ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part describes and analyzes the nature of certain crucial roles in the practice of educational administration in a variety of Commonwealth countries — their historical evolution, responsibilities and constraints, progress and problems, current issues and future prospects. The intention is to gain a good understanding not only of how each role has developed and where it is going, but also of why and what factors seem to account for these developments. The part provides the most significant roles in the practice of educational administration — the school principal or headteacher and the school superintendent or education officer. For each of these two roles five and four countries respectively have been selected to represent a reasonable cross-section of Commonwealth members.
