MEANING OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION:

Educational administration is a discipline within the study of education that examines the
administrative theory and practice of education in general and educational institutions and
educators in particular activities. The field ideally distinguishes itself from administration
and management through its adherence to guiding principles of educational philosophy.

Educational administration refers to a range of professionals—from supervisors, program

administrators, and principals to deans, department heads, and chief academic officers—as
well as organizations formed to administer school function

Educational Administration is regarded as the process of integrating the appropriate human

and material resources that are made available and made effective for achieving the
purposes of a programme of an educational institution.

The term “Administration” doesn’t refer to any single process or act. It is like a broad
umbrella encompassing a number of processes such as: planning, organizing, directing,
coordinating, controlling and evaluating the performance. The same situation occurs in the
field of educational administration. The concept of educational administration is applicable
in case of an educational organisation which has certain purposes or goals to fulfill.

In order to achieve these purposes or goals, the head of the educational organisation plans
carefully various programmes and activities. Here the educational organisation may be a
school, college or university. The head of the school/college/university organizes these
programmes and activities with co-operation from other teachers, parents and students.
He/She motivates them and co- ordinates the efforts of teachers as well as directs and
exercises control over them. He/She evaluates their performance and progress in achieving
the purposes of the programme.

He provides feedback to them and brings modification, if required in the plans and
programmes of the school or college or university. So the totality of these processes which
are directed towards realizing or achieving the purposes or goals of the
school/college/university is called educational administration.

SCOPE OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION

The educational administration encompasses all the levels of education in its

jurisdiction.

These are:

⦁ Pre-primary or pre-school Education.

⦁ Elementary or primary Education.

⦁ Secondary Education.

⦁ Higher Secondary or Post secondary Education and,

⦁ Higher or tertiary Education.

It is educational administration that determines what should be the nature and system of
administration for all the above levels of education.

⦁ It covers all forms of education such as:

⦁ Formal Education

⦁ Non-formal Education and Adult Education

⦁ General Education

⦁ Vocational Education

⦁ Special Education

⦁ Teacher Education

⦁ Integrated Education

⦁ Technical and professional Education including Engineering, Medical, MBA, and

Computer Education.

Here the educational administration sets the systems of administration in accordance to

the objectives and nature of all the levels of education.

⦁ It includes all types and strategies of management that encompasses the following:

⦁ Democratic Administration

⦁ Autocratic Administration

⦁ Nominal Administration

⦁ Real Administration

⦁ Educational administration covers the following aspects relating to management in

its jurisdiction:

⦁ Planning
⦁ Organizing

⦁ Directing

⦁ Coordinating

⦁ Supervising

⦁ Controlling and

⦁ Evaluating

⦁ Educational Administration takes place at various levels such as:

⦁ Central level

⦁ State level

⦁ District level

⦁ Block level

⦁ Institutional level

Out of these above levels, educational administration has its ground reality and importance
at the institutional level. Because it is the practical ground to test the significance of
educational administration in practice.

For this, the following activities and programmes come under the scope of educational
administration at the institutional level:

⦁ Deciding the purposes of the institution or school.

⦁ Planning for academic or curricular and co-curricular

activities.

⦁ Preparing the time table and the time schedules for various activities.

⦁ Assigning duties and responsibilities to the staff members.

⦁ Organizing curricular and co-curricular programmes.

⦁ Directing and motivating the staff of the institution.

⦁ Coordinating by efforts of people to achieve the purpose.

⦁ Exercising control over the staff.

⦁ Conducting periodical reviews about the progress, achievements and

failures of the institution.

⦁ Taking measures for staff development.

⦁ Maintaining order and discipline.

⦁ Management of materials.

⦁ Management of finance.

⦁ Maintaining records and registers up to date.

⦁ Maintaining human relationships.

⦁ Supervision of the work of teachers and other employees.

⦁ Giving feedback to the teachers performing well and taking remedial measures for
teachers not performing well.

PROCESS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION:

The prime concern of administration of any programme is proper accomplishment of the

pre-fixed purposes and goals. This becomes possible through adequate utilization of both
human and material resources with the purpose of bringing qualitative improvement of the
programme. For this there is the necessity of different aspects of management which are
accepted as the functions of administration. In order to simplify it we can be said here that
proper management of a programme needs various aspects that are regarded as the
functions of administration.

