*EdoBEST: A reform that must be allowed to succeed!*
Over the years one has found himself in a system that believes in achieving everything through the cheapest means...shortcut. Some of us have killed our analytical, problem solving and reflective thinking skills all in the name of getting everything sweatlessly.
Prior to EDOBEST programme, the only purpose I see Quality Assurance Officers come to school to carryout inspection was to enrich themselves for that day. They are never interested in ensuring quality teaching and learning takes place or whether the facilities and environment is in shape. They don't care if teachers' lesson notes and plans were written and in order. All I see then were men who sees their positions as a means of extorting the schools thereby allowing the schools to be stagnated without making any meaningful progress.
The head of school and every other person who ought to see themselves as change agents to promote the learning of every child also chosed to make the system worse by enriching themselves through countless of unlawful levies here and there.
My experience as a unionist also taught me a great lesson. I have come to understand that the leadership of the teachers' union are not really interested in achieving the welfare of its members but instead they are more interested in fattening their purses and bank accounts. Most of the _struggles,_ that's fight with the govt are not genuine.
They are orchestrated because of the _Ghana must go bag_ they collect from govt to stop their unnecessary agitations. Most teachers vying into the executive offices/positions of this union today goes to the extent of threatening their opponents with charms just to get what they want. They are willing to attend clandestine or midnight meetings all for the position. They don't really care about the core objective of making the welfare of teachers their top priority, but what they care about is what the binis call _ilalobor._ How will one explain to a reasonable man that the governor that a union says was the best teacher friendly governor few months ago is now seen to them as not being friendly again? It is because the doors of _ilalobor_ seems to have been shut against them. No more _Ghana must go._
These type of people do not want any reform in the system because they feel comfortable with the many troubles of the system. They are people who wanted improvement, but never wants change which ought to be the catalyst for the desired improvement. This is why you see many today struggling with the EdoBEST reform. EdoBEST, like a bolt from the blue has come to change the narratives. Instead of having good number of teachers embrace this reform today, you still see some castigating it, making it look like nothing is good about EdoBEST.
The reason is not farfetched. It is because the reform, to a large extent has changed the old order of waste, poor monitoring and evaluation, ineffective teaching and learning, incessant collections of unlawful levies from pupils etc.
They feast from all of these negatives and so they are not happy about it and are doing everything to puncture the excelling reform.
In a nutshell, the reform we have today ought to have been a welcome development to all and sundry, but the old hawks are still in the system. Gallant effort should be constantly made never to allow them have their way. I believe if we collectively work together as member of one ecosystem and keep supporting this reform, we can achieve a whole lot together.
*Comr. John Eson, one of the refined product of the EdoBEST reform*
