Overcoming Corruption in the Management of Schools - Essay Example

In the United Kingdom (UK), the School Governor are members of school’s governing body charged with the responsibility for raising standardsthrough their key roles of setting strategic direction, ensuring accountability and monitoring and evaluating school performance. However, the issue of corruption in the management of schools has not enabled the schools achieve their goals. The role of the governing body is to provide strategic management and to support the work of the head teacher and other staff. Dealing with corruption in schools compels to make the distinction that while corruption is nowhere near a predominant of a problem in the education sector as it is in other realms of public life, it is impermissible and abhorrent in this sector because of its moral implications of educational enterprise. There are various types of corruptions in schools and steps need to be taken in order to overcome them. This easy will look at various scenarios that can be classified as corruption in the management in schools. It will also discuss the steps that need to be undertaken to overcome corruption and their effectiveness. Overcoming Corruption in the Management of Schools Public education is education mandate for the children of the general public by the government, whether national, regional or local provided by an institution of civil government, and paid for, in whole or in part, by taxes. These public schools are prone to mismanagement and corruption just like any other government institution. Government may make a public policy decision that it wants to have some financial resources distributed in support of, and it may want to have some control over, the provision of education, which is not public education. Grants-in-aid of private schools, and voucher systems all provide examples of publicly funded education, which is not public education. Conversely, a public school (including ones run by school districts) may rely heavily on non-public funding (such as high fees or private donations) but still be considered public by virtue of public ownership and control. Corruption has been reported in various schools in the UK and I will come up with various steps on how it can be overcome and their effectiveness. I will discuss this in a number of scenarios. Schools Board of Governor The Board of Governor who gets appointed to the board of governor abuses their powers. For example where the board of governors appoints a principal where they uses him to further their interests. The board of governor dictates the principal on how to run the school and even when it come to procurements in the school, the board dictates where it is to be done. The school boards most often are put together for the sake of formality. Lack of school autonomy, I strongly feel that it is ambiguity that result from the lack of clear policy of governance that brings the potential for mismanagement in education sector. I also feel that the decentralization project that has been implemented is not having the intended outcome and therefore needed to be reconsidered and revised. There is also a concern that the school board structure itself is not well understood thereby impending the potential credibility and authority of these bodies. In order to overcome this problem where the school board are said to be mismanaging the school through corruption, then the following steps should be taken; Raising public awareness by encouraging the public, the parents, and the community to participate and take ownership of the school by being involved in the administrative affairs of the local schools. Increasing parental involvement in school affairs to ensure participation. Finding mechanism to make the work of school boards public and also encourage internal evaluation to enhance both visibility and accountability. Having school boards that would are connected directly to municipalities, to scrap the one school board system and opting for regional boards instead this would group a number of schools in a particular region or community. To ensure that the school boards and principals are highly functional by retraining them on a range of issues including fiscal responsibility. If the above steps are taken, there would be better governance in school because the School boards would not be left alone to run the school thereby abusing their powers. Curriculum and Teachers Due to the fact that reforms are taking place, we should integrate new teaching methods and everything must be implemented gradually and by bilateral readiness. The new teaching methods are really necessary but not enough to increase the standard of education. For example the schools have not been having a general curriculum and there is no standard minimum university entry point. The following steps can be taken to overcome this, such that there will be vicious circles that contribute in accentuating corruption practices; Forming an independent system of school leaving examinations, in order to eliminate possible corruption scenarios. Reviewing and reforming curricula so that university entrance examination requirements are corresponds with the senior school ones. Coordinating examinations with post-secondary institutions, so that university entrance does not coincide with school leaving certificate. Establishing specialized education classes in the final years of the twelve-year system, where students would be required to take five or six mandatory subjects in a set of classes, and complement the rest with electives. The establishment of a new marking system that would radically change the existing methods of assessment and evaluation. The protection of teachers’ and students’ rights. The development of a comprehensive national ideology that would clearly state the objectives of the education system as well as lay out the steps towards realizing them. A review of the issue of teachers’ salaries, adding incentives for professional development by creating a competitive scale that would match seniority and scholarity echelons. The creation of the twelve-grade school system that in its final grades would encompass an independent school-leaving examination system, as well as specialized education streams that enhance the transition from school to university. A close examination of the differences between rural/regional versus urban settings, to identify the diverging causes and/or consequences for corruption, which may need differentiated solutions. The participation of all sectors of the public, by increasing awareness among parents, students, communities, and the like. The teachers should undergone rigorous academic preparation as well as an initial probationary period in their teaching practice, prior to teacher certification. At the same time, to have a flexible professional development system, which would guarantee a comprehensive teacher education program that would cover both subject matter expertise and pedagogical foundations, and that would take into account the needs of the school, while also safeguarding an appropriate monitoring of the efficacy of in-service training programs. If the above steps are taken, then they effectiveness would be felt as follows; A harmonious educational process with high quality schools, textbooks, curricula and teachers An informed public and society cognizant of the values of the educational system Individuals who have been educated equally with national and universal values Sound educational management, with a related governance policy. Highly qualified, literate and professionally competent teachers Clearly defined programs that correspond to the demands of the times Students and schoolchildren who have acquired permanent learning skills An educational process where the goals of in-service and pre-service teacher education are coordinated and serve the same purpose A future generation that will have at once a national and state outlook on issues, will have dignity and pride, will enjoy a sufficient standard of living, will actively participate in the reconstruction and prosperity of Armenia, and will be a citizen with 21st century skills involved in the shaping of civic society. Accountability and responsibility are two very important issues that come up when discussing the aim of the education system, yet there is consensus that there are no clear indications at least to the public at large as to who would be accountable. I envision the biggest impediments to this change as being a general lack of political will and the bureaucracy itself. My hope is for schools to regain authority and credibility, and for schools to help develop good citizenry in the process. I aspire for schools to assume a place at the heart of communities and teachers to be respected as independent, professional leaders. The problem of corruption in schools cannot be dealt with independently from that which exists in other parts of society. It is important to eliminate the need for collecting bribes, by adequately financing school budgets and teacher salaries. Some of the strategies to overcome corruption would be creating mechanisms that trigger accountability, visibility, transparency, and public awareness. There is no shortage of identifying solutions for creating a more viable mechanism of stamping out corruption, while at the same time increasing accountability and most of all public debate and awareness around the issue. References Arnot, M., McIntyre, D., Pedder, D. and Reay, D. (2004); Consultation in the Classroom: Developing Dialogue about Teaching and Learning, Cambridge: Pearson Publishing. Bradley, H., Conner, C. and Southworth. G. (Eds.) (1994); Developing Teachers Developing Schools: Making Inset Effective for the School, London, David Fulton. Brighouse, T. and Woods, D. (1999) How to Improve Your School, London: Routledge Dadds, M. (1995); Passionate Enquiry and School Development: A Story about Teacher Action Research, London: Falmer Lunt, I. and Norwich, B, (2002); Can Effective Schools be Inclusive Schools, London, London Institute of Education MacBeath, J. and McGlynn, A. (2002), Self-evaluation: What’s in it for Schools? London Routledge Falmer MacBeath, J., Schratz, M., Meuret, D. and Jakobsen, L, (2000); Self-evaluation in European Schools: A Story of Change, London, Routledge Falmer Soler, J., Craft, A. and Burgess, H. (2001); Teacher Development: Exploring Our Own Practice, London, Paul Chapman Read More