ISSUES IN SCHOOL ISSUES IN SCHOOL MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

Centralization vs. DecentralizationCentralization vs. Decentralization

Practicality of site-based management: Let Practicality of site-based management: Let principals manage their schoolsprincipals manage their schools

Principals’ autonomy (Example: Cluster school Principals’ autonomy (Example: Cluster school implementation)implementation)

Power/autonomy and accountabilityPower/autonomy and accountability Site-based management: Rhetoric vs. realitySite-based management: Rhetoric vs. reality Site-based management and school Site-based management and school

achievement?achievement? Distributed leadership in schoolsDistributed leadership in schools

School-based/Site-based ManagementSchool-based/Site-based Management

It simply means shifting decision making It simply means shifting decision making authority from the central office to schoolsauthority from the central office to schools

Is this practice effective in boosting student Is this practice effective in boosting student achievement?achievement?

Is school autonomy alone enough? If not, what Is school autonomy alone enough? If not, what other essential factors are involved? (Such as other essential factors are involved? (Such as leadership, family and community involvement, leadership, family and community involvement, professional development, use of date in professional development, use of date in improvement programs …)improvement programs …)

What is the purest form of site-based decision What is the purest form of site-based decision making in the U.S.? Charter schools?making in the U.S.? Charter schools?

School SafetySchool SafetyAccountability IssueAccountability Issue

Emergency managementEmergency management Risk managementRisk management Litigation issuesLitigation issues Sexual harassment of staff and studentsSexual harassment of staff and students School-wide prevention planSchool-wide prevention plan Safe and drug-free and violence-free Safe and drug-free and violence-free

schoolsschools Schooling crossings and traffic issuesSchooling crossings and traffic issues School Climate/culture and productivitySchool Climate/culture and productivity

11 yr old Muhammad Fakhrul Amin Abdul 11 yr old Muhammad Fakhrul Amin Abdul Rahman being killed by a falling goalpost at SRK Rahman being killed by a falling goalpost at SRK Kampung Jawa in Klang on 17 Sept 2011Kampung Jawa in Klang on 17 Sept 2011

Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman for The National Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman for The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) slammed schools for lacking initiative in (NIOSH) slammed schools for lacking initiative in taking safety precautionstaking safety precautions

Section 30 (1) (a) of the OSHA 1994 states that:Section 30 (1) (a) of the OSHA 1994 states that:

Every employer shall establish a safety and Every employer shall establish a safety and health committee at a place of work if there are health committee at a place of work if there are 40 or more persons employed there40 or more persons employed there

The Safe School and Manual: Implementation guide The Safe School and Manual: Implementation guide to create a safe school, community and family for to create a safe school, community and family for children (MOE, 2002)children (MOE, 2002)Elements in the Safe School Program (Among Elements in the Safe School Program (Among others):others):School regulationsSchool regulationsManagement of emergencies and disastersManagement of emergencies and disastersEradication of truancyEradication of truancyPrevention of drug and alcohol abuse, and smokingPrevention of drug and alcohol abuse, and smokingSchool health servicesSchool health servicesTransportTransportLegislationLegislation

Collaboration and PartnershipsCollaboration and Partnerships

Definition of school partnershipsDefinition of school partnerships Understanding of the communities they Understanding of the communities they

serveserve

Respond to their needs and interestsRespond to their needs and interests School family partnershipSchool family partnership Barriers to school Barriers to school

family/community/business partnershipsfamily/community/business partnerships Collaboration with employersCollaboration with employers

Consumers of Research vs.Consumers of Research vs.ResearchersResearchers

Should teachers and administrators Should teachers and administrators continue to be consumer of researchcontinue to be consumer of research

Benefits of action researchBenefits of action research Using research findings to inform Using research findings to inform

professional practicesprofessional practices School leaders to facilitate research School leaders to facilitate research

among teachers/educatorsamong teachers/educators

Action research : A balanced model by Action research : A balanced model by Patrick T. H. Lim, 2007Patrick T. H. Lim, 2007

Identifying research problemIdentifying research problem

Sensitizing: Literature review/analysis of Sensitizing: Literature review/analysis of collected data (quantitative and qualitative)collected data (quantitative and qualitative)

Strategising: Developing an action planStrategising: Developing an action plan

Implementing: Carry out the action planImplementing: Carry out the action plan

Validating: Analysis of colleted dataValidating: Analysis of colleted data

REportingREporting

Inclusive vs. Exclusive ApproachInclusive vs. Exclusive Approach

Management of special education – The Management of special education – The concept of inclusionconcept of inclusion

