- School administrators should shift from delegating tasks to actively monitoring and verifying that syllabus coverage, revision programmes and examination logistics are on track.
- Departmental reports alone should not be treated as proof that revision or academic interventions are actually happening.
- There is a need for visible, proactive leadership that identifies problems early, communicates clearly with all stakeholders, and builds accountability without resorting to fear-based management.
The final term places school administrators under a unique kind of pressure. While teachers race to complete the syllabus, learners intensify revision and parents await results, administrators must keep the entire institution running smoothly. At this stage, effective management is not about doing more; it is about monitoring better, responding faster and keeping everyone focused on the core business of the school: teaching and learning.
One of the most common administrative mistakes is assuming that once a responsibility has been delegated, it is being performed effectively. Assignment is not monitoring. A duty allocated to a deputy, head of department, teacher or support staff member still requires appropriate follow-up. Management thinker Peter Drucker famously emphasised the importance of measurement in improving performance, and in a school environment this means administrators should not rely solely on verbal reports. They must examine evidence and establish whether activities are being implemented as expected.
During examination preparation, ordinary administrative responsibilities do not disappear. Staff attendance, learner attendance, lesson implementation, syllabus coverage, assessment, discipline, sanitation, security, communication with parents and maintenance must continue, while examination-related responsibilities become increasingly important: revision programmes, internal assessments, academic interventions, examination logistics, invigilation arrangements, learner records and the security of examination materials all require careful coordination. This is not the moment for unnecessary bureaucracy. Meetings should have clear purposes, reports should inform decisions, instructions should be precise, and decisions should be followed up. Stephen Covey’s principle of putting first things first is particularly relevant here; school leaders must protect instructional time and concentrate resources on activities that directly contribute to learner success.
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A school can have impressive administrative systems and still underperform if teaching and learning are neglected. Administrators should therefore regularly establish how much of the syllabus has been covered, which areas are proving difficult for learners, what assessment results reveal, which learners require additional academic support, whether revision programmes are being implemented effectively, and whether teachers are using assessment information to improve instruction. A departmental report stating that revision is taking place should not be the end of the conversation; administrators can verify lesson records, schemes of work, assessment results, learner work and departmental documentation. Evidence should support important administrative claims.
Monitoring should never become a witch-hunt. Its purpose is not to catch teachers making mistakes but to identify gaps early enough for corrective action. Where a teacher is behind schedule, for example, the administrator should establish whether the problem arises from workload, resources, learner needs or another operational challenge. Mary Parker Follett’s ideas on management emphasised working with people rather than simply exercising authority over them, and this remains valuable in schools, where accountability and support should go hand in hand. Whenever a gap emerges, administrators should ask what happened, why it happened, what needs to be done, who will do it, when it should be completed, and when it will be reviewed. That simple sequence turns monitoring into purposeful management.
National examinations leave little room for administrative carelessness. Learner records must be accurate, examination materials must be securely handled, timetables and responsibilities must be clearly communicated, examination rooms should be properly prepared, invigilation arrangements must be understood, security procedures should be observed, and possible emergencies anticipated. The guiding principle should be to check, verify, correct and follow up. If a weakness is discovered, action should follow immediately rather than waiting for the problem to escalate.
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The examination season is not a good time for ambiguity. Teachers, learners, parents and support staff need timely information about schedules, expectations and responsibilities, and where changes occur, they should be communicated promptly through appropriate channels. Communication, however, should not be one-way. Teachers often notice operational challenges before senior administrators do, learners may identify difficulties affecting their preparation, and parents may highlight concerns that require attention. An effective administrator therefore does not merely give instructions; they listen, gather information and make informed decisions.
One of the greatest tests of leadership is the ability to identify problems before they become crises. If learner attendance is falling, intervene early. If syllabus coverage is behind schedule, act before revision becomes rushed. If a teacher is struggling, offer support before learners are affected. If examination records are incomplete, correct them before the examination period becomes hectic. This is the difference between proactive leadership and crisis management. John C. Maxwell’s leadership philosophy places strong emphasis on influence and responsibility, and in schools, administrators must use their leadership influence to create a calm, accountable and focused environment, particularly when pressure is mounting.
During the final stretch, effective leadership cannot remain confined to the administrator’s office. Walk through the school. Observe the learning environment. Engage teachers. Talk to learners. Check facilities. Review records. Listen to concerns. Visibility demonstrates that leadership is connected to what is actually happening on the ground. However, visibility should not translate into micromanagement. Good administrators know when to intervene, when to provide support and when to trust staff to execute their professional responsibilities.
Examination preparation should go beyond urging learners to work harder. Schools must prepare systems that allow learners and teachers to perform effectively, including a stable learning environment, adequate instructional time, clear responsibilities, reliable records, examination integrity, effective communication and appropriate learner support. The administrator’s responsibility is therefore not simply to pursue a good mean score; it is to create conditions in which learners can give their best.
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The final term should not become a season of panic. It should be a period of precision, coordination and purposeful leadership. School administrators should tighten their systems. Do not merely collect reports; verify them. Do not simply assign duties; follow them up. Do not wait for failure; identify warning signs early. Do not manage through fear; build accountability and support. And do not allow administrative routines to overshadow the core business of education. The strongest school leaders understand that effective management is not about doing everything themselves. It is about building systems that work, empowering people to take responsibility and ensuring everyone remains focused on a shared institutional goal.
As the examination clock ticks, the question should not simply be whether a school has prepared, but whether its management system can demonstrate that it has. In the final stretch, what is clearly defined, properly monitored, supported and followed up is far more likely to be done well.
By Astiba Kebong’o. jackiekebongo@gmail.com
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