Organizing, planning, supervision,
evaluating, personnel administration, budgeting and accounting. These are
concisely explained below:
Organizing
is the function most closely associated
with the school administrator.
·
The Principal or
Chief Administrator of Vocational Education organizes the
school in order to effectively carryout state and federal policies as
they relate his institution.
·
The federal
government and its agencies such as the National Board for Technical Education
(NBTE), the State Ministry of Education, the State Schools Board, Local Government Councils and Board of Government of Vocational Technical Schools, all initiate policies which the school
administrator has to implementation .
·
The Principal of
a technical vocational college is responsible for the day to day operation of
the school under his care the major purpose of any voc-tech college is the
vocational preparation of youths for gainful employment (self or public).
Courses should be so arranged that each student is able to specialize in a
vocational areas. Moreover, students should use the same types of tools, and
equipment that are normally used in their occupational area (sec Prosser 1940)
and should ungraduation, attain a level of skill and knowledge that will enable
them operate effectively in the occupation. Efforts should be made by the
principal to ensure that the teachers posted to the college are the ones that
the college needs and can make use of. General
education and university preparatory courses should be
taught, but they are of secondary importance to the primary. Purpose of
preparing youths for job entry. Subjects such as mathematics, Social Studies
and Integrated Science provide good general education background as well as
skills while not being vocational,
but are of related value.
Fig
I on page 4, shows a typical organizational
structure of a technical vocational college with principal
at the apex of the chart. The
Vice Principal functions as the deans of studies, among other defined duties.
The principal is more likely to handle primarily external matters especially
the relationship of the school with state government, the Ministry of
Education, the State School Management Board,
Education Service Commission, the Board of Governors, the
Zonal Education Office and the
Local Government Authority.
·
The Principal has
the responsibility of ensuring that all necessary returns are made to
government. He/she is also frequently, involved in all financial matters
especially the collection of fees (if still in operation), procurement of
equipment and materials, the calculation of entitlements and salaries of staff,
and accounting for all monies collected from students and authorized sources or
received from the government.
·
The Vice-Principal
is often directly involved in promoting discipline on the school compound and ensuring that the
schools are smoothly carried out. In
many matters, students and teachers deal directly with the Vice Principal who features as the dean of studies. In the absence of the principal the vice-principal usually overseas the affairs of the
school. Where the voc-technical institution is large with
various departments, duties are shared with
V.P Administrators, VP academic
and VP general duties for good management and effectiveness. Inspite of the organization structure teachers may report directly to the principal
in some matters, to Vice Principal in
other matters and dean of academic
studies in other related
matters.
The dean of studies,
usually the third in rank in the school is concerned mostly with
academic studies matters sub matters
include ensuring that courses are taught
and that the general atmosphere necessary for effective academic work and vocational training prevails. He may be responsible for time
- keeping , provision of
teaching materials such as chalk,
supervision of teaching and other
related matters.
Heads of Department (HOD) are
usually in charge of vocational areas such as electrical electronics
instruction, metal works/welding,
automechanic work, building construction, and sometimes radio and television
technology. The HOD’s are expected to see to the smooth operation of their
respective departments and ensure that
tools and equipment are in good working
condition and are used according to regulations. Where equipment need to
be serviced or repaired, request for money is usually taken up with the
principal.
The organization of a junior secondary school or
senior secondary school, offering courses such as introductory i.e basic
technology, technical drawing , metalwork, typewriting, and home economics is similar to that of
technical colleges except that broad areas such as technical business and Home
Economics from departments rather than individual subject areas like woodwork
and metalwork.
However, in large secondary schools where enrollments is large and where several
workshops for woodworks, metalwork and introductory ie basic technology exists
separate department for those subjects
might be necessary. In both vocation-
technical colleges and secondary schools, the principal is usually not
responsible for finally decision on classroom and laboratories and the
purchase of new equipment. Such necessities have to be taken up with the
appropriate government body which will
make money available to the
principal made sufficient strong for the requirements of the institution.