Streaming practices in schools: Streaming practices in schools: Advantages and disadvantages from Advantages and disadvantages from

different perspectives (Lead to self-different perspectives (Lead to self-fulfilling prophecy)fulfilling prophecy)

Collaborative leadership structure – Collaborative leadership structure – participative decision makingparticipative decision making

UN Standard Rules for persons with Disabilities UN Standard Rules for persons with Disabilities states:states:

States should recognize the principle of equal States should recognize the principle of equal primary, secondary and tertiary educational primary, secondary and tertiary educational opportunities for children, youth, and adults with opportunities for children, youth, and adults with disabilities in integrated settings. They should disabilities in integrated settings. They should ensure that the education of persons with ensure that the education of persons with disabilities is an integral part of the educational disabilities is an integral part of the educational system. General education authorities are system. General education authorities are responsible for the education of persons with responsible for the education of persons with disabilities in integrated settings. Education for disabilities in integrated settings. Education for persons with disabilities should form an integral persons with disabilities should form an integral part of national education planning, curriculum part of national education planning, curriculum development and school organization.development and school organization.

“ … “ … {mainstream} school should {mainstream} school should accommodate all children regardless of accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, socio-economic, their physical, intellectual, socio-economic, emotional, linguistic, or other conditions. emotional, linguistic, or other conditions. This should include children with disabilities This should include children with disabilities gifted children, privileged and gifted children, privileged and underprivileged, street- and working underprivileged, street- and working children, children from remote or nomadic children, children from remote or nomadic populations, children from linguistic, ethnic populations, children from linguistic, ethnic or cultural minorities and children from or cultural minorities and children from other disadvantaged or marginalized areas other disadvantaged or marginalized areas or groups” or groups”

““mainstream school trying to become mainstream school trying to become inclusiveinclusive are the most effective means of are the most effective means of combating discrimination, creating combating discrimination, creating welcoming, teaching-learning welcoming, teaching-learning environments, building and inclusive environments, building and inclusive society and achieving Education for All”society and achieving Education for All”

From: Salamanca Statement (1994) Art 2 From: Salamanca Statement (1994) Art 2 and 3and 3

Inclusive education is defined as a process of Inclusive education is defined as a process of addressing the diverse needs of all learners by addressing the diverse needs of all learners by reducing barriers to, and within the learning reducing barriers to, and within the learning environmentenvironment

Inclusive education is “about enabling schools to Inclusive education is “about enabling schools to serve all children (UNESCO, 1994)serve all children (UNESCO, 1994)

The marginalized groups:The marginalized groups:

Disabled childrenDisabled children

GirlsGirls

Children in remote villagesChildren in remote villages

The very poorThe very poor

Educational Reforms: Mandatory Educational Reforms: Mandatory Change vs. Change from WithinChange vs. Change from Within

Top down change initiatives/programsTop down change initiatives/programs Why did most school reforms fail?Why did most school reforms fail? Management of school-based changeManagement of school-based change School policy and changeSchool policy and change Benchmarking, standardizing, key Benchmarking, standardizing, key

performance indicators/index and etc. – Lead performance indicators/index and etc. – Lead to more rigorous academic standards to more rigorous academic standards

Guiding reforms through assessment and Guiding reforms through assessment and data analysisdata analysis

Sustaining change: Factors affecting it!Sustaining change: Factors affecting it!

Gender Issues in ManagementGender Issues in Management

Break the glass ceiling: DiscriminationBreak the glass ceiling: Discrimination Teachers touching children: Sexual Teachers touching children: Sexual

harassmentharassment Boys are doing poorly in schools Boys are doing poorly in schools Mrs. Brown vs. The lady principalMrs. Brown vs. The lady principal Feminism in the teaching professionFeminism in the teaching profession Leadership among female leadersLeadership among female leaders

Valued-ended LeadershipValued-ended Leadership

Principals providing moral leadershipPrincipals providing moral leadership Principals as educatorsPrincipals as educators Principals as community builders – Creating Principals as community builders – Creating

community of learning within schoolscommunity of learning within schools The concept of ‘No Child Left Behind NCLB)The concept of ‘No Child Left Behind NCLB) Creating school that serve moral purposesCreating school that serve moral purposes School leaders to educational leadersSchool leaders to educational leaders Charismatic school leadersCharismatic school leaders Leading by heartLeading by heart

PrincipalshipPrincipalship

Principal preparation programPrincipal preparation program National Qualification for Headship (NPQH National Qualification for Headship (NPQH

…)…) Socialization processes for early Socialization processes for early

headship/induction programsheadship/induction programs Middle leadership in schoolsMiddle leadership in schools Developing school leaders through Developing school leaders through

mentoringmentoring Best practices for educational management Best practices for educational management

and leadershipand leadership