Many schools in localities have been merged, many school sites have been consolidated, which means that each school will only have one principal left. Behind the organizational change is a question that is not easy to answer: Who will be the principal of the new schools after arrangement?
Some people proposed organizing a competitive examination for the position of principal. Some people said that a vote of confidence should be taken annually. Some opinions also emphasized that a framework of management capacity and compulsory training must be built before appointment.
Each proposal has its own reasoning, but in general, they all aim for one goal: how to choose the right people.
It is worth mentioning that for a long time, we have been accustomed to seeing principals as administrative managers. In fact, after the merger, that role has changed a lot.
A principal now does not only manage one school. They may have to manage many facilities, hundreds of teachers, thousands of students; solving from expertise, personnel, finance to digital transformation, relationships with parents and local authorities.
That is the job of a manager. As a manager, one cannot just rely on seniority or teaching experience.
A good teacher is not necessarily a good principal. Just as a good doctor is not necessarily good at running a hospital, or a good engineer is not necessarily good at managing a business effectively.
Professional competence is very important, but leadership, management and organizational competence determine the development of a collective.
Therefore, if only choosing principals in a "when it's their turn" style, school reform may only change in form without creating a change in quality.
Conversely, if the selection is based on competence, transparency and healthy competition, schools will have the opportunity to find truly worthy people.
The principal recruitment exam can also be a solution. But the recruitment exam should not be seen as a "magic wand". An exam can hardly measure the bravery, inspirational ability, or impartiality of a leader.
If there is a competitive examination, it should only be a stage in the entire evaluation process, along with work results, prestige in the collective and management efficiency after being appointed.
In the end, what the education sector needs after arranging schools and classes is a principal who can make teachers want to contribute, students want to go to school and parents place complete trust.
That is the ultimate measure of a leader.
This school arrangement will create more large, more modern schools. But whether those schools really improve or not depends a lot on the driver.
Therefore, choosing a principal must choose someone who has enough capacity to take the education boat in the right direction in a challenging renovation period.
