Management and Administration of Education
A Regional Education Officer (called Regional Education Specialist from 2002) coordinates all regional education matters. A District/Municipal Education Officer heads District/Municipal education office, while the Ministry has overall responsibility for the running of the education system and each district/municipal office is responsible for the school buildings in its area as well as for the supply of equipment and materials to the schools. The Ministry has a national inspectorate whose task is to conduct a full inspection of each school in the country once every two years. Each district office also has a team of school inspectors whose task is to visit each school in the district at least twice a year and to advise and help all teachers with their teaching. There are no regional school inspectors but rather zonal school inspectors who visit schools, mainly secondary schools, and teachers colleges. Some of the zones, districts and wards have also established Educational Resource Centres. However, those at ward level, although closest to the teachers, are few and are in their infancy, and there is very limited information about how they are operating. The Ward Based Education Management (WABEM) and Child Friendly Schools (CFS) initiatives aim to revitalize and consolidate the existing ones, and to establish some where none exist.
See the SACMEQ reports for more information.