ABSTRACT

This chapter analyses the process of educational decentralisation, demonstrating the parallels with public management reform ideology, which, depending on the period, influenced educational management changes: for much of the twentieth century in many countries education systems were dominated by the bureaucratic management model. The decentralisation of education systems focuses on leadership as one of the most important elements to ensure qualitative and effective functioning. The chapter argues that the school management system, conditioned by existing public administration ideology, was in line with the general principles of public organisations. Education management reforms became strongly linked to a dual movement towards political decentralisation and implementing the New Public Management agenda. During recent years, new public management (NPM) ideas were partly modified by the New Governance concept, providing priority for the introduction of democratic values in public sector management. New Public Governance focus is on the interactive public service.