MANAGING THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
A BOOK IN HOXOIR OF PROF. O.E.M. FAGBAMIYE
Edited By
BR. R. A. ALANI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
CHAPTER
ONE: An Overview of the Strategies and Challenges of
Implementing Universal Basic Education Programme.
—
A. D. Shofoyeke
TWO: Strategic and Resources Management in Nigerian
Universities. — John O. Fadipe
THREE: The leaching Profession and Quality of Education:
The Planner's Perspective.— Ephraraim E. Oluchukwu
FOUR: An Overview of Strategic Planning Process: Implications
for Planning in the Ministries of Education.
—
Taiwo Eniola Ajayi
FIVE: Financing Higher Education in Uganda.
—
Fred E. K. Bakkabulindi
SIX: Problems of Teacher Education in Nigeria: Implications
for Educational Planning and Administration.
—
R. A. Alani
SEVEN: Administration of Literacy Education in Nigeria.
—
Mrs C. O. Oladapo
EIGHT: The Perceived Effects of Adolescents’ Heterosocial
Relationship on Discipline in Selected Secondary Schools in
Lagos Metropolis. — B. O. Makinde
NINE: Toward Efficient Management of Adult Learning:
What the Adult Educator Should Do.
—
G. G. Oke
TEN: Leadership and Team Building in Organizations.
—
Maicibi Nok Alhas & Jide Owolabi
ELEVEN: Subordinates: The Determinant of the Super-ordinate
Leadership Behaviour and Style.
1
13
26
38
47
64
78
91
101
113
—
Maicibi Nok Alhas
127
TWELVE: Factors Affecting Female Participation in Technical
Education in Nigeria as Perceived by Students of a
Federal College of Education: Implications for Counselling.
—
Mrs. Ayoka M. Olusakin
140
THIRTEEN: Contrasting Academic Achievement of Streamed
and Mixed Ability Groups in Secondary Schools in
Abia State — P. O. Okunamiri & E. E. Ihuoma
151
FOURTEEN: The State of Science, Technical and Vocational
Education in Nigeria: A Manager's Proposal
for Revitalization. — Gboyega Ilusanya
160
FIFTEEN: Data Collection on Basic Education in Nigeria.
—
Mrs. O. Olalusi
SIXTEEN: The Principal as a Leader in the School Organisation
— N. B. Oyedeji & Mrs A. T. Alabi
186
SEVENTEEN: Empowering Teacher for Effective Job Performance.
—
C. O. Fasan
195
EIGHTEEN: Team Management: An Effective Technique
for the Administration of Nigerian Educational Institutions.
—
Mrs. N.Y.S Ijaiya & Mrs. A. N. Okorie
207
NINETEEN: Implementing Quality Physical Education and Sports
Programmes in Primary Schools; The Risk Management
Strategies. — E. J. Chom
228
TWENTY: Primary Education Policy Implementation: The Nigeria
Experience. — S. A. Oladipo
244
TWENTY-ONE: The University Lecturer as Teacher: Implications
for Staff Development. — A. A. Adeogun
244
TWENTY-TWO: Gender and Self-Actualization: An Educational
Management Perspective. — Adunola Adepoju
258
TWENTY-THREE: The Role of Records in School Management.
—
S. A. Bello
272
170
TWENTY-EOUR: Decision Making in Nigerian Schools.
—
Virgy Onyene
291
TWENTY-FIVE: A Survey of Science Teachers Experiences
of School Principals' Leadership Roles in Science Teaching
and Community Resource. — Temi Busari
303
TWENTY-SIX: Organisation and Management of Special
Schools in Lagos State. — S. A. Oyebade
316
TWENTY-SEVEN: Funding Crisis in Nigerian Universities:
Implications for Future of University Education.
—
Mrs. D. O. Otu & J. N. Daku
333
NOTES THE CONTRIBUTORS
351
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Team Management: An Effective Technique for the Administration of
Nigerian Educational Institutions
Mrs. N.Y.S. Ijaiya, Ph.D & Mrs. A. N. Okorie, Ph.D
Introduction
Schools and universities are saddled with the onerous responsibility of preparing
the youth for useful living in all its ramifications through appropriate arrangement
and implementation of the school curriculum. The business of managing such a
curriculum has never been a one-man affair. It takes the collaborative efforts of
the head of school, the teachers and non-teaching staff to achieve school goals and
objectives. In other words, teamwork has been the means by which schools try to
achieve their stated goals. However, developing such a team and maintaining it is
a major challenge to school management and success rate is not uniform across
schools or departments.
