TEACHERS’ PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING: A NECESSITY FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOLS

Abstract

This paper examined the necessity of teachers’ participation in decision - making for effective management of schools.  The issue of participatory decision - making is one of the challenges facing the education sector.  In the past, school heads were seen as experts who knew the best answers to all educational problems.  Most of the decisions were take n by the school heads without consultations with their teachers.  In recent years, school system has become complex and school has a lot of problems to contend with.  Hence, it becomes imperative for a joint decision - making to take place so as to arrive at the best solution for educational problems.  Effective management of schools must have its bedrock on shared decision - making otherwise, known as participatory decision - making by those who are directly concerned with the running of schools namely the schoo l heads and t h e t e a c h e r s.  T h e p a p e r d i s c u s s e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f p a r t ic i p a t o r y d e c i si o n making, the extent of teachers’ participation in decision - making and effects of p a r t ic i p a t io n i n d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g o n t e a c h e r s’ j o b s a t i s f a c t io n s.  T h e p a p e r recommended a mong others that school heads should create room for teachers’ ingenuity and initiatives in decision - making