Cronyism in Education: You should be concerned

Cronyism in education circles is palpable. Cronyism in education is not a localized problem; it is a widespread systemic issue across diverse political, economic and cultural landscapes. There are numerous intersectionalities regarding education. One of the least visible is that of cronyism. Cronyism in education is pervasive in global education systems. Unfortunately, as a society we have normalized this social ill to the detriment of our students. The interrogation of this societal issue should not be divorced from the configuration of society which is structured along hierarchical indicators, such as social class, sex and religious affiliations. Cronyism in education refers to the manner in which educational opportunities, resources, positions and advantages are distributed through personal connections, favoritism, family ties, political influence, or social status rather than through merit and fairness. Cronyism occurs at all levels of the education system. Many qualified teachers are often overlooked because someone else has connections to influence promotions. Cronyism creates deep academic chaos and distrust. In a culture where personal ties matter more than hard work, educational institutions lose their core purpose of quality teaching and students inevitable suffer. Sadly, many students never get that second chance to obtain a quality education. Cronyism in education also is tied to institutional damage. This manifests itself in the public’s perception of a school. This situation has been part of Jamaica’s educational landscape for decades. The public has a perception of which schools are deemed ‘good’ and which schools are ‘bad’. No amount of public relations can alter this reality. Where cronyism in education is allowed to thrive, empathy and diversity suffer. The classroom pulls together students of various backgrounds. As a result, the teacher must be willing and able to engage these diverse learners. However, where the institutional culture is steeped in cronyism those teachers who are targeted will have to save themselves. Jamaica’s education system is built on an elitist framework rigidly grounded in colonialism and inequality. These structural inequalities fuel a culture of educational theatrics which has been normalized. Performance has always been part of the delivery of educational content. As a result, education theatrics is largely grounded in a philosophy of performance and humour. Education theatrics often refers to the performative characteristics of schooling where the emphasis shifts from genuine learning to appearances and symbolic gestures. Cronyism is detrimental to education in many ways as it reduces the quality of education and erodes trust and confidence among stakeholders. Not only is cronyism problematic, this practice runs counter to students overall development. Both instructional and transformational leadership are stifled in a culture of cronyism in academia. Where are the safeguards in the education system to address this practice of biased leadership? It appears that compromise at all levels of the education system has now become the poster child and we are all happy with the situation. Why Cronyism Persists. Cronyism persists because of fear. Speaking out comes at a high price. If individuals are appointed based on connections rather than qualifications, institutional leadership often becomes compromised and students suffer. It is difficult to remove emotions from leadership. Too often principalship goes out of their way to place hurdles in the path of others. This covert move often goes unnoticed; once again students are the ones who suffer long term. Cronyism in education speaks to a lack of accountability and transparency and adds to a hostile work environment where mental health issues thrive. Education is not a standalone entity; there are various connecting points some of which are hostile to teaching and learning. If recruitment and promotions are not openly governed by clear policies, it becomes easier for manipulation and personal influence to determine outcomes. Regrettably, we have also reached the place where this has become culturally accepted. This leads to a system where educators feel compelled to participate in favouritism to remain competitive. Cronyism often survives because of weak accountability and transparency. Too many school boards are paper tigers and ineffective in how they carry out their functions. While, this is no secret, this skewed practice has been allowed to continue for decades. Cronyism distorts fairness and meritocracy. Instead of rewarding competence, incompetence and blind loyalty are rewarded thus creating a systemic imbalance not only in educational circles. This scenario speaks to the gaps within global education systems. This top-down approach is frequently counter-productive in the teaching and learning journey. To add insult to injury, there are those who carry the problematic message, “bloom where you are planted.” Interestingly, their children and children of their family and friends are planted in fertile environment which guarantees productive fruiting. As a result, all stakeholders are complicit and will one day give an account of their stewardship. Education in Action. Education is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values and attitudes, through various forms of learning. It encompasses formal instruction in schools and universities, as well as non-formal and informal such as community engagement and self-directed study. The United Nation’s Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s definition of education is rather comprehensive and engaging. Education is more than the acquisition of knowledge. The lessons associated with values and attitudes are as important as acquiring knowledge. We must therefore be careful of not corrupting the process of education. Our students are smarter than we think. Students are very much are aware of when injustice is done. Education should be one of the primary avenues where societies create equal opportunities. However, when cronyism becomes widespread the principle of equal opportunity becomes undermined. Undoubtedly, students will then find alternative pathways to success given we live in a materialistic driven society and world. Our boys in particular are at risk. Males are more risk- takers and we should not be surprised that the dropout rates of our boys are much higher than that of our girls. Sociologists such as Pierre Bourdieu have argued that students from privileged backgrounds possess forms of cultural and social capital that can give them advantages in educational institutions. Undeniably, students do not begin from equal positions. Wealthier families may be able to provide better schools, tutoring, technology, books, extracurricular activities, and other advantages. Therefore, educational achievement may reflect social and economic privilege as well as individual effort. Each year when the Primary Exit Profiles (PEP) results are posted it is evident that students from wealthier families perform better overall. On the other hand, students from poorer families are placed at certain stigmatized schools. The top boy and top girls in 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) are both from Creative Kids Learning Academy which is a private institution. In many instances where students are placed at certain high schools which are viewed negatively parents use their connections to get their children transferred. Unfortunately, this practice has become normalized. Here is another example of the connecting issues involved in education where access and privilege determine outcome. Addressing Cronyism. Where is the will to address cronyism? Improving education goes beyond simply increasing budgets. While funding matters key areas such as equity in access in important especially in terms of addressing disparities between urban and rural, or between wealthy and disadvantaged communities. Cronyism is difficult to address given its systemic nature. Cronyism is a symptom of a dysfunctional society. Cronyism is not simply the result of individual corruption; it can become embedded in the institutions, relationships, and practices of society. In the context of education cronyism can occur when access to opportunities, funding, jobs, scholarships, contracts, or prestigious positions depends more on personal connections, political influence, or family networks than on merit. Addressing cronyism in education system requires changing the incentives and procedures that allow personal connections to outweigh merit. This applies to hiring teachers and administrators, promotions, scholarships, procurement, school placements, and allocation of resources. Cronyism in education adds to the marginalization of numerous stakeholders. Cronyism also fosters a culture of disengagement among staff as well as students. Perhaps, what is needed is a national research to quantity the economic loss to the society because of cronyism in education. Reducing cronyism requires institutions to make decisions more transparent and merit-based. Cronyism in education is not just an internal issue, it reflects broader governance challenges. The dismantling of cronyism in education requires intentional and bold actions. Any attempt to deal with cronyism requires systemic reforms that prioritize merit, transparency and accountability. In the words of Adam Smith, the education of the common people requires, perhaps, in a civilized and commercial society, the attention of the public more than that of people of some rank and fortune. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©