School Administrators’ Perceptions

There were eight administrators who stressed the teachers’ role in making educational decisions. In particular, two principals (A1, 2) argued that teachers should have a significant role in making decisions and three administrators (A3, 4, 6) called for increasing teachers’ participation in making decisions. Moreover, several administrators (A5, 7, 8) recommended activating the role of teachers in making decisions, giving them more opportunity to be involved in making decisions because they are linked to the educational process closely, and involving teachers more in the decision-making process because they are the most essential element in school.

The administrators’ comments indicate the significance of activating teachers’ role in making educational decisions and the importance of giving them more opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process because they are considered to be the most important element in school and directly connected to the educational field.

136 5.7.1.2 Nature of Teachers’ Participation

There were five administrators (A2, 3, 4, 13, 16) who highlighted the nature of teachers’ participation in the decision-making process. One principal (A2) emphasized teachers’ participation in making decisions related to all students’ issues instead of the SEC imposing strict policies and regulations on teachers and leaves students with lenient disciplinary policies.

Other principals (A3, 4) expressed a concern regarding the SEC imposing decisions on teachers, which should be applied without discussion, specifically about the curriculum content, and suggested teachers’ participation in selecting what to teach because of their experience and participation in issues related to teachers as this proved to help accomplishing the school's goals.

Another principal (A13) argued that there should be a kind of regularity and agreement between school administration and teachers. Teachers have to participate in making decisions related to all academic issues and some administrative issues, however, school administration has to make decisions related to all administrative issues and give their recommendations only regarding academic issues. A school should help everybody work in harmony to achieve its vision. 5.7.1.3 Reasons for Teachers’ Participation

There were ten administrators (A1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14) who provided reasons for teachers’ participation in making educational decisions. These reasons relate to the view that they are the most important element in the educational process (A3), they link the student with the school administration (A6), can discover students' skills and make decisions related to students' professional and career development (A8), and have a strong relationship with students (A11).

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5.7.1.4 Nature of Supreme Education Council Control

There were seven administrators who expressed a concern about the SEC’s control over a variety of areas relevant to their schools and positions as principals. In particular, five principals expressed a concern regarding the SEC imposing educational decisions on teachers. The following administrator (A3) describes this concern,

Increase teachers' participation and focus on the significance of teachers' involvement in the development process. For example, they have to participate in selecting what to teach because of their experience. Today, most educational decisions are made by the Supreme Education Council and everyone has to apply them without discussion.

This administrator argues that the SEC imposes decision on teachers regarding curriculum content. Yet, the administrator believes that decisions should include teachers about what to teach because of their experience. Instead, teachers must unquestionably accept SEC decisions.

Another administrator (A17) confirmed that educational decisions are made by the SEC and teachers are only asked to give recommendations. One administrator indicated that there is no formal avenue for teachers to engage with the SEC in decision-making and suggested that one should be arranged. This administrator (A23) states,

I think schools should arrange for regular meetings between representatives from the SEC and teachers to cooperate in making educational decisions instead of SEC imposing policies on schools.

Another administrator (A21) suggested allowing teachers to be involved in the decision-making process: Teachers' job description should give them more opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.

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Furthermore, there is some indication that the SEC utilizes a “one-size-fits- all” model when working with schools:

Schools differ from each other and teachers’ role in making decisions depends on their relationship with their school administration. Regarding schools’ calendar, salaries, promotions, etc., these decisions are made by the Supreme Education Council and neither teachers nor administrators have the power or authority to modify or even change them.

This administrator (A16) argues that schools differ and a great deal of decision-making depends on the administration-teacher relationship. However, regarding issues such as the school calendar, salaries and promotions there is no space for teachers and administrators to make any decisions because the SEC directly makes decisions. The SEC ‘s decisions hinder the principal’s ability to include teachers in decision-making and even they themselves cannot make decision because the SEC imposes decision that apply for all schools without ever considering the possible differences in schools.

Furthermore, several administrators continued developing this theme of SEC control by providing a specific example of a policy that illustrates the SEC imposing decision-making process. One administrator (A2) wrote:

Teachers should be given a significant role in making educational decisions and encouraged to make decisions related to all students' issues. For example, SEC imposes strict policies and regulations on teachers and leaves students with lenient disciplinary policies.

The quote points out that the SEC is inconsistent with their policies imposing strict regulations on teachers and more lenient policies for students. This is especially important with decisions about student behaviour. The following administrator’s (A21) comment illustrates this concern:

The problem lies in the inappropriate disciplinary policy imposed by the Supreme Education Council for students' negative behaviour. It places the teacher in a position of humiliation in front of the students.

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Since the discipline of students directly impacts teaching and learning, administrator (A21) believes that this particular imposed SEC policy place teachers in humiliating situation. The administrators written comments indicate that the SEC makes educational decisions about teachers, students, the classroom and the many aspects of the schools and teachers but teacher input into decisions are limited to providing recommendations to decisions and policies made by the SEC.

5.7.1.5 Nature of Supreme Education Council Role

There were two administrators who expressed their concern about the job description of teachers that hinders teachers’ involvement in making decisions. The following principal (A14) describes this concern:

The teacher is the foundation of the teaching process and he has to participate in making decisions, but his job description places him at the bottom of the decision-making hierarchy.

This principal affirms that the SEC needs to look back and review the job description policy for teachers so that they are given an opportunity to participate in making decisions and have a larger role in the decision-making hierarchy. Another principal (A18) continued developing this concern and asserted that the SEC needs to review teachers’ workload and job description to give them more opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.

5.7.1.6 Nature of School Administration’s Role

There were six administrators who identified the role of the school administration in the decision-making process. In particular, two principals argued that all educational issues should be assigned to teachers. The following administrator (A12) states: the school administration needs to leave decisions related to educational issues to teachers.

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Another principal (A15) asserted that school administration needs to promote the decision-making process and support teachers and encourage them to make decisions by offering effective decision-making workshops. This principal wrote, the schools should encourage teachers to participate in making decisions and arrange workshops to train teachers make decisions.

Furthermore, two administrators confirmed the significance of creating a cooperation strategy between the SEC and the school administration and teachers to make educational decisions. One administrator (A20) argued that school administration should gain teachers' feedback and recommendations regarding SEC regulations via surveys and results always need to be shared with the SEC. Another principal (A23) proposed arranging regular meetings between representatives from the SEC and teachers to cooperate in making educational decisions instead of SEC imposing policies on schools.

Finally, one administrator (A19) expressed a concern about teachers’ neglected efforts and achievements and urged the school administration to give a careful consideration to their contributions in the educational field so that they are encouraged to participate in making decisions in their schools.