Standard and value are words that are used interchangeably in business. Every business with standards is expected to attract value and every business with value is expected to have built standards. Business thrives when both words are visible and business gets sustained when they are nurtured. This is the true equation of a balanced business. The question now is, is this equation applicable in school business?
Years ago, my former secretary visited my school to market her business. After that visit, she asked me some questions that had been bothering her. She said that her son’s school has a very good structure, good environment, good ambience and very attractive structure but from her son’s school performance she doesn’t see true value. She related her story to what she saw when she visited my school and how she was impressed. According to her, her son’s school looks beautiful from the outside but different from the inside. I asked her some questions, drew some inferences from them and gave her my take based on my personal experience.
Experience has taught me that standards (especially physical) and innate values are two different worlds apart in school business. Some schools have one, some have the other while some have both. Generally, location, environment and class of people in a particular area are determinant factors in the success of every business. In school business, this also applies but the values of the school, the standards it has sustained, the perception of people within that vicinity and the general appraisal matter a lot.
A good school is not characterized by standards alone but by the values it gives. Standard could be temporal and usually short-lived but values are enduring and oftentimes outlive the school. Some schools may lack basic standards but they offer deep values and these values are usually not visible from the surface.
A school that is identified by standard alone may struggle with the long-term sustainability of the same standard if it’s not bolstered by accompanying value. The value of a school in the real sense is the worth of a school which permeates from the school to the community, to the society, the nation and beyond. It promotes the fundamental life value that sustains a child’s educational, physical moral, psychological, emotional, and spiritual values beyond the school. It explains why a person’s character or life achievements is traced to the school (s) he attended.
Schools need to balance the equation of standard and value by effectively communicating their value proposition in creating good structural standards alongside proficient, competent and supportive ethical practices.
Secondly, they need to explore good marketing strategies to entice parents to appreciate their value.
Thirdly, to carve a niche and create an optimal representation of functions needed to showcase their worth and uniqueness through the abilities of their pupils.
Fourthly, to participate in educational events like sporting activities, quiz/drama/subject competitions and presentations, to mingle with other schools, to gain recognition and build credibility.
Fifthly, by inculcating deep principles that will govern the standards and values in place and ensure they are carried out accordingly.
The academic landscape of every school is shaped by the holistic character of its students, rooted in the foundation of standards and values set by the school. The importance of standard cum value-based education cannot be overstated, and the need to balance the equation of both is the cornerstone of a balanced education that shapes a child’s character and guides their development all through their life.
✍️ Amala Ann Unachukwu
