PROBITY IN EDUCATIONAL

ADMINISTRATION

 

 

K J Sarma, SMIEEE,                                                Vijayalakshmi Ramamohan,

FREELANCE RESEARCH  WORKER,                   Freelancer, Consultant

HYDERABAD – 500 036                                           Hyderabad- 500 036,

jskalavendi@gmail.com                                             vlr.sarma@gmaill.com

 

Abstract: The aim of the people of the country must be to makes a clean production and offer  productive services. The basic needs of human beings are water, air, and food.  The people can be true human beings only when they continue to remain humane, then only people can live in harmony.   A good education can prepare youngsters as truly human beings.

Any organization must be governed under some principles and norms.   If the administrators remain truly committed to ethics with service oriented thinking we can achieve our goals. ‘Probity in governance is essential and vital factor for an efficient and effective system and for a healthy socio-economic development.   Probity roughly means integrity, uprightness and honesty.  Probity in procurement services rendered eliminates correct and dishonest conduct. 

 The system demands probity on the part of teachers and educational administrators.  In more detail probity is defined to be a combination of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.  We are treating probity as an additive linear combination of the constituents.

   An attempt is made give a theoretical treatment of the probity function and derive the properties. This will help forge ahead and develop certain principles necessary for good governance.  It is expected that if the administrators are committed to probity, productivity is assured. 

Keywords: probity, objectivity, leadership, good governance, honesty, integrity.

I.     INTRODUCTION:

Education is something which has not been given sufficient importance by all the governments in India since the time of Independence. 

Taking Advantage of the buzz words globalization, liberalization and privatization some  private managements have been trying to  offer some education. Only a smaller percentage of private managements have put sincere efforts. Which means a larger part of the private managements   started schools and colleges with selfish motive of filling their pockets.  Clearly the globalization has not been given a meaning except for the exploitation of the word and the public.  Many schemes with national and international schemes have been introduced   with govt., funds but there is no regular monitoring of the process.

The main objective has been, offering the education to exploit the thinking, mind and Quality is the   present concern of everyone associated with the education in engineering colleges. Individually every one of us are concerned about the greater dilution/ reduction in values and quality of engg., graduates produced   in the last 25 years.  We are all concerned with the aspiration that our produce must be able to take up  the world engineering challenges and  should  making good contributions  to society. 

Governance is a solution and not the problem. We need to follow an ethical code of governance money of the public.  It is  time now  to make a serious &  sincere  introspection, brain-storming of the teams, to   streamline  and  make good efforts to improve or restore the earlier quality. 

How do we fill sufficient confidences in the youngster?

How do we prepare and create a sincere mind-set in the student?

How do prepare him for an initiative  and innovation  in  tackling the world engineering challenges  visualized   by  NEC  at large, and challenges for India in particular. We need great efforts in this direction. 

 The current educationists should display greater probity and transparency in the execution/ implementation of  good curriculum..

There is a clear connection between the concepts of probity and ethics. Ethics ‘is concerned about what is right, fair, just or good  and  what we must do.   Here it may be noted that  we do not do as per  what is most acceptable or expedient.  It is the quality of having strong moral principles, commitment,   honesty and decency.   It is the Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness.

Improved governance requires an integrated, long-term strategy built upon cooperation between government and citizens.

There is a need for greater participation of institutions.  The participation must be in the form of thought, intellectual effort to formulate the procedures and sincere execution of the plans.  .  We should be interactive to formulate procedures of which are legitimate, effective, and widely supported by citizens.  We are also concerned with the civil society that is strong, open, and capable of playing a positive role in politics and government.

 WE need to set goals for better governance with main challenges confronting efforts for greater reforms.  The principles of probity, ethics and good governance operate on many levels – from, the individual, to the organization.

The objective of the higher and professional educational institutions is the advancement of the society.  The essence of good governance is its focus on governing mechanisms which does not rest on recourse to the authority, and sanctions of Governments. ( Stokere, 1998) .

 The concept of Good Governance is the creation of a structure on an order which cannot be externally imposed, but is the result of the interaction of a multiplicity of the governing actors (Kooiman, 1993).

 

Benefits of Good Governance out lined by NPIU of the World bank are given.  It needs a team work and greater devoted efforts of the players and the governing council associated and are working exclusively on the plans, strategies and efforts for Good Governance.   The team who decided to create an excellence would be required to do a full time in working on the strategies.  A great necessity of good communication, constructive unbiased criticism, trust, respect, greater initiative and drive are demanded.

 Technology Education can also be  viewed through Systems Thinking.

2.      PROBITY IN IMPARTING EDUCATION:

Probity in governance is an essential and vital requirement for an efficient and effective system of governance and for its socio-economic development.   The important requisite for ensuring probity in governance is absence of corruption. The other requirements are effective policies, rules and regulations governing every aspect of public life and more importantly, an effective and fair implementation of those policies, etc. 

