Records Are Mine

Can you imagine a school which doesn’t have any documentation on it’s students? I couldn’t – until i got to Addis.

In my first week at school i wanted to check the records of my students. I was shocked to find bare filing cabinets. I wasn’t expecting too much curricular material, but not to find any student records would surely be too much?

They are finally located. In Bole on the Secondary campus. So i immediately ask for the files to be transferred to my Primary campus. But my request is turned down flat by the Records Officer.

The affable and polio-crippled Johannes seems to find my disbelieving reaction shocking. Why would i want to clutter up my office? He is quite prepared to photocopy any document i might want and send those over, but, categorically the originals must stay on Bole. As i don’t know what information the files contain, i have absolutely no idea what to ask for. I draw up an Excel chart containing stuff i want to know at a glance for all my students – nationality, ethnicity, religion, Special Needs /  Medical Needs, emergency telephone contact numbers and any previous school reports, and then send it across to Johannes – hard and soft copies - twice, and wait.

Every week before Senior Managers meetings at Bole, we go through the same charade and conversation.

We shake hands and rub shoulders (Ethiopian style)

“Look Johannes, can you complete this documentation for me?”

“Yes Ato Mountain,” he responds confidently.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Ato Mountain”

“All of it?”

“Yes Ato Mountain.”

I know this to be a bare-faced lie for i have seen the inadequate Admissions Form and all it’s gaps.

“When can you complete this for me?”

“Soon Ato Mountain,” and off he limps to the shed load of files scattered liberally around his squalid office.

Second secretary Mehlat is a new appointment and now my Bole link. She is young, bright, attractive and with attitude so i like her. She’s linked up with my two Stores Gals and brought them into line a bit and i can ask her to push things along. I sound her out about her capabilities and she reckons Admissions is a piece of piss. I sternly warn her i can’t afford any fuck-ups. “No problem Mr Mountain” she responds nonchalantly chewing on her gum.

Time to return to the issue at Senior Management level.

Passionately i plead my case. It’s ridiculous – i can’t get Johannes to sort out the information i need. On my students. Johannes is snowed under and i’m personally gonna help him out. I’ll relieve him of all Primary admissions and records.

Passionately smarmy Ato A and reptilian Dr No plead for the records to remain on Bole. “So close to the Finance Office” argues Dr No. But myself Mr T and Ginger Warrior steam-roll them. It is agreed that Mehlat will do three days training with Johannes and on completion all files will be signed over (no doubt in triplicate).

Another complete triumph. I’m working alongside Rasta Rosenburg (Head of Special Needs) in doing a more thorough Admissions process and for the first time in the school’s history there will be a new Admissions Form that actually works for educators, not the Finance Department.

I’ve now got to work out how i can by-pass Finance so parents don’t have to go through the Secondary school at all.