Capacity for Education Policy and Planning

Capacity for Education Policy and Planning

Introduction
The education sector plays a crucial role in the social and economic development of a nation (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, nd,), fundamental to the fulfilment to individual basic needs A country’s education is seen as a reflection of its “institutional and ideological framework of the its society” (McNeely, 1995, p. 489). Therefore, the development clear policies and plans are vital in the attainment of the goal of Education for all (UNESCO, 2012, para. 1).
Policies refer to expressed or implied statements which describe the principles and rules that are guides and constraints for an organization, and are usually put together by the executive arm (Davis, 1951, cited in UWIOC, 2013, p.3). Educational policies therefore, are statements articulated by the relevant educational authority to guide the thinking and action within the sector (UWIOC, 2013, p. 4). Policy making describes a “political activity characterised by self-interest, political bargaining, value judgement and multiple rationalities, and within the education sector, this entails harmonising differing demands, and petitioning the support and or tolerance from stakeholders who are interested in education (Haddad, 1995, p. 23). Education planning is the ability to convert policy statements into actions that can be accomplished, assessable and accountable (UWIOC, 2013, p. 49).
With the apparent broadening scope of educational planning to include both formal and informal settings, there is emphasis on growth and expansion which is complemented by concerns for the quality of the educational process and the control of its results (Haddad, 1995, p. 5). Consequently, the concern for capacity becomes imperative. According to the UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning, “without capacity, there is no development” (2013). This essay will report on the capacity for education policy and planning within the Ministry of Education in Grenada by...

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