Managing Decentralization of the Romanian Educational System

The process of decentralization can greatly improve the efficiency, transparency, accountability and responsiveness in service delivery, compared to centralized systems. Decentralization of education systems demands harmonization of a complex set of functions for each level of education: primary, secondary, tertiary and informal. The question of to what level of government delegate decision-making for each level of education and what will be the division of powers, continues to fuel debate. The promotion of a decentralized system in terms of teacher professional development must be coupled with measures of accountability to individuals and organizations without sacrificing the central bodies involved in accreditation programs, monitoring and evaluation activities performed.decentralization; educational management; reform; European challenge.

Determinants of Successful Implementation of Early Childhood Development Education by County Governments in Kenya; Implementing Partners Perspective

The purpose of this study was to assess the determinants of successful implementation of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) by County Governments in Kenya from the implementing partners‟ perspective. This study was guided by the following specific objectives: to determine the influence of the capacities of the County Government staff on the implementation of early childhood development education by County Governments in Kenya, to determine the how management of early childhood development education affects its implementation by County Governments in Kenya, to assess how availability of physical facilities affect the implementation of early childhood development education by County Governments in Kenya and to examine how policies affect the implementation of early childhood development education by County Governments in Kenya. Decentralization theory and organization learning theory were used to explain the relationship between the study variables. Descriptive research design was used in the study. The population for the study was implementing partners working with County Governments in Kenya to support ECDE. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents to participate in the study. A total of 100 respondents were targeted from the 10 organizations studied out of which 70 participated giving a response rate of 70%. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. The study found that the implementation of ECDE by County governments in Kenya was generally successful from the implementing partners‟ perspective and indicated by 56.8%. It is also worth noting that beside the general success, there were myriads of challenges facing the implementation of the program by county governments. Findings from regression analysis showed that the coefficient of determination indicated that 63.5% of the variations on the implementation of ECDE by county governments can be explained by staff capacity, management of ECDE, availability of physical facilities and ECDE policies. The remaining 36.5% can be explained by other variables not included in the study. R square and adjusted R is above average an implication that an above average variation can be explained by the model. The study recommended that county governments should allocate more funds for the renovation and construction of more ECDE centres, allocate adequate funds for the implementation of ECDE and that they should organize consistent in-service training for ECDE teachers and at the same time employ more ECDE staff to cater for the large number of children in ECDE centres.

Public sector decentralization and school performance. International evidence

Using a panel of international student test scores, 1980 – 2000, panel fixed effects estimates suggest that government spending decentralization is conducive to student performance. The effect does not appear to be mediated through levels of, or decentralization in, educational spending.Fiscal decentralization; Student achievement; federalism; PISA; TIMSS; education; school quality

Public sector decentralization and school performance: International evidence

Using a panel of international student test scores, 1980 – 2000, panel fixed effects estimates suggest that government spending decentralization is conducive to student performance. The effect does not appear to be mediated through levels of, or decentralization in, educational spending.

Doing More For More: Hispanic Issues for Texas and the Nation

Hogg Foundation for Mental Healt

Decentralization of public-sector agricultural extension in India: The case of the district-level Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA)

agricultural extension reform, Decentralization, demand-driven, organizational capacity,

Educational Policies for Integrating College Competencies and Workforce Needs

Explores the challenges of workforce development for a global economy in Brazil, Mongolia, Ukraine, and the United States, with a focus on basic skills development, internships, and the role of stakeholders. Recommends policy and curriculum changes

The ebb and flow of Japanese education reform

Through analysis of Japanese educational reform this paper draws attention to key historical and cultural aspects of Japan's modern educational system. Links are drawn to the influence socio-political transformations have had on the Japanese educational systems within three periods of radical reform beginning with the Meiji restoration in 1871, moving onto the Occupation led reforms after the Second World War and concluding with a analysis of contemporary neo-liberal reforms. The paper argues that one of most important aspects to emerge from the antecedence of contemporary Japanese education is the manner in which reform impacts on educators who have been directed to perform and conduct themselves in ways that fundamentally alter traditional Japanese work/cultural practices. The paper aims to introduce Japanese educational reform to a new readership while also providing a source of analysis directed towards the impact of global educational reform outside Western contexts

Human Resource Management and Productivity

In this chapter we examine the relationship between Human Resource Management (HRM) and productivity. HRM includes incentive pay (individual and group) as well as many nonpay aspects of the employment relationship such as matching (hiring and firing) and work organization (e.g. teams, autonomy). We place HRM more generally within the literature on management practices and productivity. We start with some facts on levels and trends of both HRM and productivity and the main economic theories of HRM. We look at some of the determinants of HRM - risk, competition, ownership and regulation. The largest section analyses the impact of HRM on productivity emphasizing issues of methodology, data and results (from micro-econometric studies). We conclude briefly with suggestions of avenues for future frontier work.human resource management, productivity, personnel economics