, it is a fact that all teachers are expected to produce good results. That is part of the principle of performance appraisal.

Secondly, it is also true that not many teachers put enough effort in their work to produce good results. This necessitates the need to appreciate those who do.  Thirdly, it is true that appreciation should be voluntary and never be a forced activity.

DEFENSIVE STATEMENT

Lastly, the person responsible for the appreciation in this case is almost always the parent who paid the school fees. Therefore, when teachers sit down to make a decision on how they need to be appreciated and with minimal or no parental involvement then a conflict is bound to arise.

Thus, when a decision is arrived at that each parent pays a ‘significant’ amount of money ranging from Sh5,000 to Sh10,000 or more in prize giving, resulting into millions of shillings, eyebrows are bound to be raised.

The one appreciating you should be given an opportunity to be part of the decision on how to conduct the appreciation. Few schools invite parents to these appreciation committees. Most schools only call the parent representatives to rubber stamp decisions already made.

It is not uncommon to hear staffroom conversations listing the preferred holiday spots. Teachers openly talk about their preferences: “Last year we were in Kampala, I think this year we need to go to Rwanda. We should even think of going to South Africa.”

In the series of prize giving events that took place just before the holiday break, a number of parents expressed misgivings about the exorbitant amounts demanded.

Well-meaning parents raised this issue with the school authorities. A number of defensive statements were made: Parents, don’t ask how much, just ask where to pay. The amount is so because we are flying all teachers to their holiday destinations.

They will also stay in five-star hotels. They cannot use the same means and stay in same hotel with schools that only managed a mean of..! These statements sound humorous but embody sheer arrogance.

It does not in any way address the concerns of parents. Besides, they are afraid to complain for fear of victimisation of their children. The parents are thus made to feel like they are being favoured to have their children in top-of-the-range schools.

Let the stakeholders have genuine conversations and mutually agree on a method that appreciates the teachers, encourages the students to continue the good performance, while at the same time is considerate of parents’ ability.

The relevant department should consider developing a policy to guide appreciation of good performance in order to rein in the rogue schools from exploiting parents. Obviously the policies would be cognizant of diverse school characteristics.