The ‘Principal’ Factor: A Review

By Dr. Tara de Mel

In The ‘Principal’ Factor the writer offers a peep into a treasure trove of experiences during her tenure as a teacher, an educator, an educational manager and a Principal.

                                          The quintessential Principal, if there ever was one – Goolbai Gunasekara.

Goolbai comes with an illustrious lineage, with the reputation enjoyed by her mother preceding her. Back then, Clara Motwani was a stellar Principal of my own alma mater, Visakha Vidyalaya, and an educationist who will never be forgotten. Goolbai’s genetic profile would have been etched with dedication and love for education through and through, given that her daughter Khulsum followed the same vocation, and taught at the same school as her mother for several years.

This collection of essays describe the vision and understanding Goolbai had for shaping the minds and lives of young people. It also sketches the ingredients necessary for creating a modern education system. She knew what a liberal education meant and how important it is for the growth of formative minds, as well as for creating institutions of academic excellence that would contribute towards economic and societal growth. Whilst recognising how the sciences and new technology were driving change globally, during the transition to the fourth industrial revolution (from the third), she paid equal emphasis to subjects leading to arts and humanities-based disciplines. She promoted inclusivity within a broad-minded outlook, embracing diversity and celebrating it in its finest of ways. Such a mature Vision enriched the foundations on which the Asian International School was built. Needless to say, it soon became an academic institution sought after by many parents.

During my tenure as the Secretary, Ministry of Education, the then President Chandrika Kumaratunge had placed education at the centre of the national developmental agenda. The prominence given to the subject of education enabled me to invite senior Principals and renowned educationists from outside the public sector, like Goolbai, to advise us and to contribute towards curricular reform and syllabus revision. Subjects like History – where World History was neglected and only Ceylon History was given prominence in curricula, was an issue that drew much attention. Similarly they highlighted the lack of importance afforded to English education, and how even not-so-wealthy parents sought international school admission simply to provide their children an English medium education. These educationists brought with them a wealth of intellect, exposure and experience to the table. It was nothing but invigorating to work with them. Sadly, these progressive initiatives were short-lived and came to a grinding halt as with everything else, when governments changed.

Goolbai always used a principled approach towards management of the school, and instilled the importance of integrity and values into her students and staff. These are traits that would stand tall in any education system. Indeed, the respect and regard that students and staff would have for their Principal would be intrinsically related to how ‘straight’ their Principal is. Today, in our school system these traits are sorely neglected and relegated.

Whilst giving importance to 21st century skills, science, math, information technology and digital literacy, Goolbai placed equal emphasis on developing EQ (emotional intelligence/quotient) and SQ (spiritual intelligence/quotient).

IQ (intellectual intelligence/quotient) was important, yes, and was the traditional metric used to assess students’ intellectual capacity. But without the other two, IQ alone will not get us far. Certainly not in today’s world. Goolbai recognised this back in the day, and spoke of all these types of ‘intelligence’ and the need for their synchrony. This was long before these measurements became popular within education circles.

Goolbai mentions how she advised students and parents on what skill-sets would be sought after by employers in decades to come, and how students should be prepared.

She was always in touch with international trends and studied sweeping changes in education systems that were taking place across most developed and developing countries. She recognised that all students who strived feverishly to enter ‘traditionally prestigious’ academic streams at that time, like medicine or engineering, may actually not be suited for this choice. Her experience and understanding often helped when advising parents on how not to coerce their children into pursuing unwise choices. Essays in her book describe some such instances where her advise to parents was well received, and thereby helped students to decide on their future with clarity.

It was rare for a Principal to speak out unreservedly against physical and emotional abuse meted on children. Goolbai was emphatic about the damage caused when trying to ‘discipline’ students using violence and aggression. Teaching students on how to behave in class and discouraging them from extreme mischief using creative methods, and by using kind but firm words, worked. This sometimes applied to cyber bullying as well, albeit marginally. She abhorred the use of corporal punishment, and also condemned ragging, hazing and bullying in any form, within school or university.

In the book she mentions the need for reintroduction of Civics education (or at least the inclusion of values and civic responsibility within the syllabus), the necessity to drastically reduce the harshness of the Grade five scholarship examination and thereby ease the mental trauma and anxieties of a ten year old, the importance of refraining from inviting politicians to school events, and to introduce quality assurance for government and international/private schools alike. These are valuable policies which merit serious consideration by authorities.

Iconic educationists like Goolbai Gunasekara should ideally head the nation’s education reform process and be at the helm of education change. Such educationists’ extensive experience and world-view on education should be used maximally, both in school and in the university systems.

Decades ago, when Lee Kuan Yew transformed a mosquito-infested backwater in South East Asia into a nation that’s today a global leader, economically and technologically, he started with education. He believed that nation-building begins with building human capital, and with massive investments in education. Those like Goolbai understood the wisdom behind his decision-making. Her invaluable experience and vision for education could well match the Singapore story, to help transform our own country – someday.