The quality education of the public schools determines the life style of the municipal dwellers. The Rural Municipality Mayor has shown big concern on how to transform the quality of the education. In a general discussion, he opined about the poor result despite the hard work of the teachers, school management committee, students, and guardian committee and government officials. To answer this very pertinent question, one day training on “Academic Leadership Development Positive School Development and Management” was organized for all (six) High school teachers and 7 lower secondary level school headmasters with the technical support of the Eastern Research Institute of Positive Science (ERIPS). Dr. RC Lamichhane, the CEO of ERIPs and Coordinator of Gaurishankar Master Plan Preparation Consultant Team designed and facilitated the training.
This training was conducted on 18th Nov. 2018 in the training hall of Nav Jyoti Basich School. In Total of 36 teachers participated in the training. The training was designed based on “Appreciative Inquiry Approach” framework. At the beginning, the participants shared the major pains and problems of the education sector of Gaurishankar Municipality. They tried to raise the chronic and devastating problems they have been facing in the education sector from the ages. The identified problems were analyzed in affirmative way and the focus was made on the solution aspects. Based on the identified solutions, the participants engaged to discover the positive cores of existing educational system, major learnings and strengths of teachers’, students’, communities’ and local government. They found the teachers are professional, qualified and devoted towards their role, responsibilities and performances. The teachers of these municipalities are studious and collaborative. Likewise, the students are curious, creative and disciplined. The relationship between schools and communities is harmonic, respectful and cooperative. The local government is supportive. In this conducive educational environment, the academic Excellency can be achieved by escalating these all-positive cores and strengths.
After discussion on the positive cores of the various sectors, the participants realized that these all-positive cores were always ignored due to problem-focused approaches. They realized constantly focusing on these strengths and making positive strategy could increase these positive cores and strengths. They realized for the need of big paradigm shift to discover the various positive aspects of the educational environment that are available in Gaurishankar Municipality.
Apart from the classroom teaching and learning, the relationship between schools, local communities and local government also determine the educational quality. The school education needs to be explored new opportunities for the communities’ people that can help them to have the quality of life. The roles of the teachers and school management are more than curriculum accomplishment. All of the participants realized that Garuishankar could be the ideal academic destination of the country if the positive cores were strengthening.
According to the teachers, the major focus of the schools and concerned stakeholders go on physical facilities rather than quality thinking, but this training helped them to develop the different and positive thinking based on their positive experiences, strengths and potential. The quality enhancement is easy if the thinking style can be changed. The quality of the educations largely depends on teaching methodologies and thinking styles rather than the physical infrastructure. Outstanding results can be produced within basic facilities if the guiding principles of the teaching learning are future centric, positive, inspirational and emotionally connected. The emotional care to the students makes them accountable and further inspires to achieve the outstanding results. To create the inspirational environment in the school, a big paradigm shift is needed to be in the school premises.
Mr. DB Thapa, the deputy headmaster of the Nilkantheshwor High School found this training as an eye opener. According to him this training helped him to review all of his contribution he had given for the education sectors. He has found now that he can facilitate his students to unleash the positive potential and link their expertise for the family and community benefits.
Likewise Mr. Kumar Gurung, the Head Master of the Bhume Gumba Highschool of Chankhu, said that this training helped him to develop new thinking that can create opportunities rather than sticking in the problems and pains. He also reflected that the school should not only complete the educational plan but also lay the foundation for whole community transformation. According to him, this training was completely different and inspirational than other training he had taken in his entire life. Mr. Soyam Khadka, the mayor of the Rural Municipality has expressed his satisfaction over the training and has promised to continue such programs in the days to come. According to him, this training successfully planted the new definition of education in the Gaurishankar Municipality context. He hopes the teachers will emotionally care their students and inspire them to be more creative and inventive.
This training successfully helped teachers to inspired in developing the new thinking as well as discovering the positive cores that are available in around their schools and communities that can contribute for the quality education and positive societal transformation process.
