Principles of Educational Administration

Principles of Educational Administration

Administration is nothing but the management of the affairs of an organization. This principle of management is dominated by the prevailing philosophy of the people. The philosophy of the people in respect of management may be of two types i.e. democratic and autocratic. Democratic management emphasizes on cooperation, coordination, mutual goodwill among the personnel involved in the

process of management, integration of efforts etc. Authoritarian administration emphasizes on force of authority, fear of punishment, direction or coercion. The system of administration, which is appreciated by most of the people of the world is not authoritarian administration, but administration which emphasizes on democratic principles. Let us now discuss some of the important principles of administration, under the following heads.

(i) Principles of Sharing

The advocates of this principle of administration claim that school administration should be based on mutually shared purposes. This principle of sharing has two important aspects – (i) sharing the largest number and variety and purposes among the persons involved in the process of administration and (ii) sharing with other groups. If sharing becomes the principle of administration, all administrative problems become a problem for all. The teachers, the students, the administrators and the public share responsibility to achieve success in the field of education. Development of policies and the planning of educational programmes become a joint responsibility of all those who participate in the process. The participants must have to share in planning, executing and evaluating the process of administration. The success and failure are also equally shared and each is held responsible for his part in the joint enterprise. The principles of sharing puts more brains together for better work.

(ii) Principles of Freedom

The very nature of man’s individuality is to differ from his fellow beings. Hence he wants to be free. He would not feel the importance of freedom in his life, if he were born equal, because the need of all would almost be the same, though not alike. But it is a fact, based on scientific experiments, that men are born different. Hence they are born free. Democratic administration, therefore, allows freedom, to ensure all persons an opportunity to express their unique personality. A teacher in the classroom should be allowed freedom to follow any method, which he feels suitable. He should also be free to criticize, to reason out anything, to present different viewpoints and to ask questions. The students should also be allowed academic freedom.

There should not be any imposition on the students from the authorities concerned.

(iii) Principle of Equality

Democratic principles state that “all men are created equal”. Hence democratic administration should provide equality of opportunity in the field of education. But it is quite unfair to give equal opportunities to the students of unequal abilities. Educational psychology has clearly proved that individuals differ among themselves in every respect. The capacities and aptitudes of each are unequal. The conclusion follows equalization of educational opportunities should be provided on the basis of individual differences. The principle should be “a just rather than an equal opportunity for all.” A head of the institution should not consider himself aloof from others. He is the first among equals. So he should look upon his colleagues as equal to him. They are his co-workers, not his subordinates. He should take his colleagues into confidence in running the school, in decision making and in other important matters. In respect of equality, as a principle of admin istration, prof. R.R. Kumaria writes, ‘A democratic administrator should look upon the personnel as socially equal to himself; he should not take decisions by himself; but with his colleagues; he should make them feel responsible and share in administration; he should have a code of set rules of administration which he and his colleagues should follow rigidly, making no discrimination in their application; and lastly he should want no special privileges.”

(iv) Principle of Cooperation

Dewey once said, “A society which makes provision for participation in the good of all its members on equal terms and which secures flexible judgment of its institutions through interaction of the different forms of associated life is so far as democratic.” Thus the principle of cooperation is the basis of democratic administration.

The school is considered as a cooperative society in which every member should work for all and all for each. Full understanding and goodwill should prevail between the headmaster and the teachers, between staff and students, between parents and school, and between

school and controlling authorities. A cooperative spirit must be reflected in every activity of the school. Regarding the principle of cooperation, Ryburn writes, “The pupils of the school, if they are to develop the characteristic of cooperativeness must live when in school, in a society which in a practical way provides a living example of cooperation. The running of a school is not a one man’s job. It needs the working of many hands and heads. Therefore, persons concerned with the process of school administration, must follow the principle of cooperation.

(v) Principles of Justice

A head of the institutions who believes in democracy should not show undue favor. He should show full justice to all. Respect for justice quickens the solution of problems and disputed. Lack of justice leads to non-cooperation among the persons involves in the process of learning. For want of justice, many employees become frustrated. In the centers of learning due respect must be paid to the rules and regulations. The moment the head of the institution pays respect to justice, most of his troubles will be over.

