MENTOR SHADOWING WELLINGTON SC PART 1

Mentor Shadowing Program (1)

30 Oct 2007 (Tuesday)

Wellington Secondary School 

By Rahinun Mohd. Noor

OBSERVATIONS

1. Counter service and the Principal's Office

We had an experience and clearly seen  a warm welcome, helpful and fast action worker at the counter. The moment we introduce ourselves to the staffs, they are ready to prepare the visitor’s cards for us. As they have already noted  that we will be in their school, so after getting our visitor's cards, she lead us the way to to Principal’s Office. We can see the Main Office were well set-up, and looks like corporate image.  The office is linked to the Principal's office, so it is easily access, just next door. As we take our seat, the Principal Mrs Putrino Jo welcomes us. We see the Principal's  Office is full of information with all the school's data.

2. Meeting the principal

We meet the Principal,  tall and pretty. She gives the briefing, to us, short and brief, together with her Assistant Principal Mr Hugh Blackie, and Student's Affairs Assistant Principal. After being sited we were given some school's  documents;  brochures, pamphlets data and books. At the office, for a few hours, we observed that the Principal had a very  effective communication  amongst the school population, teachers and staffs. We are very lucky that we can be together with the Principal during her meeting with Senior English Teacher. They discuss some programs for the improvement of English Language Unit. As we can see they are very serious to implement some programs for the benefit or the students especially overseas or international  students, which learned English as second language. According to the Principal the school has a very strong foundations of literacy and numeracy achievements of the students of Junior level, that is including English. Such good achievements is due to teacher's corporation and hard-work and also the school also get strong support by the parents, through Parents Teachers Association.

3. Tea break

During the tea break we were given sand wiches and hot tea, brought by the clerk to the Principal's office. And as I can see the other staffs, they had their tea break as simple as a cup of tea or coffee with bread or biscuits. They don’t seem to waste their time unnecessarily. During break time,  we can smell coffee or tea every where. They don't go to the canteen, neither have time to spend at the canteen. They had their coffee or tea while doing their work or having s short meeting. So if we go to the canteen, we can only see students at the canteen during break time.  

4. Three levels of students, and the school's motto

The Principal starts giving a brief explanation to us. The students are having three  levels – Junior, Middle and Senior School. Junior students are from Year 1 to Year 5, Those who are in Year 6 and  7 , is Middle Year Students. Lastly the Senior Students is from Year 8 and 9. So we can see they are having  a nine years compulsory education before going to Junior College

As we walk around the school we can see, as we can feel too, all the school community, master the school’s motto: Caring, Striving, Learning. We can see all the top management and most of the teachers and students are well-verse, mastering their motto in what ever they talk, and discuss. Through our interview, only a few of the teachers, students and staffs not really concern about it,  but they say 'we are working towards it'.

4.Strategic Implementation Plan and Curriculum meeting

The Principal gives me The Strategic Implementation Plan(SIP)  for 2008 as the year 2007 is ending. In October after the Middle Years students finished their exams, they had their holidays. So the teachers will do the management work, they  have time to discuss the SIP, curriculum programs and also students programs, for the coming year. We had a chance to attend their meeting for curriculum programs. We can see high skill and understanding of curriculum, when the Assistant Principal  chaired the meeting with the Heads of Curriculum, which is the Senior Teachers,  where they go into detail on the process of implementation  the programs that will be done through out the year.

5.Support Staff System Meeting

We had a chance to join the meeting of Support System Staffs (nonacademic staffs) for the school. The meeting was very short and brief, which took only fifteen minutes. All the staffs were ready and when the Principal arrived they started off. During the meeting they were informed about many important things. The Principal  inform the support team to make a proposal on the number of officers they want to engage in 2008. and remind them to apply again in the coming year,  if they are on contract basis. She  also gives a briefing about the criteria for the staffs  to be reemploy by the school.

6.Shadowing the school

In the evening after lunch, we had a wonderful time shadowing the school, looking around to see the school facilities. One very unique and new thing is about  transportable classrooms. It is just like cabin room, to cater for the increasing number of students every year.As we go around the school, we stop at International Students Department. The teachers are very busy doing the resetting of the students filing, to cater for the increasing number, which is around 80 of them at the moment.

