Community Involvement in Education in Egypt: the Role of School Board of Trustees Dr. Ahmed El-Zeki Mansoura University, Egypt To be presented in the seminar.

Community Involvement in Education in Community Involvement in Education in Egypt: Egypt:

the Role of School Board of Trusteesthe Role of School Board of Trustees

Dr. Ahmed El-ZekiDr. Ahmed El-Zeki

Mansoura University,Mansoura University, EgyptEgypt

To be presented in the seminar of UCCER ( UNESCO Centre for Comparative Education Research )

University of Nottingham, UK

Wednesday , 14th March 2007

Dr Ahmed El-ZekiDr Ahmed El-Zeki 22

Where is Egypt?


Egypt’s Map


Egypt’s ProfileEgypt’s Profile

LocationLocation Land AreaLand Area Capital cityCapital city PopulationPopulation ClimateClimate HistoryHistory ReligionReligion Major ExportsMajor Exports


Egypt…past and presentEgypt…past and present


Egypt’s Education SystemEgypt’s Education System


Egypt has one of the largest education systems in Egypt has one of the largest education systems in the world, as classified by the World Bank the world, as classified by the World Bank (2002), (2002),

with 16 million students (over 90 percent with 16 million students (over 90 percent enrolled in public schools), enrolled in public schools),

7 million in primary education, 4 million in 7 million in primary education, 4 million in preparatory education, 3 million in secondary preparatory education, 3 million in secondary education and 2 million in tertiary educationeducation and 2 million in tertiary education

807,000 teachers, 807,000 teachers, and 37,000 schoolsand 37,000 schools

Egypt’s Education SystemEgypt’s Education System


Community involvement aims at Community involvement aims at encouraging people to become encouraging people to become agents, rather than being treated as agents, rather than being treated as “target groups” or passive recipients “target groups” or passive recipients of benefits. of benefits.

Community involvementCommunity involvement


Community participation has been Community participation has been recognized as an important and recognized as an important and significant strategy for an efficient and significant strategy for an efficient and effective utilization of limited resources effective utilization of limited resources in order to identify and solve problems in in order to identify and solve problems in the education sector and to provide the education sector and to provide quality education for children. (Pailwar quality education for children. (Pailwar and Mahajan, 2005)and Mahajan, 2005)

Community involvementCommunity involvement


"Without close articulation of and "Without close articulation of and involvement with the family and involvement with the family and larger community, schools will larger community, schools will ultimately fail" (Family Involvement ultimately fail" (Family Involvement Partnership for Learning 1996, p. 14)Partnership for Learning 1996, p. 14)


The interactions between school and The interactions between school and the community have two dimensions: the community have two dimensions: to bring the community into the to bring the community into the school and to bring the school into school and to bring the school into the community. (Patterson and the community. (Patterson and Harwood, 1995)Harwood, 1995)

School & the CommunitySchool & the Community


The benefits of improving community The benefits of improving community collaborations with schools are:collaborations with schools are: Davis, Deborah (2000)Davis, Deborah (2000)

Schools feel they are getting help from Schools feel they are getting help from multiple sources: multiple sources:

Communities can unite around the shared Communities can unite around the shared responsibility of educating youth, and responsibility of educating youth, and schools are able to expand the number of schools are able to expand the number of positive role models: positive role models:

Community businesses can make people Community businesses can make people aware of their support for schools and aware of their support for schools and families:families:


The Six Types of Partnerships The Six Types of Partnerships Framework, developed by Joyce Framework, developed by Joyce Epstein (1995) and her colleagues :Epstein (1995) and her colleagues :

Type 1: ParentingType 1: Parenting:: Type 2: CommunicationsType 2: Communications:: Type 3: VolunteeringType 3: Volunteering: : Type 4: Learning at HomeType 4: Learning at Home: : Type 5: Decision-makingType 5: Decision-making:: Type 6: Collaborating with the Type 6: Collaborating with the

CommunityCommunity::


Community involvement in Community involvement in education education

in the Egyptian context:in the Egyptian context:

The MOE has paid much attention to the The MOE has paid much attention to the following (NCERD, 2004):following (NCERD, 2004):


Getting the civil society to understand the problems Getting the civil society to understand the problems and impediments from which education suffers, and impediments from which education suffers, sharing the responsibility of helping schools to sharing the responsibility of helping schools to improve the quality of educational product, and improve the quality of educational product, and appreciating the achievements realized by the appreciating the achievements realized by the educational institution.educational institution.

Maximizing the benefit from the sources utilized in Maximizing the benefit from the sources utilized in the educational process and raising material support the educational process and raising material support for schools.for schools.

Inducing both teachers and students to improve the Inducing both teachers and students to improve the quality of education and creating better attitudes of quality of education and creating better attitudes of parents and community towards school.parents and community towards school.


A national project aiming to set comprehensive A national project aiming to set comprehensive quality education standards in Egypt and quality education standards in Egypt and raising awareness about quality learning.raising awareness about quality learning.

