Professionalism and partnership: a development dilemma for schools?

There is an increasing trend for school professionals, the members of their school managements and governing boards to formally meet together. These meetings are designed to exchange ideas, to acknowledge each others’ contributions and to examine ways in which they could perform even better. Such occasions bring together the parties involved in the management of educational enterprises. They signify the ongoing process of a collaborative approach to educational development at the community level as well as at the level of a cluster of schools. It shows that such a cluster of schools and their community representatives at the management level could work together cooperatively and collaboratively to provide quality education. This is possible even if initial difficulties arise in such emerging relationships. With commitment to collaborate for the common good of the community, one not only overcomes the initial impediments, but also turns them to one’s advantage. In the development of schools and the high level of quality education that they are able to deliver, one can very well see that the partnership is in fact working well and bearing fruit. This shows that partnership between professionals and the community is not merely a strategy but a process leading to and paving the way for development– a development that is meaningful and satisfying to all concerned