One of the paradoxes of business is that most profitable companies are not always those that are most profit-focused, effort oriented or purpose driven. A comparative analysis of school business and other businesses shows a range of differences between the two. Though both businesses are purpose driven and profit oriented, but in different measures, approaches and methods. In an economic environment that prevails in the short term, school business is an exception. The truth is simple and profound, but not that obvious. Schools are in the business of education not education business.
Being involved in the business of education is not the same as working for an education business. School business involves an intrinsic motivation that makes educators to be devoted in making children align to the learning activities with the goals and dreams of the school while communicating with passion, the need to be aware, dedicated and responsible learners. That is the business of education. School business requires the ability to sacrifice at all times, and the skill to balance multiple demands at a time. This sacrifice is ongoing and unending. It is not such to be postponed or locked up even for a moment. It is organized by a calendar, guided by a curriculum and regulated by a policy.
The risks associated with this business are enormous. Taking care of children for not less than 6 hours every school day, attending to emergencies, special needs, and special care (feeding and nursing), medication and first aid is quite substantial. For the ages below 3 years that cannot talk properly, the work is bigger. An environment that teaches, nurses, counsels, guides and parents at the same time. Family, health care services, churches, counsellors etc, duties are all encompassed in this business. It deals with a chain of individuals; learners, parents, teachers and other collaborators. You relate with them at different levels but on intertwined circle. The headache of one becomes the fever of the other.
This business endures a long harvest time. You plant, water, nurture and wait patiently for the time of reaping. You undergo each process towards harvest stage by stage without skipping any. Your efforts determine your produce. And you water with constant and continuous determination. If you are not in love with virtues like patience, empathy, tolerance, godliness, you definitely have no business with school business. They can’t be compromised or substituted. Passion is synonymous with school business. Being intentional, proactive and service driven, is a mantra. Love this business whole heartedly or be frustrated out of it! To be growth oriented, value driven, creative and focused is a prerequisite to thrive. Energy, tact and time must be adequate. Strong will, doggedness and resilience a must have.
It entails a lot!. You have got to be all round vigilant. Then physically strong, mentally sound, emotionally balanced, psychologically alert and spiritually powerful. Having said these, for this business to excel, schools need the support and collaboration of parents, government and the society. If government has failed us, may parents and the society never fail us too because we work for a common goal and we need all-hands-on-deck. If parents are nice, tolerant and more responsive to the genuine demands of schools, our educational system will be better than we can imagine.
If there are prompt payment of school fees/other dues, less antagonism of schools and unwarranted pressure by parents. If we collaborate, we can achieve more. We are family! I look back and wish I gave my children former schools more support than I did. I didn’t know much until I became part of it. I probably thought it was the ‘ordinary’ opening of office or shop and other regular businesses. No, Schools do a whole lot, more than we know.
The work is huge and no reward is too much for them. I respect any teacher I see because to me, you automatically translate to a responsible, reserved and virtuous person. My wish is to see parents and the society support the great course of schools, especially private schools in Nigeria that has little or no support from government. The new term begins today, shall we make the best of it by collaborating and unifying towards a common goal? The business of education is for us all, it is a collective responsibility that requires collective efforts. It is beyond education business!.
At RoyalQuest Schools, we are ready for the new term’s kick. Kindly support our vision, drive the wheels with us and be part of our royal quest for learned minds. Our term’s theme: #ReachingfortheSky #www.royalquestschools.com. #RoyalQuestSchools. Thank you.
Published on RoyalQuest Facebook page in May 2021.
