Locked Out

After humbling my Boss and reducing her to tears, she conceded that it might be a good idea to return my new Deputy, Mr Z from the new school site in Bahir Dar and swears blind that he has a ticket booked for the night flight and will join me today. Come 8.30 for the start of the day’s session, and there is no sign of the Man. 

Worse still the Music Teacher hasn’t bothered to show where i was going to run the PowerPoint presentation – the only room big and dark enough to run the INSET. Nothing else for it but to use the vile and dank Dining Hall.

By 8.45 i have collected some 12 of the 40 teaching staff. I’m fretful and livid. I reward my “early” arrivals with Golden Stars and run frantically around the school herding the reprobates. I collect a further 25 and then proceed to ball them out. “Maybe you need to find a local school where time-keeping just doesn’t matter. If you want to work for me or this school you better shape up or you will find yourself unemployed”.

Stunned silence.

There is shameful drooped heads and i let a bit of silence hang in the air for a few moments. Then i continue with the day’s programme as if the bollocking had never happened. 

There is still no ICT teachers in to open the door to access all the curricular materials and i ask my secretary to call up the said teachers. I’m “promised” that it’ll be open in the afternoon to allow teachers to begin their Termly plans. 

Mr Z finally shows up at 10.40 – his flight was delayed and he didn’t arrive in Addis till 4.30 in the morning. I had planned to lead the “Essentials of Planning” myself, but as punishment i throw him in at the deep-end and ask him to deliver it himself. He does well, but it is in his area (Upper Primary) where the curriculum hasn’t even been mapped – after 7 years!!!!

Whilst keys have been retrieved for a few more of the classes and we now have entry to the Library, the ICT room remains locked. Definitely tomorrow morning by 8am, my Secretary says. I remind her that she had “promised” me today and discuss the meaning of a promise at length.