 Discipline implies inter alia public and private morality and a sense of honesty.  While in the West a man who rises to positions of higher authority develops greater respect to principles, the opposite is true in our country.

We need to discuss various measures which can be designed to ensure probity in governance in and imparting engineering education. 

Probity means integrity, uprightness and honesty. Maintaining probity in procurement and services involves more than simply avoiding corrupt or dishonest conduct.  This means ethical behavior that upholds public values and ensures impartiality, accountability and transparency. Transparency and accountability in higher educational procurement give suppliers confidence to participate in this marketplace. An ethical culture minimizes the cost of managing risks and enhances confidence in procurement administration. Ensuring probity of action is part of every procurement official’s duty, with the adoption of processes, practices and behavior that enhance and promote higher education’s values and interests.

For individuals, probity is about understanding the limits of their authority and powers and acting within those limits. Those who are in the service sector  need to be conscious at all times of the need to uphold the highest standards of conduct in their dealings on the government’s behalf, which includes acting with integrity at the same time  avoiding conflicts of interest.   It is aimed at engineering students and anyone involved in profession. Thus probity for students means professional values and fitness to practice.  The faculty of an educational institute is expected to be vigilant for behaviors that contravene these policies.  They must appreciate the need to avoid and resist involvement in any situation that might create the appearance or perception of impropriety.

The University is committed to probity and good conduct in carrying out its business, in accordance with the "seven principles of public life” (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership). These attributes must be integrated and signpost the related policies that support this commitment.

Selflessness:   Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.  They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.  All selfish people display a very uncaring attitude and a strong “Me first” trait.  Another trait which selfish and conceited people show is being manipulative, scheming and plotting most of the times.    Another conspicuous trait which all conceited and selfish people display is of being calculative and accumulators. Low self esteem is another characteristic displayed by selfish people that gives them a negative outlook towards life and making them contemptuous of others in general.    A selfish person is highly self centered and self obsessed. Hence Selflessness,

S  =  S {caring, non-manipulative, Self esteem, non articulate of materials and arguments}

2.  Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.   Here are some suggestions that will help once we decide to make integrity a foundational value:   1. Root yourself in a moral foundation.  2. Look for the positive.  3. Resist the temptation to compartmentalize your life.  4. Determine to live for others ahead of yourself.  5. Participate in an active accountability group.  6. Partner with a friend where you need to make progress.  7. Be in the habit of sharing everything with your wife.  8. Practice the habit of imagining the presence of someone whose opinion you value.  9. Hold your children accountable.  10. Practice having a "principle of the week." So

Integrity  =  I { moral foundation, Positive outlook, Consistent in Thinking, Importance to others, participative nature, Importance to every member of the team, Sharing , Value to others opinions }.

 

3.      Objectivity: In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit. Objectivity can be considered as some sort of "pure information", in the sense that different people would have the same interpretation of it and would apply it in the same way.  Objectivity is a central philosophical concept, related to reality and truth, which has been variously defined by sources. Generally, objectivity means the state or quality of being true even outside of a subject's individual biases, interpretations, feelings, and imaginings. A second, broader meaning of the term refers to the ability in any context to judge fairly, without bias or external influence.

Therefore OB = OB{Imagination, Sate of quality, reality , truth, unbiased-ness, fair judgment .  

4.      Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

The 8 traits of true accountability are   1. Do what you say you are going to do, 2. Take responsibility for your actions, 3. Always take the blame when things don't go right, 4. Never use excuses as to why you couldn't accomplish something, 5. Share the wealth, when praised for a great accomplishment pass the credit to your team, 6. Hold fast in your core values, never compromise that you are, 7. Be the first to say "I don't know", don't allow yourself to make up stories to satisfy others, 8. Transparency is your favorite tool, you know it brings everyone closer to the result.  It cannot be delegated nor reduced.  It is upward and unitary.

A personal accountability consultant defines some very unique attributes of those who take personal responsibility. These employees:  Eliminate blaming others for things that happen., Eliminate being a victim and instead act with responsibility. Eliminate procrastination in carrying out responsibilities

Ask questions that begin with what or how, contain the word I, and focus on action. For example, they ask “How can I help you with that problem?”  “What can I do to help get this done on time?”  “What can I do to adapt to the new organization?”.   

A checklist to help you get started – Find practical ways to hold yourself accountable,   Evaluate your promises and commitments,     Review the realistic consequences of your failures and mistakes—As a leader, consider in what ways that you’re slipping as a leader . Make it clear to others the specifics of your expectations  Share the consequences  A  =  A { degree of practicality, commitment to promises,  realistic consequences, valuing all the subjects in the team, clarity and expressivity of expectations, ability to share consequences }.