We also stop at the library. We went to the two computer classes in  the library, and also stop at IT Center besides the library. One thing very practical, at the IT center, they have change permanent spot computer to a steel trolly, which is very convenient to transfer 20 laptops to any class they want to use them. At the center there are two ICT  technicians, being hires, and also there also two computer leading teachers. They are responsible to produce weekly school brochure, and it is prepared without fail every week.

Besides the library is the Special Needs Student’s Center. At this center, the students with the assistant of the teachers are having their activities. It is very convenient as the center is link to the library as one stop center. After that we were brought to had an experience in classroom teaching. In  one class the students are learning about sex education by watching television, with the teacher being a facilitator. We stop at another class, where the students are suppose to learn mathematics, but the  class  is having a  birthday party, for one of the students. It seems that the teacher is not having a lesson as he didn't do the teaching.  Actually teacher is on contract basis and with that incident, the Principal told us that she definitely want to stop the contract service for that teacher. Actually if the teacher really perform, they are having a good pathway program as a teacher.

 

BR1M

Tahun ini (2013) genap dua kali Bantuan Rakyat 1M (BR1M) diberikan kepada semua pelajar sekolah. Masih jelas dalam ingatan  pada tahun 2011, bantuan ini buat pertama kalinya diagihkan oleh kerajaan. Pada waktu itu ramai  orang berkata, kerajaan menggula-gulakan rakyat dengan wang yang tidak seberapa itu. Ramai juga orang merungut kerana bantuan yang diagihkan melalui sekolah, menambahkan lagi beban guru yang ada. Tapi ramai juga orang yang tahu nikmat bersyukur, berterima kasih kepada kerajaan yang bermurah hati itu. 

Mengenang agihan yang dibuat pada tahun 2011 yang lalu, semua guru sangat rasa seronok menguruskan pemberian wang ihsan itu. Buat pertama kalinya sepanjang menjadi guru atau Pengetua, kehadiran waris ke sekolah mencapai 99%. Buat pertama kalinya guru tidak perlu menunggu lama untuk selesaikan tugas memberi wang kepada waris. Buat pertama kalinya guru tidak ada tugas tertunggak kerana ketidakhadiran waris berjumpa guru.

Di samping itu, terasa sungguh meriah melihat waris-waris datang berduyun-duyun. Bayangkan lebih seribu orang waris tua dan muda datang serentak untuk berjumpa guru tingkatan. Kelihatan sungguh membanggakan, tapi nun jaun di lubuk hati  terkenang masa mesyuarat PIBG yang sekolah memanggil waris untuk hadir. Suasana kelihatan suram. Waris datang seorang demi seorang, satu lepas satu, sedangkan tetamu utama sudah pun tiba. Dewan yang tidak begitu besar pun kelihatan lapang, dan lengang, sehinggalah majlis dimulakan. Akhirnya daripada seribu orang pelajar datanglah lebih kurang tiga empat ratus orang saja yang hadir. 

 Kalaulah sekolah ada duit untuk diberikan kepada waris, sudah tentulah semua waris akan datang untuk menyokong sekolah anak-anak mereka. Sudah tentulah tidak sukar untuk mendapat kerja sama waris untuk kecemerlangan  intelek dan sahsiah pelajar????????

PONTENG

PK HEM dimaklumkan, ada pelajar sejak awal mula persekolahan, masih tidak hadir sekolah sehingga kini. Dia budak kelas pandai, kenapa tidak hadir ke sekolah? Semua orang pun tidak tahu kenapa. Bila ditanya rakan-rakan, dan siapa yang kenal, dimaklumkan dia sudah pergi bekerja di pasaraya. Kononnya gaji RM500.00, memang banyaklah jumlahnya untuk seorang remaja berbelanja. Semua orang tidak tahu di sebalik ketidakhadirannya, ada cerita yang tak terungkapkan. Semua orang pun tidak pernah membayangkan kesulitan yang dihadapinya.

