[Editorial] Streamlining education sector needs clear headedness

It has been reported that more than 30 teachers have resigned in Nyagatare District since the beginning of this month. That itself would not be of significant value as the district has close to 400 schools. It is the way the “resignations” were carried out. Some of the affected education officials allege that they were forced to sign letters that had been prepared in advance. Some even give conflicting accounts of what led to their dismissal. It is not the first time that Nyagatare has come under the spotlight. A couple of years ago, over 120 ghost teachers were uncovered, and that compounded by overcrowding of classrooms, the district is trying its best to cope. But trying to streamline things should not come at the price of sacrificing justice and fairness. District officials should avoid knee-jerk reactions in dealing with its issues. That would be no different than sweeping the dirt under the carpet. Most district officials are always under pressure to fulfill their performance contracts and make mistakes along the way. But that is beating the whole performance concept. The whole idea is to set targets to improve the people’s welfare; it is not about earning brownie points. The education sector has many challenges and dealing with them to find a viable solution needs a lot of composure and digging deep. But above all, it needs all stakeholders to work in unison. It needs dedicated teachers who really love their calling and not mere mercenaries who are ready to mortgage the future of our children. Once we get that equation right, the pieces will start falling into place

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[Editorial] Streamlining education sector needs clear headedness