Even though the organizational structure of the institution depicts the work
relationships and delegation, it is not always easy or possible in a school or any
formal organization that every member would operate through that framework.
Some individuals may feel they prefer to work alone; others stray out of the group
occasionally creating problems for effectiveness of the school. Work teams
therefore need to be nurtured and developed if they are to be effective vehicles for
achieving organizational goals. Also. management is said to involve working with
and through other people to achieve organizational goals. In that case, working
through a good team, is more likely to make the manager's job easier.
Furthermore, given the continuing growth of the Nigerian educational system as
well as the expansion of services, programmes and managerial complexity
(Denga, 2002; Alani, 2001; Nduka, 2001), another critical challenge lacing
207
educational leaders in the administration of educational institutions today seems
to be that of restructuring and reculturing. Restructuring deals with changes in the
formal structure of educational system in terms of organization. roles, etc.
Reculturing. on the other hand, is concerned with changing the values, norms,
incentives, skills and relationships in the organization to promote a different way
of working together. Reculturing enhances administrative functioning, teaching
and learning in educational institutions (Bezzina. 2002). Consequently, the
administration of the nation's educational institutions calls for revolutionary
changes in the whole culture of philosophical, pedagogical and management
techniques toward collegiality and collaboration among educational clientele students, educators, administrators and other stakeholders. Creating such changes
and conditions will require an effective management method and leadership to
define the way forward.
Bezzina (2002) buttressed the fact that the strategic plan poses more challenges to
educational leaders to strengthen their team management for effective
implementation. Therefore, team management is imperative in the administration
of educational institutions. However, building such a team requires knowledge
and skills for its formation, workings and maintenance in order to achieve the
desired outcomes, learn management is a simple concept, can be adapted to
varying structures, and is easily implemented and enlarged. It should be cultivated
since the decision-making processes within this context ensure inclusion and
involvement of staff members affected by the decisions as well as an effective
top-down and bottom-up line of communication. It also provides a means for
evaluating continuous progress toward individual and organizational goals
(Thompson, 1986).
In team management approach, the Head of the Institution always stands as the
group leader. Obviously, this technique cannot operate successfully in an
institution unless the head supports the concept and strives to make it work. His
or her position as the legal and accepted head of the institution p. not in any way
diminished by conceiving of him /herself as the leader of a management team.
Instead, it should be enhanced and strengthened. A management technique with
these qualities would provide ownership of decision making and raise staff
members" morale.
208
Accordingly, the specific purpose of this chapter is to examine the concept of
team management, its management principles, and the procedures for
implementing team management in educational institutions. In addition, some
essential components of team management as well as its strengths and weaknesses
are explored.
The Concept of learn Management
Everard and Morris (Coleman and Bush, 1994; p. 267) describe a team as “a
group of people that can effectively tackle any task which it has been set up to
do”. A team is not an ordinary group. It connotes more meaning than a group
(Coleman and Bush. 1994). It even goes beyond committees. Teams are built to
undertake identified tasks or activities. Being a team member is also in the mind
and carries some mental or psychological connotations that plays significant role
in the accomplishment of tasks. A member who is not mentally in the team can
hardly cooperate fully with others. Coleman and Bush (1994. p. 267) borrowing
from Bell, consider a team as a group of people working together on the basis of
shared perception, a common purpose, agreed procedures, commitment, cooperation and resolving disagreements openly by discussion. Further, it is a
structure whereby a number of people with different backgrounds, skills and
knowledge, drawn from various areas of the organization work together on a
specific and defined task. There is generally a team leader or captain. Us
composition may vary from task to task. The actual number of team members
depends on the team's responsibilities.
Team building thus involves “the process of diagnosing task procedures and
patterns of human interaction within a work group” (Mullins, 1993; p. 646). The
need to improve work performance and organizational effectiveness is the
fundamental objective of team building. The process will pay attention to (i) work
procedures in relation to the objectives; and (ii) interpersonal relationships
including leader-team relationship, identification of barriers to effective teamwork
and individual development (Mullins, 1993). Team building is the responsibility
of the leader or manager
209
Team management, therefore, involves building or developing a team and
maintaining its performance toward improved organizational effectiveness.
