Forms of Decentralisation and Their Implications for Education

Abstract

The paper argues the case for disaggregating the concept of 'decentralisation', and presents a range of types which differ as to their rationale. Under the rubric of 'political' rationales there are: federalism, populist localism, participatory democracy, and liberalism. Under rationales that mainly concern quality and efficiency, there are: pedagogic professionalism, management by objectives, the market mechanism, and deconcentration. These different forms are described and compared with special reference to their implicationsfor the distribution of authority in education, and for evaluation of schools.