Assalam u aleikum everyone.
Educational Management has, like all other areas of management, undergone
radical changes throughout the world. Traditional societies, like ours, are
however not responding as speedily as the advanced societies do. It is mostly
due the rigidities present here. Cultural traits are more likely hurdles in the
way of smooth and rapid development. They can, though, be brought in consonance
with development but it will require a minute and detailed surgical and medical
treatment, through educational expertise, which seems a Herculean task for us.
This is because in our society dominant say lies with those who have material
might; these are mostly feudal and capitalistic and business tycoons. They
effect all our policies and plans, including education policies and plans,
especially at the implementation stage. Due to this reason it is said about us
THAT WE ARE GOOD PLANNERS BUT BAD IMPLEMENTERS. And perhaps this is the root
cause that , even 68 years have gone after the independence, we are so far not
able to chew the concept of real democracy.
Democratic Management and administration even today seems a great task to us. I
think we are suffering from the problem of perception; we think and claim that
our society won’t afford it; it will waste our time & resources; our society is
a society of people in a hurry; etc. etc. But the problem, to me, originates
from the fact that educational decision has never been given to the right hands.
The reason is very simple; if real education spreads, it is bound to lead to
awareness; and if awareness come to fore, leakages and corrupt practices can’t
continue; and if there are no leakages and corrupt practices, what will the big
tycoons eat?
Anyhow still we can do much. In the system there is a considerable number of
educational managers who believe in democratic approach. They need to be
patient; they need to think & do thoughtfully; they need to ensure regular
meetings of teachers and other staff members; they need to educate their staff
to tolerate each other & express their viewpoint in the most suitable words;
they need to guide them out of the conflicts of opinions; they need to open as
many options as possible.
All this will certainly take time but I hope that it is never impossible. It is
the era of hi-tech and we can take from the experiences of others elsewhere,
through the internet. If these apparently few educational managers come forward,
we can establish a track for others to follow. And such initiative will go a
long way bringing our considerably misdirected and mistreated educational
management back on track.
Thank you.