Kanter (l985, p. 197) views the team management concept as "a way of
performing tasks that spreads opportunity and power." It is a participatory
management using various ways of involving workers in decisions affecting their
work.
Trethowan (1985, pp. 3-4) identities five possible teams in a school system:
1.
Senior management teams - aims and policy;
2.
Middle management teams - heads of departments, head of year;
3.
Staff teams - within departments or pastoral units:
4.
Project teams - ad hoc groups established to achieve short-term goals: and
5.
Interdisciplinary teams - comprise members from various departments to
deal with long-term issues.
Importance of Team Management
The concept of team management allows for a collaborative effort thai is
considered a vital ingredient for the effective administration of educational
institutions (Obanya, 2002). Collaborative effort gives administrators, educators
and other stakeholders the opportunity to deal with complex educational issues as
a group. While the Head or Chief Executive of the institution has the
responsibility and authority to manage the school through team management,
other school administrators have the chance to participate in setting administrative
policies and translating these policies into administrative strategies. It is important
to note that administrative policies are different from the Federal/State Board of
Education policies. Administrative policies are goals that the management deem
essential in accomplishing the mission of the school system which are reflected in
the national policy. Administrative goals are translated into procedures - the plan
for attaining those goals. These strategies are utilized by the administrators
charged with managing a delegated function. They are implemented through the
establishment of processes and procedures as they work with their staff in the
daily operations of the school system (Rebore, 1985).
210
For team members to function effectively, it is incumbent upon the team to state
clearly the objectives and the role of each member of the team. Team members
must learn to cope with conflict, effectively use paraphrasing, give and receive
feedback, continually check the perceptions of others and use a two-way
communication pattern efficiently. It is worth mentioning at this juncture that
team management is not a panacea for all management problems. However, if it is
adequately planned and implemented, it will lead to improved institutional
effectiveness.
Management Principles
The idea of team management as related to educational institutions' management
could be traced to various management principles. The basic principles of
McGregor's Theory Y arc crucial to the introduction of a team. Confidence must
be exhibited in the ability, integrity, creativity and motivation of those to whom
team goals are committed. McGregor (Beer and Spector. 1985; p. 499) opines that
"management leans on a weak crutch if it relies too much on authority today'".
Given the current complex social and political situation in schools the
administration of an educational institution is likely to be weakened if the
leadership relies solely on authority.
Similarly, the Scanlon Plan introduced by Joseph Scanlon, embodies the theory of
effective participation which is a vital necessity in team management. This plan
expounds "a formal method providing an opportunity for every member of the
institution to contribute brains and ingenuity as well as physical effort to the
improvement of organizational effectiveness" (Beer and Spector, 1985; p. 500).
Implicitly obvious is that to favourably employ this management theory in
educational management, a climate of mutual support among members of the
team must be created. This gigantic assignment is the duty of the team leader.
Personal efforts of each team member must be directed toward the success of the
organization, thereby increasing each person's feeling of goal attainment. The
type of relationship among members of the team determines whether the team will
succeed or fail. The leader should be skilled both as a leader and us a team
member. What this means is that the leader will be a participant in the making of
211
group goals as he/she allows individual team member to use the greatest initiative
and motivation. The leader must be able to accept and enjoy this position, as
his/her commitment to the team approach will provide the basis on which other
members of the team will build upon.
Procedures for Implementing Team Management
Various types of approaches may be utilized to implement team management in
an educational institution. According to Kremcr (1982. p.35), alter a strong
theoretical and philosophical foundation for team management has been
established, the basic processes would include:
—
Dialoguing with staff and determining who will be included on the
management team.
—
Determining long -and short-range goals for the organization.
—
Identifying task areas as a basis for designing job descriptions and setting
individual goals.
—
Holding formal meetings of the team on a regular basis.
—
Planning for periodic reassessment of progress toward stated individual
and organizational goals.
The administrative team membership may differ from one institution to another.
