MUDASIR ALI

This is very unfortunate to see that such designed menace culture grows in schools in the name of education that eventually affects the schools and administration. Many fanatic cultures have shown tremendous pace by having severe ramifications but lobbyism is one of the cultures meant to create the politics in schools played by teachers. Over a couple of years, this culture has been growing rampantly and haphazardly to pave the way for lobbyism. Lobbyism and lobbyism is not always harmful to every system but it can be also good in the organizations wherein lobbyists think and plan for the execution of different innovative works for the betterment. In the case of school teachers, they create a lobby system by influencing others though they have no knowledge of the power of administration. This kind of lobby system is possible when the head is inexperienced and less knowledgeable and falls prey to some teachers who always support his decisions and imposition of rules even if they have no ground for justification. In this manner this word makes a new sense, making a group by some teachers based on the same ideology and thinking to run half the school administration in different activities. They just want to influence and control everything in the system. Their entire game is to bring the system under one control. This has largely impacted the schools in different facets for example administration toppling, failure of plans, new targets and other activities that are very essential for the benefit of students. A school head can be in the web of lobbyism if he has some lacunas himself in the administration. There is a chance that he gets easily trapped by his own close mates for taking the bait. In lobbyism, different tools are being used by making the head wrongly aware about the school system including teachers.
Why lobbyism?
– It is because that they need high status in the school in front of his teammates and all what is being done should not be passed without them.
– Availing the benefits from the boss like head who is himself involved in the lobbyism.
– Curbing the voice of others so that they will not stand to fight for equal respect and work.
– Showing ostentatious style in talking by making others recessive and marginalized that often seen during meetings and opinions.
– Utilizing muscle power whenever needed to make a full control in school running. In skirmishes, this would help them.

Impacts of lobbyism:
– It would create a culture of fanatic people who will destroy the future of students.
– It must sensitize the school environment to lead the unbridled men to do unnecessary activities. Like verbal fights, disrespecting others and so on.
– It hampers the growth of academics that result in the destruction of professionalism which is pivotal for the teachers.
– It will also make the school system defunct as administration works in the hands of those who may have corrupted the head.
– Misusing of administrative powers by cheelas is an insult to the head of school.
– Rules infringement that is another factor to topple the ethical and moral standard of schools.

– Murdering of professionalism.
How to stop lobbyism in schools?
There are many ways to stop this menace culture of lobbyism:
• Observe the head of school keenly by noticing his behavior. It will help you to figure out what he is understanding. You must acknowledge his overall thinking, experience and capabilities. If his qualification matches yours he could not be having that much standard to run the school. His behavior may be rude like while giving orders, assignments to his teachers and even though he may try to impose unnecessarily rules in school in order to show full dominance.
• If you are a new teacher, firstly read the mindset of all the teachers who are working with you. With the passage of time, you will check their pulse individually.
• Don’t get yourself trapped in lobbyism as you are the new one in school.
• Observe the bonding of teachers of which type. If they are positively serious for the academics as well as students. Accompany them, as this would develop a positive interest in you to lead the way ahead in school.
• If you found any group leading their own way in the school interest. Avoid and keep yourself away.
• Try to be very serious about your work and also be vocal in case of issues arising out in schools like lobbyism, favoritism results in falling down administration.
• If the school has a managing body, inform the chairman that the school is undergoing a declining phase due to some factors.
• If a teacher is being exploited in schools under certain restrictions by his head just to stop from raising the voice against him. He should not move back but teach him all lessons formally.
• Write a complaint to the Chief of Education Officer correctly and honestly about the issue.  He is authorized to sort out such issues which become very dangerous to schools.
• You have a voice to speak up to address the fault lines as such lines directly impact the school and its students. Remaining silent is another name of slavery that is a curse.
• No lobbyism and no humiliation for the teachers. Heads should be very fair and honest in their modes of actions without taking the side of others.

All heads are not the same and some have an autocratic style to rule on teachers. It is ignorance and lack of insights that such heads will rule as they want. When teachers like me are working in those schools, heads have no chance to dictate things beyond the normal limit.

The author, a regular columnist for Kashmir Glory, can be reached at ahangermudasir911@gmail.com 

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