Sudah berkali-kali ibunya minta dibelikan baju yang baru. Baju yang lama sudah tidak muat lagi. Begitu juga adik-adiknya yang dua orang lagi, mereka juga tidak mempunyai baju untuk ke sekolah. Apa daya mereka, si ibu yang tidak bekerja cuma dapat meminta kepada suami. Si suami pula entah kerana apa, tidak dapat menahan sabar dengan tekanan yang diberikan si isteri. Lalu si isteri menjadi mangsa. Buku lima naik ke muka. Apa lagi larilah ibu bersama anaknya. Aduhai..... Bagaimana boleh seorang anak dengan senang hati  pergi ke sekolah, jika keperluan asas pun tiada? Alangkah malangnya  nasib si anak. Alangkah sedihnya seorang kakak, yang bukan saja tidak dapat pergi ke sekolah, tapi adik-adiknya juga, mengalami nasib yang sama?

Jadi dia pun pergilah bekerja. Harapannya cuma untuk dapat membelikan baju sekolah. Harapannya supaya adik-adiknya juga dapat hadir ke sekolah. Alangkah malangnya nasib seorang anak. Anak yang masih kecil ini memerlukan bapanya untuk berlindung., memerlukan bapanya untuk dapat belajar, memerlukan bapanya untuk sebuah kehidupan. Bagaimanakah kita boleh memajukan bangsa, jika ibu bapa tidak dapat menyediakan sebuah kehidupan yang memberikan pendidikan, untuk kemajuan masa depan anak-anak mereka?

WELLINGTON SECONDARY SCHOOL

30th Okt 2007

I am very happy to go out to the school given to me and my partner (Mr Pesol Saad) for mentor shadowing program. Given below is the school overview, taken from the school's website. Before we share our experience, I think it is good for everyone to have some ideas about the school that we visit. This school is one of the successful cluster schools, being implemented and practiced in Australia.

Junior School Centre

Western Courtyard planting

SCHOOL OVERVIEW:
Name: Wellington Secondary School
Address:  91 Police Road,
                 Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia 3170

Wellington Secondary School is a large co-educational state secondary school located in the City of Monash, approximately 24 kilometres to the south east of the CBD of Melbourne. It provides programs for

 secondary school aged students from Years 7-12.

The school has maintained a strong student enrolment of over 1000 students since 1992. In the last three years the enrolments have increased to over 1300 students. The ethnic mix of its students reflects the multicultural nature of the surrounding area, one of the most diverse in Melbourne.

Additional to the local enrolment, the school has a strong international student program of over 80 students, largely from China and Vietnam.

The School provides a quality educational program to the Mulgrave, Springvale, Noble Park, Dandenong North, Keysborough, Westall and surrounding communities. Wellington SC enjoys a very positive reputation in this local community. It has well established traditions, the students and their families are generally aspiring and students are inculcated with the culture of the school’s motto, the "Wellington Way". Retention of students at WSS is very strong. Academic success is expected and high standards of behaviour required. Students usually remain enrolled for the duration of their secondary education, except where the family relocates.

To accommodate the varied interests of the students Wellington offers an extensive co-curricular program: musical ensembles & bands, inter-house and the inter school sports and cultural competitions, a theatrical production, a presentation ball, social service activities, the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme, Tournament Of Minds and special interest clubs.

New Science Labs

The school opened in 1973 with 5 permanent brick wings set around two large courtyards with a central library. Due to an expanded enrolment, the permanent facilities are supplemented with twenty relocatable classrooms. The facilities are generally excellent and well maintained. A major building programme including two new gymnasia, a performing Arts complex (including a 288 seat theatre), remodelled Visual Arts, Technology and Science blocks was completed in late 2010. Wellington Secondary College has recently undergone a $10 million buildings and grounds upgrade. This has included:


24 refurbished General Purpose Classrooms

2 new Gymnasiums
A new Performing Arts Centre including a 288 seat theatre
A new Visual Arts block
New Technology Complexes
A new Science & Language Centre
A new Canteen
Landscaping

The College employs approximately 140 staff with an effective full time teaching staff of 100 and a large support staff of 40, including 2 multicultural aides, a college nurse, a welfare coordinator and a careers counsellor.

