Bottom Up and Top-Down approaches to school management: Lessons from Primary Schools in Chadiza District, Eastern Province, Zambia

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DOI: 10.21522/TIJAR.2014.06.02.Art003

Authors : Daniel L. Mpolomoka, Michael M. Mabenga, Moono Muvombo, Mutinta Matimba, Phydes Ng’uni, Febby Banda

Abstract:

This paper shares detailed insights into primary school management in Chadiza District in Eastern Province of Zambia. It provides a critical review of both top down and bottom up approaches to management, specifically focusing on primary school practices. Much of what is discussed herein is anchored on phenomenological data gathered over years of teaching, interacting and supervising teachers and student teachers at primary school level of education. The paper recommends that managers of schools must not get glued to one form (top down or bottom up) but engage junior officers to promote and yield progressive academic performance on the part of learners and maintain standards of teaching and professionalism on the part of teaching staff. This, however, should not be achieved at the expense of losing grip of job and focus of the overall goal of the school.

Keywords: Primary School, School, Management, bottom-up approach, top down.

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