Friday, June 7, 2013

How To Conduct Realistic Educational Strategic Planning

By Lora Jones


No country can hope to be prosperous if it does not boast a high quality education system. That is why parents are prepared to pay a small fortune to get their children to be accepted in the top schools. They know that a good education is the most important door to a successful future. However, needs change and it is necessary to review the content of the curriculum on a regular basis. Educational strategic planning is the only way to make sure that the system is current and that it addresses the needs of society.

No education system can serve the needs of society if it does not change in order to reflect new needs, new technology and new thinking. That is what a strategy is all about. It is really nothing more than a specific long range plan that makes provision for the needs of a fast changing society. A strategy allows the authorities to anticipate changing needs rather than to react, belatedly, to those needs.

Among the various external environments that need to be studies before a proper strategy can be devised is the technological and innovation environment. It is vital to stay abreast of developments. New technology must form part of every progressive curriculum but it can also be used to help improve the quality of education. No curriculum can properly prepare students for the future if it does not embrace the latest technology.

A curriculum also needs to take careful note of the future needs of society. Students need to be prepared for productive roles in society and this can only be done if both the present and future needs of society are known. It has been said that more than sixty percent of all jobs today are new. That means that students could not have prepared for entering such jobs.

Any realistic strategy must also make provision for changes in the government environment. Policies and procedures that have a direct influence on the curriculum change from time to time and it would be best to be ready for such changes. Change often means disruption in the education process but if the institution is ready for those changes the disruption would be minimal.

It would be very difficult for a single person to develop an effective strategy. It may be better to appoint a coordinator but that various specialist in different fields are appointed to conduct analysis of the environments in which they are experts. Because a strategy requires a measure of analysis of future developments it is best to use experts that are leaders in those fields.

Unfortunately the world does not remain static and even the most educated predictions of future developments do not always come true. It is vital that a strategy is kept current by continually noting changes in the environment and to adapt the strategy to reflect those changes. If this is not done on a regular basis the strategy will become invalid very quickly.

No education institution can properly prepare students for the future if they do not take careful note of the needs of society and the changes in the external environments. That is why educational strategic planning is so important. It is the only way in which to take note of the environment and to change the curriculum to make provision for those changes.




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