 

LEADERSHIP AGENDA

Date     29 0ct 2007

Topic :  Leadership Agenda DEECD Victoria by Raylene Dodds

Time  :  10.00 – 12-00

By       Rahinun Mohd. Noor

Today's new topic is about leadership agenda. It focuses on building leadership capacity. It is based on 2 models there is Effective School model and Effective Leadership model. This is one of the 7 flagship strategies to improve building leadership in Victorian School Context. Through this blueprint they developed 5 domains which can promote developmental learning framework for school leaders. These domains are technical, human, educational, symbolic and cultural. Each of this domain  leads the way for educational leaders to be effective and at the same time to   have the capabilities in managing schools effectively. This process can be done  through professional learning programs in the school.

 

Action to be taken after getting some knowledge about leadership is very simple. We are suppose to understand the models in conjunction with the developmental learning framework for school leaders.  Thus it can be applied in the education system to which it leads to situation in  improving leadership. All these  information is just to cater for the implementation of cluster schools project.

MENTOR SHADOWING

Date:  26 October 2007

Time: 9.00am – 11.00 am.

Topic 1: Mentor Shadowing by Mr. Andrew Jackson (a Former Principal)

After introducing the Australian Educational System, in theory, then we are going to practice school shadowing or mentor shadowing as part of the course program. Ten schools in Victoria State were chosen for us to go on visit during the program. The concept is very simple but it has a great impact to us as school organizers. It means we go to the schools that has been chosen nearby Monash University. The school Principas that has been chosen, becomes the mentor. They  play the role to assist the Malaysian Principals while visiting their schools in Australia.

During the visit, we are asked to make useful observations from their best professional practices, which focus on the mentor’s role. By doing this, we indirectly had a professional learning in managing schools, as what the Australian Principals do. There are some techniques of successful shadowing such as note events, write what is seen and heard, and describe the characteristics.   After being in the schools, we have to do some reflections, so that we can use all the experience, whenever suitable in our practice after going back to Malaysia.

Some of the schools that have been chosen, are being grouped together, as cluster school of their own characteristics. Most cluster schools, are group together due to the geographical factors or the nature or so called types of school. But the most effective and successful cluster school in Australia is, the cluster due to geography. It means a few schools (five or six) in one specific area, were grouped together as cluster schools, for example Wellington Secondary School. It is not restricted to the secondary schools only, but primary schools too, were included in the group of cluster school in the area.

Topic 2:  Transport and Logistic During Mentor Shadowing by Mr. Kitaro Ito

Time:  11.00 – 12-00 am.

In this session, we  are given a schedule that has already been arranged by the university, and given by Mr. Andrew. Two Principals are  to visit one school every week. The shadowing will be carried out for 6 weeks on every Tuesday. According to Mr. Kitaro, they  had arranged 4 buses for the group, each going to the specific area chosen. The bus will depart at 8.00 am in the morning, from Rusden  House, and will reach the schools around 9.00 o'clock. We will be in the school until 4.00 pm. So during the seven hours in school, we will do the shadowing. We will follow the Principal, observe the principal, or discuss anything either with the Principal or the Assistant Principal. We can also go to the class if we find that it is necessary, then in the evening, the bus will pick us up and we will reach the resident at about 4.30.  

DAY 8 – TOYOHASHI NATURE PARK

Oleh kerana kami memang bercadang untuk melawat zoo, selepas makan tengah hari lebih kurang jam 12.30, kami sudah mulakan perjalanan menuju Zoo Toyohashi. Angah tak berapa setuju nak ke zoo, kononnya tak ada apa sangat yang menarik Tapi papa berkeras nak belanja angah melawat ke zoo. Kata papa, nanti bila angah balik Malaysia, angah tak boleh cerita tentang zoo, kerana tidak pernah pun melawat zoo di Jepun. Lebih kurang setengah jam perjalanan dari Sanbongi Cho, kami selamat sampai ke tempat yang dituju.

Selepas membeli tiket, kami mulakan ekspedisi, melihat-lihat binatang seperti monyet, kambing, dan entah apa-apa lagi binatang yang hampir sama dengan binatang di Malaysia. Aneh juga binatang seperti monyet, walaupun sama dengan specis di Malaysia tapi kelihatan sedikit berbeza – hidung dan mulut kelihatan kemerahan kerana cuaca sejuk barangkali. 