According to this project, each school has the According to this project, each school has the autonomy to decide on the processes/strategies autonomy to decide on the processes/strategies by which these goals and outcomes will be by which these goals and outcomes will be accomplished. accomplished.


TheThe EffectiveEffective SchoolSchool

TheThe EducatorEducator

Excellent Ed. ManagementExcellent Ed. Management

CommunityCommunity participationparticipation

CurriculumCurriculum andand LearningLearning OutcomeOutcome

FieldsFields of the Documentof the Document


Partnership with families Partnership with families

Serving the communityServing the community

Mobilizing the resources of local Mobilizing the resources of local communitycommunity

Voluntary workVoluntary work

Public relations and communication Public relations and communication with communitywith community

Partnership with families Partnership with families

Serving the communityServing the community

Mobilizing the resources of local Mobilizing the resources of local communitycommunity

Voluntary workVoluntary work

Public relations and communication Public relations and communication with communitywith community

DOMAINS OF DOMAINS OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

DOMAINS OF DOMAINS OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION


First Domain : Partnership with First Domain : Partnership with familiesfamilies

Encourage participation of parents in educational Encourage participation of parents in educational decision-making and their effective involvement decision-making and their effective involvement in drawing up a future vision for the school and in in drawing up a future vision for the school and in the implementation of its various programs the implementation of its various programs

Facilitate communication between parents and Facilitate communication between parents and members of the community working in the school members of the community working in the school

Inform parents of the educational and learning Inform parents of the educational and learning practices that take place in school practices that take place in school

Encourage parents to voice their opinions on the Encourage parents to voice their opinions on the educational service provided to their children.educational service provided to their children.


SecondSecond Domain: Serving the Domain: Serving the communitycommunity

Determine the needs of the community from Determine the needs of the community from school as well as making plans for community school as well as making plans for community participation and evaluating them.participation and evaluating them.

Use buildings and school resources for Use buildings and school resources for providing services and social activities providing services and social activities

Implement social programs and projects in the Implement social programs and projects in the local community .local community .


Third Domain : Mobilizing the Third Domain : Mobilizing the resources of the local communityresources of the local community

Utilize available community resources to Utilize available community resources to implement school educational programs implement school educational programs

Obtain material assistance for educational Obtain material assistance for educational institutions and schools from the local institutions and schools from the local community, companies, and business community, companies, and business community community


Fourth Domain : Voluntary workFourth Domain : Voluntary work

Implement programs encouraging voluntary Implement programs encouraging voluntary work inside and outside school work inside and outside school

Create programs to help volunteers participate Create programs to help volunteers participate in school projects in school projects

Provide the mechanisms to organize voluntary Provide the mechanisms to organize voluntary work for parents and citizens to support the work for parents and citizens to support the educational and social activities in the schooleducational and social activities in the school


Fifth Domain : Public relations and Fifth Domain : Public relations and communication withcommunication with communitycommunity

Adopt strategies and regulations encouraging Adopt strategies and regulations encouraging interaction among members of the educational interaction among members of the educational institution and ensure its continuity institution and ensure its continuity

Conduct regular communication between the Conduct regular communication between the educational administration and the other educational administration and the other sectors in the community.sectors in the community.

Adopt strategies and elaborate regulations Adopt strategies and elaborate regulations encouraging and ensuring interaction with the encouraging and ensuring interaction with the media to achieve performancemedia to achieve performance


The MOE set out to consolidate the experiment The MOE set out to consolidate the experiment of Boards of Trustees to emphasize the of Boards of Trustees to emphasize the importance of community participation in importance of community participation in taking the educational decision and to enable taking the educational decision and to enable the community to contribute effectively to the community to contribute effectively to forming the future policy for schools and forming the future policy for schools and implementing diverse programs. implementing diverse programs.

Thus, according to the MOE the BOT is Thus, according to the MOE the BOT is intended to play a vital role in supporting the intended to play a vital role in supporting the educational process in schools. educational process in schools.


The BOT is formed by a group of:The BOT is formed by a group of:

businessmen, businessmen,

members of NGOs, members of NGOs,

active persons in public work, active persons in public work,

parents, parents,

and teachers.and teachers.


MethodologyMethodology Data collection instrument: Data collection instrument: semi structured interviews as a semi structured interviews as a

research instrument employed in the qualitative analysis. research instrument employed in the qualitative analysis. Research sampleResearch sample, an interview schedule was conducted with , an interview schedule was conducted with

a group of 63 teachers, deputy head teachers, head teachers a group of 63 teachers, deputy head teachers, head teachers from nine secondary schools in Damietta Governorate in from nine secondary schools in Damietta Governorate in Egypt. Egypt.

The interviewees selected from each school to represent the The interviewees selected from each school to represent the school administration (head teachers and deputy head school administration (head teachers and deputy head teachers), school staff (head subject teachers and newly teachers), school staff (head subject teachers and newly appointed teachers), and BOT members. appointed teachers), and BOT members.

