Examples

Earlier in unit 1, you have learnt that monitoring and evaluation were identified as important school management functions, necessary for ensuring effective and efficient schools. A school is considered effective if the following elements are found existing in it.

3.4.1 A well Organized School

A school is established to ensure that teaching and learning take place. A school that is able to discharge effectively its daily routines is providing value for money. For this to happen, the school should be well planned so that learning can take place in a conducive atmosphere. A democratic management style is required where planning is done in advance of events occurring. An efficient school should have good communication channels to enhance effective administration. There must be discipline in the school. To each office in the school are specific duties attached and failure of one officer will affect the effective administration of the school.

3.4.2 School Curriculum

At the beginning of a new academic year, the school head would collect the school calendar from the Zonal Education Office and he must ensure that all school activities are in line with the calendar. Before the school resumes, he must see that text books, stationery, furniture, games equipment, and library books are ready. The syllabuses of all the classes must be available, and with the assistance of his assistants, - the vice principals. Teachers are helped to prepare scheme of work.

The school head and his assistants should ensure that lesson notes are prepared daily and that teachers' teaching does not deviate from the lesson notes. Assignments, tests and examinations should be marked and recorded promptly and corrections done where necessary.

3.4.3 Parents-Teachers Association (PTA)

The school head should ensure that a functional PTA exists in his school, and that its meetings are held regularly, at least once a term. It essential that there is a cordial relationship between parents and teachers for effective administration of the school, If parents are properly approached, they can do a lot to help easing some of the financial problems in the school, In this country, the PTAs have assisted schools with building of classrooms, provision of school buses, purchase of laboratory equipments and others.

3.4.4 Staff Meetings

There may be staff meetings of the entire school staff, departments and special committees. These should be held regularly to review the running of

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EDA 833 MONITORING AND EVALUATION IN EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT

the school. School heads should use a democratic approach by listening to their staff and understanding their personal and professional problems.

Participative decision making would also enhance the performance and productivity of the staff.

3.4.5 School Records

The school head should ensure that, complete and accurate records on students and staff, stock ledgers and registers, and other vital records which provide a full picture of the school life are kept.

3.4.6 School Accounts

The school head should keep proper accounts of income and expenditure and bills and receipts must be accompanied by vouchers. These are required in the auditing of the school accounts as well as in promoting the principles and practice of accountability and evaluation in the school.

3.4.7 Inspection Reports

A record of all Inspection records must be kept by the school head and he must discuss these with the staff so that recommendations with respect to how the system can be improved and developed may be implemented.

Exercise 1.2

1. Identify the main features you should look for in an inspection report, 2. Discuss how you currently use inspection records to improve the

teaching - learning situation in your school.

Answer kit

Your list would probably include observations of lessons which will focus on the effectiveness of the teaching-learning process. It is important to point out that the data contained in an inspection report should provide information for the school head to use as a means of effecting changes in the school. If this is done, then monitoring and evaluation become major tools for effective management.

4.0 Conclusion

In this unit you have learned that school heads are accountable for whatever goes on in the schools. They are answerable to the government who has expended a lot of its resources on education, parents whose future hope is the students and to the members of the public who as taxpayers contribute substantially to education. It is through regular evaluation that they can make the school system profitable.

5.0 Summary

To sum up this unit, you have learned about the need for evaluation and accountability in educational management. We have described the four main functions as diagnosis, prediction, selection and grading. We pointed out that for evaluation to be beneficial, there must be set goal. You have also seen that evaluation is a vital tool towards effective school management; some of the elements of effective school management are school organization, school curriculum, staff meetings and the PTA.

6.0 Tutor Marked Assignment

Describe how you would use the following evaluation activities: diagnosis, prediction, selection and grading to improve students academic performance in English language in your school.

7.0 References

Federal Ministry of Education and Youth Development (1993) Better Schools Management: A Read Teacher Education and Resource Materials .Lagos, F.M.E

EDA 833 MONITORING AND EVALUATION IN EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT