XXXIII Sustainability

Schools must have the ability

  – This concept to them sell –

To reach sustainability

  For this they should plan well

 

If schools install equipment now

  What guarantee is there

That in five years they’ll still know how

  To show it proper care

 

There problems are potentially

  These always keep in mind

The first is that financially

  One must not fall behind

 

Have schools the funds that will ensure

  That for a year or six

Bill payment they’re sure to endure

  All problems they will fix

 

The project plan contains details

  Of the expected cost

If meeting this a poor school fails

  Investment will be lost

 

Will there be ample funds each term

  –  The bills will form a queue –  

Make sure there is a budget firm

  To cover all that’s due

 

When P Cs break there is great cost

  I T one must maintain

If it’s not done there is a loss

  Which one can not regain

 

The lab must be sustainable

  In a financial sense

The question Who’s responsible

  Makes ev’rybody tense

 

The school must do all that it can

  Together keep its act

With help from partners – make a plan –

  To keep the lab intact

 

Make sure that all the partners know

  Commitments they have made

Must do their best to let cash flow

  Their promise may not fade

 

The current state may seem unfair

  Schools for themselves must fend

Do not give up – do not despair –

  It’s not yet a dead end

 

Sustainability that’s pure

  This only can be found

When schools funds from the State secure

  It must by law be bound

 

One hopes that this will happen soon

  – The State will see the light –

The steady flow of funds – a boon –

  Will soften poor schools’ plight

 

The second way one must sustain

  – This often is ignored –

But it could lead to a great strain

  Which schools can ill afford

 

It’s not at all financial

  Of this don’t be obtuse

This aspect – operational –

  Puts focus on lab use

 

One must take care that in due course

  The lab will operate

For good – can’t cease to be a force –

  It never may stagnate

 

There is a fear – reality –

  Trained teachers will move on

Those with I T ability

  By others will be won

 

These teachers won’t forever stay

  In time they will be gone

When trained staff from schools move away

  The show must still go on

 

Good measures must be put in place

  A process to secure

That there’s maintained a solid base

  That is I T mature

 

The third thing vital to sustain

  The structure of I T

Schools must be able to maintain

  Their own facility

 

When schools start out they may rely

  On external support

Help – technical – from outside buy

  And this their one resort

 

To lessen their dependency

  Their own skills must increase

A strong I T ascendancy

  Will call-out rates decrease

 

This matter makes most poor schools vex

  If there’s no one to share

Sustaining I T is complex

  A burden they must bear

 

To reach sustainability

  Is not an easy road

But it provides stability

  Which to each school is owed

 

From all the points discussed thus far

  It must be crystal clear

For all schools one must raise the bar

  Towards I T them steer