The interview included two main parts about the role of BOT The interview included two main parts about the role of BOT in community involvement in education. The first part in community involvement in education. The first part investigated how efficient the role of the BOT in community investigated how efficient the role of the BOT in community involvement is. The second part focused on the barriers that involvement is. The second part focused on the barriers that limit this role. limit this role.


Findings:Findings:Early Findings of the study are organised to Early Findings of the study are organised to

include: include: First: Efficiency of the BOT participation First: Efficiency of the BOT participation

in schools ; in schools ; Second: Barriers and problems that Second: Barriers and problems that

impede the effective involvement of the impede the effective involvement of the BOT in schoolsBOT in schools


First: Efficiency of the BOT participation First: Efficiency of the BOT participation in schools:in schools:

The majority of the interviewees confirmed that the The majority of the interviewees confirmed that the BOT is very important and involved in many ways.BOT is very important and involved in many ways.

The BOT helps in the community and field services and The BOT helps in the community and field services and provides school with some of its needs either by the provides school with some of its needs either by the donations given by tdonations given by thhe BOT members themselves or e BOT members themselves or by organizing campaigns for fund raising.by organizing campaigns for fund raising.

The BOT can help in getting some of the most difficult The BOT can help in getting some of the most difficult bureaucratic approvals as some of its members bureaucratic approvals as some of its members occupy highly outstanding positions which enable occupy highly outstanding positions which enable them to obtain such approvals.them to obtain such approvals.


The BOT members always offer their services and The BOT members always offer their services and ready to help. “ Most BOT members are ready to help. “ Most BOT members are cooperative and very interested in the educational cooperative and very interested in the educational process” A female HT. process” A female HT.

The BOT contributes to moving into The BOT contributes to moving into decentralization ( for instance buying apparatus decentralization ( for instance buying apparatus and lab materials) and lab materials)

The BOT takes some actions over a wide range of The BOT takes some actions over a wide range of students’ behavioral problems such as students’ behavioral problems such as talkativeness, reluctance to work hard, talkativeness, reluctance to work hard, absenteeism which is very obvious in secondary absenteeism which is very obvious in secondary schools.schools.

The BOT members attempts to solve schools The BOT members attempts to solve schools problems, if any, with the Directorate or any other problems, if any, with the Directorate or any other authorities in the Governorate.authorities in the Governorate.


Examples of the BOT Participation as Examples of the BOT Participation as viewed by the interviewees:viewed by the interviewees:

Participating in forming the school vision and Participating in forming the school vision and mission.mission.

Organizing celebrations to honor the talented and Organizing celebrations to honor the talented and distinguished students and celebrations on some distinguished students and celebrations on some religious occasions such as the Prophet’s birthday, religious occasions such as the Prophet’s birthday,

Building and furnishing a prayer room, Building and furnishing a prayer room, Awarding outstanding teachers and encouraging them Awarding outstanding teachers and encouraging them

to give more, to give more, Maintenance of the school buildings (e.g. toilets), Maintenance of the school buildings (e.g. toilets),


Holding some awareness lectures for students Holding some awareness lectures for students (e.g. absenteeism, drug abuse)(e.g. absenteeism, drug abuse)

Providing the school garden with its needs, Providing the school garden with its needs, planting treesplanting trees

Organizing and sponsoring cultural contests Organizing and sponsoring cultural contests financially,financially,

Taking some action against naughty students,Taking some action against naughty students, Hiring some part time teachers,Hiring some part time teachers, Increasing the school financial resources,Increasing the school financial resources, Moving bad teachers from schoolMoving bad teachers from school


Some problems limiting the role of Some problems limiting the role of BOT:BOT:

Some of the BOT decisions cannot be put into effect. Some of the BOT decisions cannot be put into effect.

There was some evidence that some HTs viewed the There was some evidence that some HTs viewed the BOT as a source of threat to their authority.BOT as a source of threat to their authority.

Some of the BOT members were viewed as rather Some of the BOT members were viewed as rather negative.negative.

One participant especially the BOT head exerts a greater One participant especially the BOT head exerts a greater degree of control over the direction and content of degree of control over the direction and content of discussions in meetings.discussions in meetings.

Some members do not attend meetings regularly.Some members do not attend meetings regularly.


Members who should be elected are Members who should be elected are sometimes chosen with no real election in sometimes chosen with no real election in some schools!some schools!

Lack of awareness of the BOT role among Lack of awareness of the BOT role among school staff, parents, and community school staff, parents, and community members.members.

Some members of the BOT are just Some members of the BOT are just primarily concerned for the welfare of primarily concerned for the welfare of their own child, and that is what their own child, and that is what motivates them to be involved in school motivates them to be involved in school events. events.


ConclusionConclusion


Thank youThank you

Comments and DiscussionComments and Discussion


Community Involvement in Education in Egypt: the Role of School Board of Trustees Dr. Ahmed El-Zeki Mansoura University, Egypt To be presented in the seminar.

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