OUT OF THE BLUE

ASt Stephen’s and Oxford University alumnus and Rhodes scholar, Dev Lahiri taught at The Doon School, Dehradun, from 1983 to June 1991 when he was selected to become the headmaster of Lawrence School, Lovedale. He was at Lawrence School from July 1991 until he resigned in April 2000 — after he was asked to go.

In August 2003, he joined Welham Boys’ School in Dehradun as headmaster and resigned in May 2011 — again after he was asked to go. Not only did the then school chairman ask Lahiri to resign, but no explanation was also given as to why he was being asked to do so. In fact anyone who wants a deeper insight into why school education in India is the unholy mess that it is today, I recommend they read his book, “With a Little Help from My Friends” — a shocking revelation about the way school managements and trustees end up harming the institutions they are meant to serve. Unlike most school heads, he does not in his account shy away from naming individuals and narrates with refreshing candour the events that led to his resignation, lending authenticity to his story.

Why do I bring up this example so many years after the event? To illustrate and highlight a bigger point that several school leaders have made to me time and again: school managements in India seek “managers” and not “leaders”. School patrons or owners typically want yesmen — efficient administrators who will do their bidding. A principal or headmaster, who has a mind of his or her own or someone who rocks the boat, is more often than not frowned upon.

This is one of the key reasons why even the most coveted schools in India are often considered mediocre and parents are more often than not unhappy with the school they send their children to — regardless of how affluent and well known the institution may be. Over the years, I have met so many parents disillusioned with the way their ward’s school is run that when a parent actually has a good word to say, everyone sits up and takes notice.

Why are the best rated schools viewed as mediocre institutions by the parents of children who study in them? Poor teacher quality is undoubtedly one of the primary reasons, but a second problem is the fact that many of the schools are owned and run by people who are not educationists. These owners tend to run the whole affair like a business. Governing council members often comprise the wider family — spouses, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, cousins — people who are not equipped or not interested in running schools. The problem has been compounded in recent years with all schools turning global or international — merely titles that license them to charge whatever they wish.

As a result, those entrusted with the task and on the board take little interest in the welfare of the institution and look at the board position more as a way to curry favour to their advantage. Instead of serving the interests of the institution, contributing and focusing on the running of the school, those who control the destiny end up serving their own interests and furthering their own agendas.

Many school principals say that their board has members they have never seen — people who have never made it to a single board meeting but continue to hold the position at times even for a decade. The only time they receive a call from the member is when he or she seeks to help someone gain admission in the institution or to facilitate recruitments.

If the board is a force to reckon with, an even bigger challenge is dealing with powerful alumni. Typically, this problem is more acute in affluent boarding schools where the school often seeks patronage of the wealthier alumni. More than one principal over the years have told me that the alumni of the school run like a “mafia” — often insisting on continuing with traditions that have long outlived their utility. They misuse their influence to seek admissions, faculty appointments and even decide which vendors the school appoints for various events and other requirements.

So to come back to the example I began with, Lahiri’s is by no means an isolated one. In India’s school sector, Lahiris abound. And unless someone takes this bull by the horns, institutions will continue to suffer at the hands of those entrusted with their welfare.