<B>By Santosh Kumar Mahadeo,</B> <I>former director of Curriculum,Ministry of Education</I>

Unions of teachers and deputy headteachers have, just by virtue of number, given a severe warning to the Pay Research Bureau against changing the criteria for promotion to the status of headteachers. Vinod Seegum claims that promotion by seniority is fair, equitable and non-discriminatory.

If only numbers can determine the rectitude of an organization, and the correctness of behaviour, we are in the heart of a mobdriven democracy where the collectivity determines right. In 1993 DHT?s participated in a selection exam before interview at PSC. The examination helps to screen the meritorious from the amateurish, the grain from the chaff. The whole point about streets governing the country is relevant.

Why do we need to select on the basis of merit? Many schools are poorly led. Headteachers lack the ability to lead their school in a developmental perspective. Very few schools have maintained a steady improvement of performance over a reasonable period. Most of them are flat, bureaucratic and unimaginative administrators. There is a blatant absence of authority in many schools. Head teachers have not earned the trust and respect of teachers. Rarely does one hear about a new teacher who enters a classroom to proffer pedagogical advice. In fact, very few new teachers know what is happening in classes.

<B>Fruitful collaboration</B>

In many cases headteachers have been in league with teachers to protest against any innovative action taken by the ministry. During my tenure of office, I used to ask headteachers for their views on the Bridging the gap programme. Their response betrayed a shocking indifference to what was going on in class. In a few ZEP schools, one can find the fruitful collaboration of headteachers with class teachers.

What are the causes of Unions? recalcitrant attitude to selection by merit? It is safe and the winners can be easily recognized. Precedence is determined by age not by ability.

What is the profile of leaders our schools need?

■ Persons who have leadership skills ? ability to plan, implement, review and evaluate.

■ Persons who have sound knowledge pedagogy ? No teacher becomes a pedagogue simply because he has taught for 20 or 25 years.

■ A pedagogue has to be a reflective practitioner, a continuous learner, one who keeps pace with changes in the world of teaching. How many teachers would respond to this profile? What are the latest experiments made by teachers in class? How do they resource themselves for renewed ideas?

Teachers who have taught our laureates at primary level are not necessary the best teachers.

■ Person who can dare take decisions, stand by their convictions, and be problem solvers.

■ Person who can work in teams

■ Person who can evaluate the performance of their staff and induct them towards better productivity.

We need school leavers who have a young mind, are enterprising and active. How else do we select them than by knowing what they are worth?

It is incumbent upon our leaders to protect institutions which, themselves, guard against injustice, unfairness and discrimination. To favour a person simply because of seniority is unfair to the younger person who has through perseverance and industry acquired skills beyond the ken of the elderly.

In the context of globalization, we cannot afford mediocrity. If the Pay Research Bureau espouses the vision of government, it cannot compromise with the drive for quality ? can there be a via media between the self-indulgence of unions and government?s need for excellence. Should we yield?

■ We have not really yielded on the issue of SC/HSC fees.

■ We have not yielded to the pressure of unions against ?Bridging the gap? programme.

■ We yielded too readily on the ?Roadmap? issue though the minister?s aim was sound. The minister of Education is also the minister of Human resources.

We must be very clear about our vision. We cannot have an adulterated version of ?quality?. Any human resource management plan must involve unions because they can make or mar a country?s progress.

Many union leaders are proponents of status quo because this is a platform where many workers meet. Rising unemployment, galloping inflation, the threats of globalization do not matter to them. If the same salary can be earned through less work, why should one make unnecessary efforts to reform?

Unions have fought tooth and nail for higher wages without performance reviews. I am impatient to see the application of a performance management system in Education. Too often have we complained that young recruits who are, at first, enthusiastic about their work, become ?blasés? after some time because they are contaminated by frustrated seniors.

Can we afford to be led by the crowd when the future of an education system is at stake? The greatest challenge of the minister of Education lies not with media, but with unions.