A STUDY ON EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AT SCHOOL LEVEL IN THE SABARAGAMUWA AND WESTERN PROVINCES IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the prevalent situation of educational planning at school level in order to make appropriate recommendations for the establishment of an effective planning culture with special reference to the school level. With that aim the research was carried out in a sample of schools selected from the Sabaragamuwa and Western Provinces. Sri Lanka started educational planning at national level in the 1960s. In par with the Management reforms brought about in 1984, planning was introduced to the school level for the first time. However, mainly because of the absence of links established for resourcing the plans the implementation of that measure was not successful. The present global trend is to move towards institution based planning and management. Even though, Sri Lanka has also been making several attempts to institutionalize school based management and planning practices in the past two decades, planning to address school level issues and needs was still being carried out at the Zonal, Provincial and National levels. Further, these operational levels of the system of education are not linked together through a coherent and comprehensive plan which is developed through participatory approaches. Planning should take place where beneficiaries are. The educational planner's role should be concentrate on human resources development and hence attention should be paid to the classroom. Policy, planning and execution of plans should focus coherently on development of cognitive, psychomotor and affective potentials of the students. Planning at school level therefore, can be considered the most appropriate means to ensure quality, equity and efficiency and to enhance students' learning outcomes at school level. iv After reviewing the related literature in Sri Lanka and else where, a research was conducted to explore the prevailing situation with regard to planning at school level. The study has employed documentary analyses, surveys through questionnaires and interviews and observations. The study reveals that the recruitment procedures of principals as well as professional opportunities made available to them should be streamlined and their knowledge and perceptions of educational planning should be enhanced. Schools should be oriented to participatory planning. Thereby, the system should be oriented to a bottom- up planning culture through which the actual needs of each stratum are addressed. The study has made a set of recommendations to develop the quality of education by improving the prevalent situation of educational planning at school level.