For example, in a university, a team may consist of the vice-chancellor and the
principal officers. In a secondary school, membership may comprise the principal,
vice principals, bursar, director of guidance and counseling department, and other
special project coordinators. Usually, every person who manages other members
of staff for at least one half of his/her working period will be included as a
member of the team. The team management approach is also applicable to each
level within a school system.
212
Team Roles
Individuals In a team should have a special contribution to make. One way in
which a person can contribute to team effort is by presenting information and
problems arising from his/her immediate area of major administrative
responsibility especially such information and problems that have implications for
decisions in other areas of administrative operation or have significance for the
total effectiveness of the educational institution. Again, an individual can react to
suggestions and proposed actions and the effect they may have in the area of
his/her responsibility. In doing this, the person must have an adequate perspective
of his/her area as it relates to others (Smith and Piele, 1989).
In executing the special role in the team, every member should clearly understand
that roles within the team are complementary and not competitive. Team members
also need to recognize that criticisms should always be directed toward ideas and
not toward people. The roles of members imply significant ethical responsibilities
and relationships (Smith and Piele, 1989). The different types of roles that
individuals can play in a team as identified by Belbin (Coleman and Bush, 1994;
p. 269) are shown in Figure 1. Care must, however, be taken in the composition of
a team to ensure that some roles are not overplayed at the expense of the others.
213
Figure 1: Belbin’s team roles (Coleman and Bush, 1994; p. 269).
Type
characteristics
Positive Qualities
Allowable Weaknesses
Company
Workers
Translates ideas into
Practice.
Gets on with care and
thoroughness
Organizing ability.
Common sense
Integrity
Hardworking
Self disciplined
Loyal
Lack of flexibility
and
adaptability
controls and coordi
nates. Driven by
objectives. Utilizes
team resources
Enthusiastic.
Assertive.
Flexible.
Strong sense of duty
Not really creative
Or inspirational.
Shaper
Pushes to get the job
done.
Inspires.
Makes things
happen.
Drive. Enthusiasm.
Challenges roles.
Commands respect.
Intolerance of
Vagueness
Needs to be in charge.
Impulsive.
Impatient.
Unduly sensitive
to critism.
Innovator
Advances new ideas.
Synthesizes
knowledge.
Intelligence
imagination.
Creativity.
Unorthodox.
Prefers ideas to
People.
Ignores practical
Issue.
Resource
Investigator
Identifies ideas and
resources from
outside the team.
Questions and
explores.
Very good at
networking.
Positive.
Cheerful.
Sustains the team.
Lacks selfdiscipline.
Impulsive.
Quick to lose
interest.
Monitor
Evaluator
Critical thinker.
Analyzes ideas.
Constantly reviews
the team.
Interprets complex
data. Judgement,
hard-headed,
Objective.
Over critical.
Negative.
Intellectually
Competitive,
Sceptical and
cynical.
Team
Worker
Socially orientated.
Loyal to the team.
Promotes harmony.
Perceptive of feelings,
needs and concerns.
Stable, extrovert,
good listener.
Promotes strengths.
Underpins
weaknesses.
Indecisive, can
forget a task.
now called
Implementor
Chair
Now called
Co-ordinator
Completer
Finisher
Specialist
(this role
added
to original
eight)
Drives for task
completion - on time
and according to
Specification.
Having pre-existing
Specialist skills and
Knowledge.
purpose.
Obsessed with detail. Anxious,
Strong sense of
compulsive, can
lower morale.
Driven by targets.
Contributes
specialist skills and
expertise.
214
Narrow and
specific vision.
Components of Team Management
In team management, four of the most crucial elements in the process ol
managing by collaborative practices are leadership, communication, decisionmaking, and the exercise of shared power and authority (Smith & Piele, 1989).
None of these is considered to be more important than the other, but taken as a
whole, they form the most significant functions within team management
practices. Each of these is discussed briefly below.
Leadership
Leadership is a vital part of team management. It is wrong to think that team
management eliminates the need for leaders. A very significant aspect of this
approach is that it brings leaders and subordinates together in a forum of openness
and trust and seeks to elicit ideas from other employees. The nature of
management team requires competency and trust among all of the members of the
group, especially the leadership. Those involved in team management must
display qualities of professional perspective, the ability to coordinate functionally
and the skill to motivate others. Being a head of department is quite different from
being a team leader. The role of the latter includes building and maintaining the
team, achieving the task and developing the individual (Adair. 1988; p. 44). The
three roles are said to be linked and are interdependent. The leader is part of the
team but at the same time must step out of the team to assess and fine-tune its
performance.