Adik suka sungguh menikmati perangai penguin-penguin yang sungguh ramai di zoo itu. Macam-macam gaya yang dipamerkan. Dia sungguh teruja, dan sungguh rasa terhibur. Lastly kami join orang yang ramai-ramai – rupanya budak-budak sedang seronok bermain dengan arnab. Adik pun teruja juga nak main ngan arnab tapi semua budak-budak kecil saja yang dok pulun, tak jadilah dia nak mencelah. Kami pun menikmati suasana yang ceria itu – dengan hilai tawa anak kecil yang suka tapi takut dan geli, dan dengan tawa mak bapa yang melihat kelucuan anak-anak mereka berhadapan dengan pengalaman baru – sungguh mengasyikkan suasana petang yang dingin itu. 

Tapi suatu yang amat menarik perhatian aku ialah bagaimana orang Jepun membiasakan anak-anak, dengan amalan membasuh tangan. Ibu bapa akan mendampingi anak bermain dengan arnab, selepas itu mereka mengajar anak mereka membasuh tangan. Tempat membasuh tangan pula disediakan oleh pihak zoo – cantik sebagai decoration dan sangat praktikal pula, siap dengan cecair pembersih lagi. Tambah hebat ialah siap ada disediakan arahan dan langkah-langkah cara membasuh tangan dengan betul oleh pihak zoo. Hebat sungguh kehidupan masyarakat di negara maju, first class mentality dibentuk di mana-mana, dan semua pihak main peranan yang serius dan sungguh-sungguh.

SALAH LAYAN EMOSI ANAK

Seminggu ini banyak betul masa yang diguna pakai untuk mengurus perasaan. Banyak betul anak-anak yang rapuh perasaan mereka. Emosi mereka tidak stabil, emosi mereka terganggu, dan emosi mereka kacau. Kononnya daripada cerita ibu bapa, ada antara mereka yang murung, ada yang menangis tidak henti-henti, ada yang tidak lalu makan, ada yang berkurung dalam bilik, ada yang sakit kepala dan ada yang sampai termuntah-muntah. Semua ini gara-gara tidak dapat menerima kenyataan, keputusan mereka kurang cemerlang beranding rakan lain. Semua ini kerana terlalu mengharapkan dapat cemerlang dalam periksa. Semua ini gara-gara sistem pendidikan kita terlalu mementingkan peperiksaan, terlalu 'exam-oriented'. 

Oleh kerana itu, maka ada pelajar yang mendapat cuma 2A, merayu-rayu supaya dapat dililuskan kemasukan ke kelas aliran sains. Maka datanglah bapa memberikan pelbagai alasan agar anak dapat masuk ke kelas sains dengan alasan takut anak kecewa. Lebih teruk lagi alasannya bapa inginkan anak masuk kelas sains kerana saudara yang lain semuanya dalam aliran sains. 

Memang semua ibu bapa mahukan  yang terbaik untuk anak-anak yang dicintai. Tapi jika inilah caranya, ibu bapa lebih pentingkan cita-citanya, bukan kemampuan anaknya, dan bukan sayangkan anaknya, itulah sebabnya remaja sekarang banyak yang  mengalami tekanan emosi, atau dalam kata lain sakit emosi. Sakit emosi ini lebih teruk lagi jika anak-anak tidak dapat menerima kekurangan dirinya, dan tidak dapat mengukur kebolehan diri dengan keinginannya. Yang menjadi lebih parah lagi, apabila ibu bapa tidak berusaha menangani emosi anak yang tidak sedar diri itu. Malah ibu bapa berusaha mengukuhkan lagi perasaan anak yang songsang itu, dengan cuba mendapatkan apa yang dimimpikan anaknya, agar menjadi kenyataan.

Bayangkan kita menuntut ilmu ini dan menduduki peperiksaan ini, ibaratnya seperti dalam perlawanan lumba lari. Semua orang kuat berlari, memecahkan rekod yang sebelumnya pula, tapi yang hanya akan diberikan hadiah cuma tempat pertama, kedua dan ketiga sahaja. Tapi oleh kerana ada orang yang tidak dapat menerima kekalahan, maka kita dipaksa untuk memberikan juga hadiah kepada peserta yang dapat nombor empat, lima atau yang kesepuluh. Tidakkah ini sangat pelik, tapi inilah yang berlaku kepada ibu bapa yang sering meminta-minta untuk dimasukkan anak mereka ke kelas yang tidak mampu ditanggung oleh anak mereka.

