Mission n Vision Man

I have done my best to find sanctuary in some elements of my work. Probably the biggest project on the go is reviewing and updating the school’s Mission and Vision statement. If used appropriately, it is the most powerful document in any organisation which underpins every decision made thereafter.

The school created it’s “Mission and Vision” statement at the schools and it hasn’t been touched since the school was opened in 2003.. Actually, to be accurate there is only a Mission statement, and i fear, cutted and pasted from other schools. It should be updated every 5 years, but we are always behind schedule in what was once The School of Inertia.

Having been involved in the process in both Hong Kong and Colombia, i know how to do it properly. So i volunteer my services at SMT and it’s welcomed by all. This will directly feed into the School’s first ever Strategic Plan. When i asked Boss at interview if i could see the school’s 5 year Strategic Plan, she informed me this is Ethiopia, and “one needs plans from A to Z.” Or, in other words there is, and has never had any plans whatsoever. A school without a strategic plan? A new one for me.

It’s an interesting process to put together, ensuring all voices are heard – students, teachers, admin, parents and even maintenance and cleaners. I start with my 455 children. Having revamped my redundant “Staff Suggestion” box, I re-lable it “What Makes Us Special?” and set about the playground over recess times, armed with hundreds of Post-it stickers, and my kids begin filling it up like there is no tomorrow. The kindergarten kids draw pics or have a go at writing single word, whilst my older kids write sentences and paragraphs. I hold writing competitions for the Secondary students. 

my kids can't get enough ideas into the box

 I then tout a staff workshop – poster- making actually. I begin in Primary, and there is no doubt about it – they are enthused. Reflecting on what makes our school special seems to generate a greater sense of buy in. They are proud of our internationalism, our 56 nationalities in our cohort of students, our endeavours to deliver the English National Curriculum and our inclusivity of our Special Needs students (despite initial resistance). Asking them to design a poster of our school in 2018 brings in their dreams – a complete new campus with fields, theatre and swimming pool, resources to hand, and better pay and conditions for staff.

I am curious to see if their is parity in Secondary, and it surprises me the uniformity of ideas.

Eight parents turn up yesterday, and i repeat the process yet again. Again, both the Mission and Vision tally together and i show them the staff posters at the end. This is going to be pretty easy to compile and complete.

There remains just one more cohort and workshop to complete. The 8 - 10 investors themselves - almost all are relatives of Owner Ato S. and several reside outside Ethiopia. I request Ato S arrange me a time and date to meet with any in Addis and prepare a questionnaire for those that are resident abroad. This will be the most enlightening of all, to see if there is any vision on their side at all.