These are:

⦁ Planning

⦁ Organizing

⦁ Directing

⦁ Coordinating
⦁ Supervising

⦁ Controlling

⦁ Evaluating

In the field of educational administration, the educational authority as the administrative

authority exercises its functions in relation to the above mentioned aspects.

⦁ Planning: is the process of setting objectives and determining the actions in order to
achieve them. Planning is anticipatory in

nature and sets priorities. It is proactive rather than passive.

Planning asks the following questions: What? When? Where? By whom? How? while
following a series of steps:

Defining Objectives (setting objectives or goals)

Determining the current status with respect to the objectives (being aware of opportunities)

Planning premises (analyzing the situation for external factors and forecasting future
trends; generation of future scenarios)

Identifying alternative (best alternative to accomplish the objectives)

Choosing an alternative (selecting the course of action to be pursued)

Formulating support plans (arranging for human and material resources)

Implementing the plan (action stage which also involves evaluation)

⦁ Organising: is the process of combining the work which individuals or groups have
to perform with facilities necessary for its execution such that the duties performed provide
the best channels for efficient, systematic, positive and co-ordinated application of
available effort.

Organising is characterised by:

Division of work or specialisation: Activities are assigned to different people who are
specialists in that area, for specialisation improves efficiency.

Orientation towards goals: it harmonises the individual goals of employees with the overall
goals of the institution.

Composition of individuals and groups: individuals are grouped into departments and their
work is coordinated and directed towards organisational goals.

Differentiated functions: the entire work is divided and assigned to individuals so that the
organisation‟s objectives are achieved. While each individual performs a different task,
each one also coordinates with the tasks of others. Continuous process: groups of people
with defined relationships with each other work together to achieve the goals of the
organisation. These relationships do not end once the task is completed.

Delegation of authority: the levels of hierarchy are determined and the span of control is
determined via formal relationships.

Establishing a communication channel: for effective decision making, coordination, control,

supervision and feedback, motivation and redressing problems or grievances encountered.

⦁ Directing: Directing is the art or process of influencing people such that they willingly
strive to achieve group goals. It focuses on the development of willingness to work with
zeal and confidence, provides adequate guidelines to complete the task, and motivates
individuals to achieve goals in a coordinated manner. It also focuses on exercising
leadership while determining responsibility and accountability.

⦁ Coordinating: Coordination in management is the process of putting things together

in a harmonious relationship so that they may function more effectively. Coordination
depends upon the nature of the particular problem, circumstances and availability of
resources, and the final goal. The administrator has to reckon with many physical, social
and economic forces. Coordination is necessary to attune all these factors and forces to
forge a unity in diversity of relationship to produce a unified and integrated total effect. For
this, deliberate efforts have to be made.

⦁ Supervising: Educational Supervision means an all out effort of the school officials
directed towards providing leadership to teachers and other educational workers for the
improvement of institution. It involves both human and material elements. The human
elements are the pupils, parents, teachers and other employees, the community and other
officials of the state. On the material side money, building, equipment, playgrounds etc. are
included. Besides these, the curriculum, methods and techniques of teaching also come
under the scope of supervision.

⦁ Controlling: involves measuring and monitoring performance in accordance with

plans and taking corrective action when required. It establishes performance standards
based on the objectives, measures and reports actual performance compares the two and
takes corrective or preventive action as necessary. Thus controlling indicates the quantum
of goals achieved, the extent of deviation from actual plans, generates accurate information
and requisite feedback. Thus controlling focuses upon the difference between planned
and actual performance.Controlling is especially concerned with the areas of Institutional
Budget (finance in terms of income and expenditure), Institutional Supplies (stationery and
material equipment), Library (maintenance and up gradation), Teaching-learning Process,
Accounts and School Records and Discipline (staff and students).

⦁ Evaluating: is the process of measuring and assessing the achievement of

objectives while providing an insight into strengths and weaknesses and planning for future
endeavors. Evaluation helps determine the effectiveness of plans for both administrators
and other stakeholders like teachers, staff, students and parents, as also the extended
community. It seeks to document the objectives that have been met and to provide
information to all concerned stakeholders regarding achievement, obstacles and corrective
action or improvements.

Conclusion:

Educational Administration has a vast area of operation ranging from Planning to Budgeting
in an effort to make the educational process purposive and functional. An important tool it
is effective, systematic and has a definite purpose. It focuses upon the attitude towards
work and adopts practical measures to ensure that that the system of work functions
efficiently and assists in the achievement of the aims of education thus benefiting the
learners who are the main stakeholders in the educational system.