CURRENT PROBLEMS OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS ABROAD: CENTRALIZATION AND DECENTRALIZATION

Abstract

In the article the dynamics of world educational practices in the countries with the centralized control system – a tendency of decentralization of management of higher education is analyzed. The process of decentralization is often seen as both positive and inevitable, but with its own attendant problems. Since it is the responsibility of the State to provide quality education for all, there needs to be some guarantee that the system is, in fact, fulfilling that objective. Decentralization by its very nature leads to greater differences in standards among schools. The policy challenge is to acknowledge that these differences exist, and to ensure that differences are turned to opportunities and that they do not hinder pupils in achieving their full potential. It has been argued that centralized systems, which prescribe and control education inputs (curriculum, form content, etc.) need less monitoring and control than decentralized systems, which place less emphasis on the control of input and require greater emphasis on the control of output. A closer look at indicators on the steering and evaluation of systems does not entirely support such a contention but does reveal quite divergent systems enveloping apparently similar practices. The trend to devolve decision-making to school level is a high stakes political strategy, the result in part of a lack of trust in the State’s capacity to respond adequately to each and every need of an increasingly demanding population. It has been argued that those most concerned with the outcome of a decision are in the best position to take decisions which most directly affect them. In a sense, decentralization is a means of taking the political debate on quality down to lower levels of the education system. Global educational practices are characterized by contradictory trends pendulum type: in countries with centralized management education trends are apparent decentralization, and vice versa, in countries with low public participation in education management trends observed opposite nature designed to increase the autonomy of various types of schools. Searching of the optimal «critical point» value of various forms of state involvement in the development of national education in the world is continuing.