The Strategic Management Model of Early Childhood Schools under the Local Administrative Organization

Abstract

The purposes of the study were to 1) the performance and problems in the administration of early childhood schools under local administrative organizations; develop
 2) a strategic management model of the schools under study; and evaluation, and 3) the constructed model. The technique of mixed-methods research of quantitative and qualitative research approaches was employed. Conducted in three steps as follows. Step One: Studied the performance and problems in the administration of early childhood schools under study. 1) The research and sample population consisted of thirteen schools with early childhood education under local administrative organizations in the upper northern region evaluated in the third round from the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organization) (ONESQA). Key informants were thirteen school administrators using the technique of interview. 2) The research and sample population consisted of seventy-three schools with early childhood education in the upper northern region not being evaluated by ONESQA in the third round. Key informants consisted of 219 school administrators, head teachers, and School Boards using a questionnaire. Step Two: Develop a strategic management model. Key informants consisted of ten experts in education. Step Three: Evaluated the constructed model by inspecting the appropriateness, feasibility, unity, and implementation of the strategic management model of the schools under study. Data were collected using a questionnaire from the sample population of eighty-six administrators of the early childhood schools under investigation.         

The findings are as follows:

1) The performance and problems of each school differed based on the context of schools, communities, and performance. At the highest level considered as the strength in each aspect were the following. The aspect of general affairs administration consisted of the study, analysis, and design of the performance structure based on workload to have quality consistent with the school’s present conditions. Academic administration organized activities, projects, and work plans for the learners' context and the community’ s needs. The element of budget administration consisted of schools receiving support for their budget from the agency of their affiliation or other agencies and using it to match their objectives. Finally, the aspect of personnel administration consisted of encouragement and support for teachers and educational personnel to develop themselves in all aspects in a consistent manner.

2) The development of a strategic administration model under study consisted of the following components: (1) vision; (2) mission; (3) strategies; and (4) development guidelines. The strategic administration model of the early childhood schools under investigation exhibited four strategies as follows: (1) the development of educational administration with efficiency; (2) the development of the life skills of children to match their age and  follow the standards; (3) the encouragement of the potential of teachers and educational personnel to have quality; and (4) participatory administration.

3) The evaluation of the constructed model found appropriateness, feasibility, unity, and implementation. Overall exhibited the highest level with a mean of 96.19 and S.D. at 0.42.