Levels of school management

In every country population displays several diversities besides units in them. Same is the case of India. It is natural in this country to take along different religions and cultures, so this diversity should be exhibited in all complexities in its educational management too. Every country has its own history.

 We can see the effect of British educational system management even today on our educational management system.

Generally we can see three levels of educational management – central level, state level and local level. These three levels of educational management can be generally seen in all democratic

Countries. These three levels are very important from effective management and administrative viewpoint. Let us discuss briefly each of them separately.

Central level management:

Central educational management is found in all countries in more or less degree, but with the basic emphasis on control. 

The communist countries have made it the chief basis of management; on the other hand, in democratic countries, where decentralization is the norm, the states, local units and even individuals contribute in management.

It is well known that until the arrival of the British in the medieval times, education was imparted at individual level. Several king and rulers provided for education in their own way. 

The countries administration came under the central control from the British period. So, the beginning of central educational management started from this time.

There are constitutional provisions which empower the union and states to provide for education according to their needs in mutual coordination; at the same time they provide suitable control and responsibilities of specific fields on the union government. Though, the position of states is somewhat weaker in view of the union guidance and financial grants, etc., while the position of the union is somewhat stronger in these respects.

At first level prime minister of the countries is head of all departments, same is the case of educational management. At central level education department is an important part of human resource development ministry. It has been kept under the charge of a minister of state. This ministry functions under the MHRD. The secretary is the highest officer of its secretariat, who is assisted by the Special Secretary (higher education), Additional Secretary and Education Advisor (technical).

In order to carryout various functions of human resource development ministry, several councils have been formed. It would be pertinent to mention here that in addition to central advisory education council, all other councils were formed after 1949. At present following councils/Apex bodies at central level are functioning for educational management:

Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE).

Universities Grant Commission (UGC).

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA).

 National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

 National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

 Central Social Welfare Council.

All India Council for Technical Education. (AICTE).

 

State level management:

Today educational management is virtually a joint responsibility of both the union and the states. Though the states carry the responsibilities of education wholly in their respective territories, whether it is basic education or education carried out by Municipal Corporation. In higher education too, the states bear its expenses.

At the state level, the Governor is the Constitutional Head. He advises in the state administration. The head of the Council of Ministers is the chief minister. There is a separate ministry for education department. These ministers determine education policies for the state through state secretariat. They are responsible for executing the policies as determined by the Legislative Assembly. There are state education directors and secretaries of education who is highest education officer in the state. There are supporting deputy directors, district education officers (CEO’s, ZEO’s, etc.).

Under state government there are different apex bodies functioning for the educational management which are as follows:

 School Education Directorate.

Department of Higher Education.

State Board of School Education.

State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

 State institutions of training (SIE’s)

Local level management:

Imparting education by local bodies according to local needs is an important feature. Therefore, in several progressive countries especially in democratic countries, local bodies are playing an important role. Following arguments are put forward for educational administration and arrangement by these bodies:

(i) The Government can’t arrange for effective education for the whole state. Only local bodies are in a position that they gather local resources to make arrangements for education as per local needs.

(ii) Due to proximity with local community, they are more capable of solving local educational problems.

(iii) They can also tackle administrative problems of the school immediately and effectively.

(iv) Educational supervision can be done by them conveniently.

(v) Careful watch can be conducted for educational reforms.

(vi) Funds can be collected rather easily for carrying out some responsibilities of school development, construction of new buildings, purchase of aids, mid-day meals for students etc.

 

These bodies are also blamed for some reasons in mismanagement of education:

(i) These agencies are not able to give full pay and other facilities to teacher due to financial insufficiency.

(ii) The teachers are dissatisfied due to local groupism in local management and individual loyalty, which has adverse impact on the quality of education.

(iii) Because the management doesn’t comprise of educated people, administrative inefficiency pervades.

(iv) The teachers are employed in several non-teaching jobs, besides educational tasks which is not proper.

