Bad Memories

Sometimes you just don't know what hit you. It is so unexpected, and after that, you are left reeling...

I was asked by Tuan PPD to do the 2009 performance appraisal for the staff of SMK Munshi Sulaiman because I was the principal there until August 2009.

For the ten years I was principal, I never once did any appraisal alone - I always called for a meeting with my Senior Assistants and Heads of Departments. We would discuss the performance of every staff and only then will I grade them.

For example, teacher X :

• How is his work as a form teacher ? (For GPK HEM and GPK Petang to comment)
• Does he mark his students' books regularly ?
• What about his students' kerja kursus ? (For Heads of Departments to comment)
• How's the performance of the club under his guidance ? (For GPK Kokurikulum to comment)
• etc....

Then, and only then, will I grade the teacher X.

And also, during that meeting, all of us will come to an agreement on who's to get the Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang...

I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM. I AM NO LONGER PRINCIPAL. HOW DO I GET FEEDBACK FROM THE ADMINISTRATORS???

So I requested to meet up with them - to get some feedback from them. I also told Tuan PPD that without feedback from the school administrators, I can't and won't do the 2009 appraisal.

I was wondering why it took so long for the school's administrators to call me. I requested to meet with them before the long holiday started.

Anyway, yesterday I received a call from school to attend a meeting at 12.30 pm today. So I happily went to school this afternoon.

Only then did I realize that I was not welcome!!!!

I waited a long time for the meeting to start. Where was the GPK 1? She should be chairing the meeting. Someone mentioned that she has to attend a meeting outside school this afternoon. So, why ask me to come today ?

Then I was told that two Heads of Departments refused to attend the meeting, and that they cannot be contacted. They had switched off their mobile phones.

I cornered one of them. She then told me that she cannot understand why I still wanted to do the performance appraisal. After all, I have retired. She also questioned what right I have to chair the meeting since I am no longer principal !

I WANT TO CLARIFY:

• I DID NOT ASK TO DO THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL. I WAS ASKED TO DO IT.
• THIS AFTERNOON, THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF SMK MUNSHI SULAIMAN CONFIRMED THAT HE WILL BE DOING THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR HIS PREVIOUS SCHOOL.
• THERE WAS NO INTENTION ON MY PART TO CHAIR THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON. I WAS WAITING FOR THE GPK1 TO DO IT.

After a small confrontation inside the principal's office, the GPK 1 said that there was a "miscommunication". My question to the GPK 1 is "Did you try to communicate with me? How come there was no attempt to contact me, to ask me why I wanted to meet up with you all?"

To the two Heads of Departments, I thought we worked so well together. What happened? What made you think that I pandai-pandai want to do the penilaian prestasi? Whoever gave you the idea that I wanted to chair the meeting?

It is very unbecoming for a newly-retired principal to be treated in this manner, especially by fellow administrators. One thing for sure, I won't be going back to SMK Munshi Sulaiman.