Cuba renungkan....Apa akan jadi kepada masyarakat kita nanti?

VICTORIA EDUCATION SYSTEM

Date:  25 October 2007     Day:  Thursday     
Time:   9.00 am.  -  1.00 pm

Title :  Victoria Education System by  Assoc Prof  Lenn Cairns

Reported by: Rahinun Mohd Noor

In the class, before the lecture starts....

Australian system of education is managed by different states that have full authority on the schools under their control. One of the longest established system from the nine regions is Victoria Education System. The state schools are under the administration of the Minister Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, which pour the grants from the Federal Government. So the running of the school is done by the Principals without being interrupted by any others. 

The schools system starts with Pre-School which consist students at the age of 4 years. The second stage in school is Primary Education which starts at the age of 5 in the Preparation year. After that education starts in Year 1 until Year 6, that is from age 6 years to 11 years old.  Then Secondary Education starts from Year 7 until 10 ( 15 years old). The education which starts from Pre-School until Year 7 is a compulsory Education that Children of Australia has to undergone.

Through the development, some state schools group together as cluster of their own, where they create their own specialties in the field of innovations and excellent, in the area. This school of clusters is group together (10 to 12 schools) under one Regional Director, and assisted by Senior Education Officer (SEO), doing the mentoring to the Principals that were grouped together. The SEO is also known as “Educator” that assists in a few important fields such as global budget, besides resources, innovations and excellent practices

After getting a some knowledge, about Victoria Educational System, in Australia, our next project is to make a school review during mentor-shadowing. Each an everyone of us, will be paired up, and we are schedule to make a school visit every once a week . We are given ten school for mentor shadowing program. When we visit the schools given to us, we are ask to see the principal's job done every day. We just observe what ever the principal do and gather all the management tasks and leadership style. Then we have to  write in the report later. Besides we are suppose to review some of the innovations done by the school, that lead to the excellent of the school. 

Mr Zanal assisting the group to log on.....

In the afternoon we were brought to the Computer Lab form 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm for IT Orientation and Logging, that is given by Mr David Solly.

 

 

PROF LENN CAIRNS AND SIP

Date: 24 October 2007                          

Time : 9.00 am until  1.00 pm.

Lecture topic: Strategic Implementation Plan

Lecturer:  Assoc Prof Lenn Cairns

We were very happy to see Prof Lenn Cairns in the the class again, early in the morning. He was the one who welcomed us during the first meeting after our arrival.  He is very smart in appearance, looks very approachable, and always happy looking guy. After getting to know if we have any problem with our accommodation and internet access, he starts to discuss the topic about strategic implementation plan, which is according to him, very important to school  principals in managing the organization. 

Associate Prof Lenn Cairns before the class

 He starts by giving a general overview about strategic implementation plan (SIP), that has to be design in schools. As we know, SIP should be implemented in school, that consist of elements such as, vision, mission, and targets. He brings out some examples to prove  the importance of SIP, in  conjunction with some excellent schools in Victoria. The examples given show that some schools really excel in all aspects, when the SIP  is carefully put into consideration. And this, has a very strong connection with the school heads.

Similarly we had a very good discussion about SIP that have been practice in Malaysia. And we have our own way of writing  SIP every year. Thus it has been implemented, and it is nothing new to us about SIP anymore. As the school heads, putting up SIP could be a very good track and practice, for the goal achievements of  the schools.     

So when Lenn suggests to us the way of writing  SIP using SWOT analysis with three important elements that is, student learning, student pathway and student's engagement well-beings, we are very clear of what we are suppose to present next. Looking at the aspect of student learning he want us to emphasis on actions going to taken base on goal, targets, and implementation strategies for the students

The second aspect should be taken care of is  student pathways – We are suppose to figure out the necessities  in making student’s progress programs by looking at students transitional period after they left schools. In order to make the program beneficial to the students he wants us to take into consideration, the parent’s and staff opinions too, as this will help to ensure the validity of the programs.

Lastly, we should also consider the student's engagement well-beings, during pre-school time and early childhood education in relation with family and kindergarten, when writing SIP. This will ensure the SIP that we prepare, will give the best benefit to performance and potential development of the students.

