Under pressure to perform

A STUDY carried out in schools in the Western Division found that 64 per cent of children and teachers were not happy at school.

Speaking at the Fiji Principals Association Conference yesterday, Swami Vivekanda College principal Rajesh Krishna said students were faced with enormous pressure to compete and more emphasis was placed on academic content and exam scores.

He said the findings were based on a survey he undertook for a thesis paper titled “Happy School for Quality Education” which he wrote while pursuing a Masters in Educational Leadership at the University of Fiji.

Mr Krishna said he interviewed students, principals, and teachers to gauge their responses.

“The system we currently have in our schools is that if you have a good percentage pass then you are a good leader, or if your school is not reaching the target, then you are classed as a low performing leader,” he said.

“From my experience as a school principal, it is not right to gauge someone’s performance or ability by just a few numbers.

“What we have seen in our education system is too much focus on exam results, too much pressure to perform.”

The study, he claimed, revealed an outdated curriculum that did not explore a child’s potential and holistic development.

This resulted in teachers and students being put under pressure to perform which resulted in growing mistrust, competition, school violence as well as fears among learners in making mistakes.

“As a school leader it’s in my hands to ensure that happiness is there in the school. We don’t have any control on the reforms and policies placed by the Ministry of Education, but we have in our control how to positively put those reforms and practices to our students and teachers.”