(vii) Principle of Planning

In our country, planning for educational administration is rare Planning ensures that the head of the institution has thought of the needs of the school and has selected for emphasis those items which particularly need attention. Planning focuses the professional activities on the achievement of educational objectives. It makes school administration pointed rather than routine inspection or vague observation. Effective planning is necessary to secure a unification of effort, better coordination among the teachers and administrators and to help in choosing improved techniques of administration. It also ensures participation of all concerned in framing of principles, distributing responsibilities in keeping with the qualities of the participants and providing good in-service training to the new recruits. Effective planning also leads to an examination of the outcomes and the finalization of procedures to be adopted, in terms of needs and the resources available. Therefore, planning is considered as an important principle of administrations.

(vii) Principle of Research

School administration follows a number of techniques, procedures and practices. Proper technique and procedure can be adopted in this field by the help of educational research. Therefore, the Indian Education Commission has recommended that “the Ministry of Education should establish a National Staff College of Educational Administrators. It should have a research wing for conducting studies in problems of educational administration and function as a clearing house of administrative procedures and practices in the state and Union territories”,

(viii) Principle of Evaluation

To assess the success and failure of a programme of administration, the principle of evaluation should be adopted. Evaluation also helps to understand the defects in the programme and to modify these defects by changing the nature of school administration.

(ix) Principle of Flexibility

Democratic administration does not follow any stereo typed ideas to bring about better results in policy and approaches. A democratic administrator believes in changes, not in rigidity. He modifies his plan of action in light of his experiences and also on the constructive advice of his colleagues.

(x) Principle of Dynamism

Education is a dynamic concept. It has passed through many ages and stages in the process of evolution and at every stage it acted differently according to the then existing social conditions. Hence in dynamic education, dynamic administration is needed. It should not be conventional. To understand this situation, we can take the example of the Circle Inspector of schools. The Inspector of Schools in the past was acting like an old feudal lord, because of his strategic position between schools and the state Department of Education. His will was law. Armed with power and authority, he

behaved like a “New Maharaja” and that the Maharaja can do no wrong. Because of the dynamic nature of school administration, that tradition is dead. Now it is sheer folly on the part of an Inspector to apply the same old feudal lordship in the changed climate. Therefore, the school administrator has to move with time.

(xi) Principle of Leadership

The modern school administrator should be a democratic educational leader. He should value the dignity and worth of the individual. Man is important and things are subjugated to the welfare of man. The best society is composed of men who attain their fullest potential. The democratic leader rules upon the method of intelligence. Man’s problems can be solved through his intellectual efforts. He also relies on cooperative group action in the solution of common problems. When the principle of leadership is followed in the field of school administration, an administrator exhibits certain convictions as stated below:

(i) The welfare of all is assured by the welfare of each member of the group.

(ii) Decisions on the basis of cooperative effort are more valid than decisions made by the individuals.

(iii) Growth comes from within the groups rather than from without.

(iv) Democratic leadership is accepted as a way of life.

(v) Individuals are trustworthy and dependable.

(vi) Every member can make an important contribution to these fields of education.

(vii) There is scope for reliance on group process.

(xii) Principle of Recognition of the Individual growth

Every individual has an essential worth in him. An administrator who recognizes the dignity and worth of every individual is really democratic leader. The individual is of prime importance in a democracy. It is the duty of the Headmaster to know each member of his staff thoroughly. He should be judicious in assigning duties and should see that a square peg is put in a square hole. He should recognize that certain teachers are very well in classrooms but there are some who achieve outstanding success in co-curricular activities. Such merit should also be recognized.

(xiii) Principle of Participation

Democracy believes, among all things, in the capacity of each individual to share and participate effectively in all policies and activities that concern him. The school administrator should realize that every teacher wants to express his opinion on the policy and problems of the school he serves. He is frustrated, when he is unable to do so. As such, it is necessary to provide opportunities to every teacher to bring his individual intelligence to bear most fully and appreciably on the solution of common problems.

(xiv) Principle of Competency

Democratic administration presupposes that competent personnel are entrusted with the task of administration. Everyone cannot be an efficient administrator. Hence for good administration, competent persons should be identified and should be chosen on the basis of identified competence, and not on the basis of biological seniority.

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