As a summary,  We can add on a general knowledge to our strategic planning that we have already design in our school. One thing that is very interesting to look upon is looking at the student's pathways and transition which I think  we don’t really focused in our SIP. This SIP should be written by all participants and must be presented in February at IAB after we finish the course, as part of the assessment for PGCE in Monash Uni . 

After Lenns Lecture

CERITA-CERITA AWAL TAHUN

Menjadi Pengetua di sekolah ini banyak cerita yang indah, menarik dan tak akan dapat dilupakan sampai bila-bila pun. Setiap hujung tahun selepas keluar keputusan Peperiksaan UPSR dalam bulan Oktober, sekolah akan dihujani panggilan telefon bertalu-talu. Bukan itu saja pejabat Pengetua akan dikunjungai bertali arus, untuk bertanyakan soalan yang sama. Soalan yang minta dijawab dalam telefonn dan di pejabat sama semuanya; 

Nak tanya, masuk ke Bahiyah berapa A?

Macam mana nak masuk Sekolah Bahiyah?

Anak saya minat sangat nak masuk Bahiyah, tak kan seorang pun tak boleh tolong?

Saya nak tukar ke sekolah cik gu, macam mana proses nak buat?
Anak saya ni kakaknya dah sekolah di sini, jadi adik pun nak juga masuk sini, tak kan tak boleh?

Kalau saya nak masuk sekolah lain tak payahlah saya jumpa cikgu, tak bolehkah cik gu bagi pertimbangan?

Ini tidak termasuk mesej ke telefon bimbit. Dan tidak termasuk juga membawa kawan baik, sahabat handai, adik beradik dan orang kampung untuk cuba mendapat tempat di sekolah ini. Entahlah kadang-kadang pening juga dibuatnya memikirkan ramainya waris yang nak anak belajar di sini. Yang datang kebanyakannya membawa harapan besar untuk dapat diterima masuk ke sini. Dan bila diminta membuat permohonan ke PPD mereka pulang dengan hampanya. Kadang sebelum pulang sempat lagi  marah-marah kepada Pengetua yang dikatakan tidak mahu membantu.

Entahlah setiap tahun aku akan dirayu, diherdik, dimarahi, malah pernah diugut, semata-mata mau memasukkan anak ke Bahiyah. Aku sangat kasihan kepada pelajar yang terpaksa bersesak-sesak dalam kelas yang sudah tua melebihi empat puluh tahun. Sedangkan di sekolah lain jumlah pelajar cuma lebih kurang tiga puluh orang sahaja sekelas. Aku juga sangat kasihan kepada guru-guru di sekolah ku yang sangat dedikated dibebani dengan hampir lima puluh orang murid dalam kelas, sedangkan di sekolah-sekolah tertentu cuma separuh daripada itu.

Aku rasa alangkah baiknya jika jumlah pelajar dapat disamaratakan. Pelajar akan lebih selesa dan guru akan menerima beban kerja yang hampir sama. Tidaklah adil jika selalu diberikan alasan, orang suka sekolah ini. Sedangkan di sekolah lain guru-guru dapat bertugas dengan selesanya bersama 400 hingga 800 orang pelajar saja, berbanding sekolah kami sebanyak 1200 orang semuanya.

Kelihatannya seolah-olah orang tidak suka sekolah Berasrama Penuh atasu MRSM, atau Sekolah Primier, tapi sebenarnya di sekolah-sekolah tersebut, orang tidak sewenang-wenangnya boleh masuk jika tidak layak. Orang tidak boleh mengganggu sesiapa, JPN, PPD atau Pengetua, jika sekolah ini yang dikatakan bagus diberikan taraf Sekolah Primier Daerah, atau apa-apa saja taraf yang boleh. Dengan itu, tiada siapa akan semudahnya datang memohon masuk, jika kelayakan tidak cukup. Ini akan memudahkan semua pihak dan dapat membantu meningkatkan pencapaian pelajar seperti yang dicita-citakan. Ini akan dapat merealisasikan Kedah Top 5. Jika tiada perubahan yang berani barang kali cita-cita murni itu akan terkubur begitu sahaja.