5.      Openness: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take.  They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Openness is about "valuing information," he says. "People with high openness show high dopamine projections at the potential of acquiring information." In other words, the higher you score on the "openness" trait, the better it feels to learn new things. Kaufman, who made a splash with his book "Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined," has found that openness can be further separated into four factors.  Viz., Explicit Cognitive,  Ability,  Intellectual Engagement,   Affective Engagement,  Aesthetic Engagement.  Openness to experience is about the way information activates you.

Openness to experience is a "very active process," Kaufman says. "That's what genes do; that's what dopamine does - they energize."   Open people tend to be creative, liberal, curious, aesthetically-minded and fantastical; they are more likely to be artists or scientists.

OP   =  OP  {  creative, liberal, curious, aesthetic mind, }

 

6.      Honesty: Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.    Honesty is when you speak the truth and act truthfully.

What is honesty? – Honesty is in what you say; Honesty is when you speak the truth and act truthfully.

What is honesty? – Honesty is in what you say;  What is honesty? Honesty is in how you act; What is being honest with yourself?

 

7.      Leadership: Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.  The  10  key qualities that every good leader should possess, and learn to emphasize.   They are Honesty,  Ability to Delegate,     Communication, Sense of Humor,  Confidence,   Commitment, Positive Attitude,  Creativity,  Intuition,  Ability to Inspire.

 

L   =   L   {  Honesty , Ability to  Delegate,    Communication,  Sense of humor,  Confidence , Commitment,  Positive Attitude,  Creativity,   Intuition,  Ability to Inspire }.

 

So Probity can be described a s a function depending on the above parameters. Initially we may consider parameter a s an additive function of the above parameters. Hence  

 P    =     F  {    S, I, OB, A, OP,  H, L } .

 Also the traits of each of the parameters can be known and we can construct a dependency function.       It may be noted that the traits of each   parameter of Probity are such that:  Thus

 

      S          I      OB        A      OP   H        L

 →①→②→③→④→⑤→⑥→⑦→

 

3.  IMPROVING PROBITY STANDARDS / ENHANCING PROBITY LEVELS:

There are a number of generally accepted probity principles which serve to maintain the integrity of the process: They are  Accountability,  Transparency,  Confidentiality,  Management of Conflicts of Interest.  In particular, responsibility for the following key tasks should be identified and documented:

·         Authorizing the documents which set the framework for the competitive bid process, e.g. information memorandum, expressions of interest, requests for tender

·         Analyzing bids, preparing recommendations and making decisions on the selection of shortlisted proponents and the preferred proponent

·         Communicating with bidding parties;

• Consultation with ministers and other parts of government who are not directly involved in the management of the competitive bid process but have an interest in its conduct and outcomes

·         Resolving probity and process questions as they arise.

Another mechanism to facilitate accountability is for the government to keep comprehensive records throughout the process of meetings with proponents.

Probity, enhanced service delivery are keys to millennium development goals and  attainment.  – Gbeneol,  Israel Goodway  

4.  CONCLUSION: 

 An organization must develop  a culture of being subjected to probity. In fact the leader must be more committed to the principles of probity.  The organization and the individuals associated with the system automatically become  committed of-course they  ought to be.  Again the question is, Is it possible to develop such organizations where all individuals are sincere honest, accountable and their activities must be transparent. There is a need for training in greater introspection. Make probity templates. When it is possible to achieve higher goals through Yoga, it is also possible to manage the issues with probity

 

 The nurturing of probity is similar to nurturing spiritual intelligence to improve the overall performance.  Though certain authors have designed some mathematical formulae for the constituents of Probity,  but more theoretical work  yet to be initiated. It is possible to device a probity quotient, similar to intelligence quotient. There are of-course studies in estimating the intuitive capability of the person. It is possible to carry out empirical studies to estimate the PQ (probity quotient) for any individual and for any organization.

 

5.  REFRENCES:

1.  Role Of Probity & Accountability In Good Governance, Shri Harekrushna Mahtab Memorial Lecture  Bhubaneswar; 20 January 2013.

2.  Probity In Governance, National Commission To Review The Working Of The Constitution, August 21, 2001, Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi – 110 011, Email: Ncrwc@Nic.In. 

3. Probity, ethics and good governance in the public sector, Maddocks, 8 December 2014 In Government & Administrative Law.

4. PROBITY IN GOVERNANCE,  Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude for IAS preparation, 29 October 2014.  · 

5.  An Essential Requirement Of Good Governance And Socio-Economic Development Is “Probity” In Governance. Examine, Insights · February 9, 2015, Ethical Alliance Resource.