Education the Loser in RKS Row
The Ratu Kadavulevu School row is sad and unfortunate. Education is the loser. As we come to a critical point of the academic year when they should be preparing for the end of year external examinations the school disruption would be a major setback for the students .
When the year started there was a lot of fanfare with the announcement that Arvind Kumar would be the new principal. The heightened interest was due to the fact that the school was having an Indo-Fijian
head of school. He was welcomed by the parents and teachers after he started at the school in December well before the beginning of the first school term in January. He was seen as another Amraiya Naidu, the first Indo-Fijian principal of the school. Mr Naidu was handpicked by then Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to raise the school’s academic standards because RKS had lost it way from its founding purpose. And he did after he took over the reins in 1984.
Mr Prasad had a similar mission but it fell apart in nine months. The reasons are varied and they depend on who you talk to.
One thing that is clear is that the students did not like the changes he introduced. It is claimed that some of the changes were against the traditions and culture of the school. If they were designed to lift the academic standards then the basis of the protest does not make sense.
When Mr Naidu introduced changes in the 1980s they were embraced and the school academic and sports achievements soared. A comparative study of the leadership style of the two Principals would produce the answers as to why Mr Prasad ran into problems. One of the realities of institutions like RKS is that their cultures evolve to keep abreast with modern changes.
They cannot be stuck in a time warp otherwise they will lose focus and relevance.
Neighbouring school, Queen Victoria School, has had its share of turmoil, but when it focused on its core role it flourished. It has had to readjust to survive.
RKS needs to be receptive to change otherwise it will be left behind.