From Fridays Solomon Star, Jim Waroka, KG's school principal speaking at the school's graduation and prize presentation highlighted that 'TEACHER and student absenteeism is a major problem at state-owned King George Sixth School refering to the issue as a problem that must be tackled.
Mr Waroka said both teachers and students regularly stayed away from classes and other extra curricular activities without any good reasons.
This leads on to a general observation that most people do jobs not because they feel it is their calling but rather because it is the only job that their school grades enable them to get into mainly due to an annual availability of high intake.
School teachers, Nurses, Police.. hang on! Did i say 'it is the only job that their school grades enable them to get into.'. This is getting more bizzare. After all, Education, Health, Law.. are the major connerstones of any functional country. It is ironic that someone who does not qualify to go on to university because of their attitude should be considered qualified enough to impart their knowledge as teachers in our schools. One reason why students fail to go on in their education is because of a lack of proper understanding of the subjects that are taught them during classes. When Potential teachers drop out from the secondary education system, and take lessons at the SICHE to be teachers, the reality is that what ever knowledge their students would gleam from them would most certainly be only a percentage of what the teacher understood in the first place during their school years, which was not enough to get them into uni. This negative domino theory is rampant. Why do students fail in the first place. the obvious answer is because of their lack of commitment and complacency. So what happens when they become teachers? Apparently this attitude rubs off on to their students.
Such is the background from which our teachers, Nurses and Police are drafted. In our hour of need, those are the people we entrust our lives on. Lord help us all.
But what can we do?
Gee! I sound Old!!. But gone are the days when kids revere school and teachers are not only held in the most utmost respect but they ensure there ethics are beyond reproach.
There were only big red busses then but the quest for knowledge over rided any 'lus mark' attitudes that would result in hesitation in travelling that way.
Uniforms were something to be proud off - prestigiousness it's coat of arms.
It's most certainly built respectable countrymen who value the accuracy of time and took pride in all the right matters.
May be it is the negative impact of reverse psychology that has caused all these great men to raise up a Generation X that abhors all these values. the strict values we were raised up in.
It would be great if these attributes are re-vitalised.
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I am just a poor boy and my story's seldom told - Simon and Gaffunkel
i was by no means a saint during my days at KGVI. However, I was proud (in a good way) to be a student there. And it was a general feeling that we all felt. So at that time those who felt left out were those who chose to wilfully break school rules, chew betelnut and be a niusance. The majority were great students. Now the trend has changed and it is those who are great students who are now the exceptions. It is shocking.
The other day I met some senior Form 6 KGVI students in the bus. The guy was dressed like a slouch and chewing betel nut. The girls thought he was cool and worst of all they all smelled of sweat and grime! I felt deeply insulted that someone saw it fit to be wearing the KGVI uniform while smoking and chewing betel nut! What has this school gotten itself into? And to think these are the senior students at school made it even worse.
It is bizarre, during my final years at school we started hearing rumours and I started witnessing a drastic deterioration of the school's high morals and academic performance. Now I am told, it is has become an acceptable behaivour.
If the students and teachers of this premier state educational institution cannot uphold the school motto with any minute drop of pride 'Leadership Scholarship' then they should not have the guts to call themselves King George Sixth National Secondary School. Better call themselves the King George Asylum Centre or King George Pshyciatric School. I mean its that bad!
. The state of the school disciplinary woes are consequences of long neglected issues. It should have been addressed along time ago. It has been a growing trend that students have been given some slack when they are breaking rules. I remember incidences of students smoking in staff houses in my time. Students running errands for staffs in return for betelnuts and cigerettes.
There is also a growing culture amongst Solomon Islanders that we tend to appreciate those who are naughty with pretty good grades then those who follow rules and got low marks in their exams. Here we are actually condoning their bad behaviours they involve in, like drinking, smoking, missing classes and the list goes on. We put more emphasis on the academic achievement then on good character . Thus the younger students see those who are breaking school rules and achieving higher grades as the model students and the cycle continues.
Strictly Platonic
It's sad state of affairs. KGVI has always been a benchmark for many Solomon Islanders when it comes to secondary schools sadly it has sunk down the rankings academically and any other aspects. I have never been to KG but have a feeling that the glorious days were gone. A few factors could contribute to that but obviously the politicisation of the school has significantly contributed to its downfall. There are many kids who are going there when they suppose not to be. They are only there because of powerful connections and can afford to. Such kids have little or no respect at all for the school. They know they can buy their way around if they are kicked out. Also, the discipline has fallen sharply. If teachers fail to turn-up to work, why don't discipline them? If students are doing the same, why don't enforce the school rules? In my school days even an afro hair style was punishable under school rules and rat-tails were a no no. Town visits were limited to 3 in 20 weeks, it was compulsory to attend church services four times a week. Those who traunt meals were also punished. Classes were compulsory and if you missed 3 days without a medical proof you would be suspended for a week to your parents or gurdians. Today, kids in almost all schools chew betel-nut, smoke and even drink alcohol. The respect for the school uniforms have long gone. All that is need to be done is the institutionalisation of partriotism in our schools. Introduce national awards for the best discipline school, the most neat school, enter into debates of national issues. School of the year or some sort. All rules apply to all.
Samfala thing thing nomoa.
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