The practice of teaming gives administrators the opportunity to keep up
with the demands of daily routine, to know more about the intricacies of the
school management systems and to make well-informed decisions based on the
goal of the organization. The team leader's commitment to the organization and its
goals is strengthened by the team interaction as well as his or her overall
leadership abilities and communication skills (Vogt and Murrell, 1990).
Communication
Vogt and Murrell (1990) stress the importance of communication skills to team
management. They argue that the single most important ingredient to successful
team management is a flow of information to and from administrators and other
215
management employees. Open communication contributes to more openness to
change. It also influences the school’s relationship with the community.
Decision-Making
Several factors have engendered group participation. In school system
administration for example, the factors might include the large growth of the
school age population and increased citizens" interest and involvement in school
matters. These factors have brought about community demands for participation
in the decision-making process in the school system. Teaming then is like bridge
building in that it brings everyone together to work for better education. However,
simply having a voice in decision-making is meaningless unless each team
member perceives the involvement as genuine and important (Smith & Piele.
1989).
Shared Power and Authority
Some management experts view team management as an invitation to trouble.
They claim that teaming creates more problems than it solves and that some
administrative officers do not really want to share power and authority. These
officers agree to use team management practices only to prevent negotiations and
to put off the union movement. Others, however, take a more favourable position
toward team management. They argue that officers who share power will be seen
as effective leaders by their staff and by other groups within the school
organization. In addition, school administrators need to realize that power is
finite. Additional power can often be gained by giving a certain amount of clout
to others (Smith & Piele, 1989).
The key to the success of team management is involvement, that is, input. Team
management concept employs a high degree of involvement among the people
who will either implement or be influenced by management decisions. In short,
the use of team approach is a way to seek more inputs and more involvement for
problem solving in a changing environment with a more educated and
sophisticated workforce. The distinction between ordinary school management
and team management lies in emphasis and , scope (Smith & Piele, 1989).
Mainly, team management:
216
—
involves the entire school system's operation;
—
is a long-term, continuous undertaking and not a one lime attempt;
—
is concerned with developing a positive organizational climate and job
satisfaction;
—
is aimed at improving effectiveness of decisions through quality and
acceptance;
—
involves a commitment to change from the top to the bottom;
—
is aimed at developing organizational competence and open
communication; and
—
involves establishing collaborative relationships and trust (p. 143).
Strengths and Weaknesses of Team Management
Strengths
The strengths of the team management approach to administrative personnel,
local schools, universities and the community served are many. Some of these as
delineated by Bainbridge and Kvans (1982) are that team approach:
—
permits members to expand their horizons by participating in decision making process in all areas of the total school environment, thereby
enhancing their professional development;
—
generates a feeling of ownership and a high level of commitment as people
have invested in the success of the decision;
—
gives a feeling of involvement in working toward common goal;
—
improves communications and a higher degree of trust;
—
provides the wide con sensus that a large system needs in making
decisions;
—
builds up trust and staff morale; and promotes team work.
Some Weaknesses
Team management:
—
requires more time;
—
enables some administrates to escape individual responsibility;
—
leads people to expect consensus in all decisions; and
217
—
may result in more outspoken team members dominating the process.
Conclusion
The changing needs of today’s education in Nigeria, the managerial Complexities
and the increased number of demands laced by educational administrators provide
a great evidence that effective management technique is imperative and a
prerequisite to the success ol the administration of Nigerian educational
institutions, learn management has the potential to become a powerful tool in
resolving the issues emanating from the day-to-day administration of educational
institutions, if it is adequately planned and implemented.
Team management simply put means managing an organization through
collaborative efforts. It goes beyond mere organizing of workforce or roleplaying. Team building is a conscious effort. It is gradual and takes time.
However, its benefits are enormous for the leader, subordinates and the
organization. It is supportive and complementary.
In the implementation process, it is vital that the participants be patient in their
expectations to see positive results as time will be needed for training in team
skills and building mutual trust and openness among team members. Care has to
be taken to take full advantage of its strengths and guide against its weaknesses.
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