The Current Organization and Administration Situation of the Secondary Education Units in the North Aegean Region

Abstract

After analyzing various studies, we can conclude that the elements characterizing an effective school unit are leadership, teachers, and communication among school unit members, the climate of a school unit, school culture, the logistical infrastructure, the school's relationship with the local community, and the administrative system of the educational institution. The ultimate goal of this research is to detect the current organization and administration situation of secondary education units. In particular, to examine the concept of education, the school role and the concept of effective school, to identify the existing model of administration of the educational system, the organization and administration models of the school unit in which the respondents work, and furthermore the school culture level. The method adopted for the study is the classified cluster sampling method. According to this method, clusters are initially defined, which in this case are Secondary School Units. The clusters are then classified according to their characteristics, which in this case was the geographical feature: they all belonged to the North Aegean Region. In this context, 312 questionnaires were sent to all 104 secondary schools of the North Aegean (Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Limnos, Fourni, Oinousses, Psara, Agios Efstratios). Out of the 312, 148 were returned completed. This means a 47.44% response rate. According to the survey results, the overwhelming majority of secondary schools in the North Aegean Region does not have a secretary at the school, and the principal already has several responsibilities, while the big problem is the centralized and bureaucratic nature of the administrative organization model of the educational system, but also of the administration and organization of the school units. The nature of this model makes it incomplete, time-consuming, perfunctory, irrational, inadequate and ineffective, which means that principals and teachers do not have the flexibility to take initiatives that will improve the quality of education and teaching at the school unit they serve according to the needs of students and the local community, and based on the school's connection to the wider society and the changes that are taking place in its environment. Moreover, it was emphasized that this model, in addition to making school units more difficult to operate, also results in a misallocation of staff and consequently increased costs.

School Leaders’ Perceptions on Barriers for Creating Inclusive Intercultural Environments and Potential Generative Ai Benefits

“…In Greece, administrative duty and control lie with the school or, more specifically in the office of the principal or the headteacher, since the vast majority of state schools lack other forms of administrative stuff (Ntalossis & Zarotis, 2019). Despite the countless reforms during the past fifty years, which all aimed to provide state schools with flexibility and autonomy, the Greek system still is the same centralized, underfunded, and underdeveloped system it has always been (Traianou, 2023).…”