 

The management of local bodies and institutions is divided into Zila Parishad or Zila Board and Block/Panchayat Samitis, Gram Panchayat, or Zonal Education Officers, Village Education Committees (VEC’s) and heads of institutions. These perform their respective responsibilities for proper functioning of educational system. Zila Parishad is the highest level from the viewpoint of educational management in rural areas. Zila Parishad exists in shape of district education officers in some states of India. Then comes below them Zonal Education Officer who is responsible for educational management of a particular zone. There are heads of institution who are accountable for their respective institutions. There is provision of VEC’s to support the proper school management.

OBJECTIVES OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT UNIT-I

 

OBJECTIVES OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT

The direction of School education is generally expressed via objectives. Effective school management enables the right pupils to receive the right education from the right teachers, at a cost within the means of the state, under conditions which will enable the pupils to profit by their training. One of the purposes of school management is to bring different wings of the organization close together and enable them function harmoniously in coordination. Management is the body that spells out educational goals- It lays down the process of planning, functioning, controlling and directing the activities for the achievement of those educational goals. Some main objectives of school management are as under:

FOR ACHIEVING AIMS OF EDUCATION:

School management should create conditions which facilitate the attainment of pre- decided aims of education. The success and efficiency of management is dependent upon the extent to which it contributes to the educative process and achievement of educational goals.

ENSURING COORDINATION:

There are different components and wings and activities of the school which need to work together to carry out the educational programmes. If these wings work independent of each other without proper coordination, one is sure to interfere in the working of the other. The main objective of school management is to enable these wings and activities function harmoniously in proper coordination to avoid confusion for fulfillment of the desired goals.

EMPHASIZING ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY:

School management should have a very clear understanding of organizational goals before efficiency improves. This knowledge of organization goals helps to use the scarce and limited resources at their disposal as efficiently as possible.

BRINGING EFFECTIVENESS IN EDUCATION PROGRAMME:

School management need to bring effectiveness in the conduct of educational programmes of the school. It can do so by making the management of school free from complications and intricacies. Thus school management should solve all problems, relating to the areas of equipments, teaching, supervision, staffing, curricular and co-curricular activities, discipline, evaluation and the like.

CREATING CONDITIONS FOR BETTER EDUCATION:

School management should create suitable conditions which facilitate the growth and development of children. Management must create environment for the training of their faculties and providing better learning situations for their future adjustment.

IDENTIFYING SCHOOL FUNCTIONS:

For the effective functioning of the school the management should clearly identify and delimit the functions of the school in relation to various programmes and activities  

MANAGEMENT OF CO-OPERATIVE TEACHING

Cooperative teaching is a major part of the remedial teaching strategy in school education. It effects both the planning of subject teaching and methodology employed in presenting the subject to pupils. In many ways it is an innovation which is very threatening to staff challenging as it does. The whole concept of teacher autonomy by introducing another professional into the territory of the classroom teacher to succeed in implementing such a far-reaching innovation would represent a major achievement on the part of the management of the school.

 All activities to be adequately organized:

Every activity which is expected to produce a desired result should be properly and adequately organized. There are pupils eager and ready to learn, there are teachers ready to teach and there is a wealth of teaching materials but the giving and taking of instructions will not be a fruitful process unless and until somebody plans the process of instruction in the right way.

MINIMIZING WASTAGE:

The school management should keep control over the wasteful use of resources so that there is little or no wastage. It should regulate the activities to avoid over lapping for the satisfactory functioning of the school machinery.

UTILIZING RESOURCES:

School management has to utilize all resources human and material for the maximum benefit of students and attainment of better results. Management has to keep proper control and supervision so that there is no wastage of the resources.

FOR PERPETUATING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL VALUES:

The school has an important function of perpetuating the old and creating the new values and ideals for building the democratic foundation of society. School management should serve a means of perpetuating and creating the cultural and social values by managing the school property to this end.

 

 BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIP:

The school management groups and the individual teachers should try to build effective relationship with all those who are connected with school education. Encouraging all persons to participate in curriculum framework would seem t create better opportunities for effective contact with subject advisors rather than by working in isolation.

 EVALUATING PERFORMANCE

In order to make an assessment of the results of the efforts made, the school management has to evaluate the performance in all aspects of school programme. The main purpose of evaluation is to know whether the efforts made in the direction of providing better education and improving the system of education have been useful or have gone waste and if there is a need to affect strategic changes in our efforts.