Nature and Objectives of Educational Administration

Educational Administration is the specific application of management to the work of running a school. It is operational, not theoretical: brilliant educational ideas tend to fail without good administration behind them. A working definition, the nature of EA, and a set of eight objectives describe what the field is and what the administrator is for.

Working definition

The handout offers a clear definition from Nwanko (1987).

Educational Administration (EA): The systematic arrangement of human and material resources and programs that are available for education, and carefully using them systematically within defined guidelines or policies, to achieve educational goals.

Three components.

1. Systematic arrangement. Not ad hoc. Organised, planned, structured.
2. Resources and programmes. Human resources (staff), material resources (buildings, equipment), and the programmes that use them.
3. Within guidelines. Bounded by policies, rules, and constraints.
4. To achieve educational goals. The point of all of it.

EA is the work of organising the school’s resources and programmes to produce learning. It is more than just management; it has a specific educational purpose.

Where EA sits

The handout lists EA’s connections.

EA is connected with: educational management, conduct, operation, and management of whole educational operation from conceptual framework to line of action.

EA spans the whole school operation. From the conceptual (philosophy, vision, strategy) to the operational (daily activities). A school administrator who works only at one end misses the other.

EA is concerned with the efficiency and commitment that the available manpower puts together to help in goal realisation. Adopts practical measures to ensure the work system assists educational process and meets with the set goals and objectives.

Two key concerns:

1. Efficiency and commitment of staff. Getting the best work from the people in the school.
2. Practical measures. Concrete actions, not just ideas.

EA is practical. It is concerned with what actually happens in the school, not just with theories about what should happen.

The nature of EA

The handout offers a useful description of EA’s nature.

Constantly changing environment

Educational institutions have constantly changing environment. About 1/4th of their student population changes every year. Faculty and staff do not stay in the same place ever.

A school is never static. Each year brings new students, often new staff, and changes in policies, curricula, technologies. EA must accommodate this constant change.

So, there must always be a refreshing change in line with situation in the institution. Educational institutions must constantly identify and implement improvements in their setup, procedures, curricula, new needs and technologies.

EA is improvement work. The school cannot stand still; the EA must keep adapting it.

EA is action, not theory

EA is to update teaching-learning process ensuring that the objectives are realised. EA is not a thing of intellectual beauty but a hub of educational activities, where all excellent ideas, policies and practices fail, in the absence of good administration.

EA is operational, not theoretical. A school can have brilliant educational philosophy and fail at the administrative work that makes the philosophy real. The philosophy is necessary but not sufficient.

It is the attitude of work, and efficiency in implementation.

EA is the work of getting things done. The administrator’s attitude and efficiency determine whether the school’s ideas become reality.

This framing matters. Many school heads love the theory of education but resent the administrative work. They write inspiring vision statements and then struggle with timetables, budgets, and procedures. The administrative work is not separate from leadership; it is what makes leadership effective.

Eight objectives of EA

The handout lists eight objectives, each capturing a different aspect of the administrator’s job.

Execute

Plans.

EA executes the school’s plans. Whatever the strategic plan says, the administrator’s job is to make it happen.

Direct

Line of action.

EA sets the direction. Which path to take in implementing the plan. Where to put effort first.

Supervise

Work done.

EA supervises the work. Lessons, programmes, processes. Quality monitoring across the school.

Advise

Proper ways.

EA advises on better practice. Coaching, mentoring, guidance to staff.

Stimulate

Efficiency.

EA stimulates better performance. Through motivation, recognition, and the conditions that make good work possible.

Explore

New vistas.

EA explores new approaches. Research, innovation, learning from other schools.

Lead

Learners’ programme.

EA leads the educational programme. Curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, student support.

Assist

Ways to adopt results and diagnose all the practices done in the field of education.

EA helps the school learn from its results. Diagnosis of what is working and what is not.

Diving deeper into the objectives

The handout expands several of the objectives.

Execution

Execution lays foundation of an institution. Collects and puts resources together.

Three resource categories the administrator brings together.

Material resources: building, furniture, labs.

The physical resources of the school.

Non-material resources i.e. human resources: managers, teachers.

The people.

Abstract resources: ideas, ideals, philosophy.

The intangible resources: the school’s vision, values, intellectual framework.

A school administrator who only attends to material resources runs a building, not a school. One who attends to all three runs a school.

Direction

Direction fixes the aims which are generally contained in the “Motto” of the educational institution. Direction is needed continuously to remain focused till the “Motto” is achieved. For example, curriculum divided term-wise; must essentially be obeyed.

Direction is keeping the school pointed at its goals. The school’s motto or mission is the destination. The administrator’s job is to keep moving toward it.

This requires continuous attention. A school left to drift loses direction. The administrator’s continuous attention is what maintains focus.

A worked summary

A school administrator’s typical week might include:

1. Execute. Implement the term’s plans. Make sure new programmes are running.
2. Direct. Decide priorities when conflicts arise.
3. Supervise. Visit classrooms. Review reports.
4. Advise. Coach a struggling teacher. Guide a new coordinator.
5. Stimulate. Recognise good work. Address what is dragging.
6. Explore. Read about a new approach. Visit a sister school.
7. Lead. Make decisions on academic matters.
8. Assist. Help analyse student outcomes and identify patterns.

All eight in a single week is a lot. A real administrator distributes them across weeks but covers all eight regularly.

Why EA matters as its own subject

This guide has covered general management theory and leadership theory in earlier chapters. EA is the application of these to schools specifically.

What makes education different from other sectors:

1. The “product” is learning. Hard to specify, harder to measure.
2. The customers are multiple. Students, parents, employers, society. Their interests may differ.
3. The staff are professionals. Teachers expect professional autonomy.
4. The time horizon is long. Effects on students show up over years, not weeks.
5. The work has moral weight. What schools do shapes children’s lives.

These features mean that generic management approaches need adaptation for schools. EA is the field that does the adapting.

A school head who applies pure business management to her school often produces side effects (damaged relationships, demotivated staff, narrowed focus). A school head who uses EA approaches produces school-appropriate results.

Flashcard

What is Educational Administration, and what are its eight objectives?

Tap to reveal

Answer

EA is the systematic arrangement of human and material resources and programs within policies to achieve educational goals.

Eight objectives:

1. Execute. Plans.
2. Direct. Line of action.
3. Supervise. Work done.
4. Advise. Proper ways.
5. Stimulate. Efficiency.
6. Explore. New vistas.
7. Lead. Learners’ programme.
8. Assist. Ways to adopt results and diagnose.

EA is not theory; it is the practical work that makes a school’s educational vision real. Brilliant ideas fail without good administration. The administrator’s attitude and efficiency determine whether the school’s plans become reality.

EA spans material resources (buildings), non-material resources (people), and abstract resources (ideas, philosophy). A school administrator who attends to all three runs a real school.