Public Participation in the Educational Operation in Schools of Central Ethiopia: A Systems Approach
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Date
1996-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the state of public participation
in relation to the disparity it possibly has by school level, size, appropriation,
experience of principals, and geographical setting.
To treat
participation,
approach.
both the micro and macro
the study was made to base
factors
on the
of the intensity
major components
of
of
public
systems
The data made in use were collected mainly through questionnaire from 98% of
respondents from both groups representing school systems ' and the public
suprasystem, as well as through structured interview as a supportive from 100% of
school principals . Mainly one-way ANOVA/correlation statistical techniques were
used to analyze the data .
Taking all things together, the results indicated that by level, the primary;
by size, the small-size; by appropriation, the non-government; by experience of
principals, those schools with experienced principals; by geographical setting, the
rural schools are found exceeding correspondingly their counter parts under their
respective dimensions with regard to :
Their openness amplitude to public participation;
Enhancing the extent of public influence on their educational
operation;
Intensifying the magnitude of the economic, political-legal, social,
and technological-educational dimensions of public participation.
Statistical treatments proved that the disparities in public participation
among the categories under those dimensions happened mainly due to the relationship
between the dimensions of this study and the degree of occurrence of the major
components of the systems approach in dealing with public participation.
Yet, what ever the difference is, it is apparently understandable that the
schools as a whole are found in a pertinent need of increased public participation
in their endeavour of educational operation. Thus, the following are expected from
schools, the public , and from the government as suggested by the study.
It is indispensable to develop two-way relationship between the schools and
the public. Thus, the schools being more open and using socialization as their
strategy in responding to pubic demands, have to enable the public to participate
and support them more economically, legally, socially, and educationally.
Public representatives (local administrative councils) have to create
conditions for the public to participate being organized so that the educational
operation in schools would be economically efficient, legally responsive socioculturally
relevant, and educationally effective.
The government or policy-makers have to strengthen school administration
committees by establishing at Woreda (District) level as boards of education for
better coordination and with better legal protection enabling the public to share
educational responsibility in light of decentralization. This can be done by
securing the educational policy nationally and the administrative task at the would
be educational board level&updating both the curriculum as well as the work and·
organization designs .: /
Description
Keywords
Public Participation in the Educational Operation