Accountability in Schools - Gleaner Editor's Forum

Growth Facilitator, Robert, was a guest on the Jamaica Gleaner Editor's Forum (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090210/news/news1.html) which discussed accountability in schools

Here's a little of what Robert had to say:

The attempt to develop a pay-for-performance system is a necessary but insufficient condition to ensure accountability which will drive performance at all levels of the system. What is really needed is that each and everyone must first infuse a culture of accountability in all they do. This can only be done by renewing of minds and must be initia-ted by leadership.

The main synonym for accountability is answerabilty. What I interpret from this is answerability, first of all for the authority provided and answerabilty to those who provide the authority.

At the level of the student, parents invest in children and give them authority to learn, use school facilities, etc and, therefore, students are answerable to the investment made in them.
At the national level, citizens invest authority through the elected representatives, to the minister of education, permanent secretary, chief education officer and other managers for the performance of the overall education system in Jamaica and, therefore, these elected and appointed officials need to be held accountable.