Making Small Practical: The Organisation and Management of Ministries of Education in Small States(Educational Development in the Small States of the Commonwealth Series)

How should one organise a ministry of education which has only a small group of professional staff? Officers must become multi-functional; but what tasks should be grouped together, and how? What styles of management are needed for the highly personalised nature of small states, in which individuals have multiple out-of-work relationships as well as formal in-work ones? What arrangements can be made for career paths in a small organisation? And how can small ministries best manage the demands of regional and international linkages? These are among questions addressed in this book. It is the product of a pan-Commonwealth project in which officers from small ministries contributed practical insights. Experiences have been distilled and analysed, and are presented in a lively and readable format for both administrators and trainers. The companion study, Ministries of Education in Small States: Case Studies of Organisation and Management, contains 14 case studies in a country-by-country format.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Introduction 1. Focus 2. Concepts and Definitions 3. Preparation of the Book 1. The Characteristics of Small States 1. The Range and Diversity of Small States 2. The Economies of Small States 3. The Societies of Small States 4. The Politics of Small States 5. Summary 2. Public Administration in Small States 1. Personal Relationships 2. Relative Size of Government 3. Politics and the Bureaucracy 4. Ministry Numbers and Functions 5. Centralisation and Decentralisation 6. Summary 3. Formal Organisation of Ministries of Education 1. Structures and Objectives 2. Grouping of Macro Functions 3. Tasks Undertaken and Not Undertaken 4. Administrative versus Professional Staff 5. The Need for Periodic Restructuring 6. Summary 4. The Management of Small Ministries 1. Management in a Highly Personalised Environment 2. Decision-making Styles 3. Dissemination of Information 4. Allowing for Staff Absence 5. Building Teams 6. Inter-Ministry Links 7. Summary 5. Personnel and Training 1. Job Definition 2. Sources of Personnel 3. Career Paths 4. Staff Appraisal 5. Training Plans 6. Training Strategies 7. Summary 6. International Linkages 1. Small States and International Organisations 2. Small States and Regional Organisations 3. Small States and International Aid 4. Coping with Demands 5. Sharing Expertise 6. Summary 7. Conclusions: Experiences and Models 1. Diversity and Commonality 2. The Need for Stronger Adaptation 3. Grouping of Functions 4. Setting Priorities 5. Management Issues 6. Implications for Research and Training Appendix Notes on the Author and Advisory Team Index