Organising a school curriculum for implementation might first demand effective planning, which in turn may require that effective delivery structures and resources be put in place to achieve and respond to the demands of curriculum change. The objective model (also referred to as the sequential, rational or behavioral model), which was developed by Gregorio (2006:29), conceptualises curriculum organisation at the school level as a sequential process or one with stages of implementation. The objective model is functional by starting with both the general and specific objectives, and then selecting and organising the teaching and learning experiences or subjects.
Organising curriculum change in a school may require putting all the resources in order by systematising operational management tasks. It requires categorising management functions and obligations, classifying roles of school management teams, and making effective plans for effective delivery of institutional management tasks. Organising curriculum change in the school also demands co-ordinating and implementing strategic frameworks that are planned for institutional development (Gregorio 2006:29). The basic schools in Mongu Township can
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be described not only as institutions of teaching and learning but also as organisations that undergo organisational and structural changes. Functionally, the basic schools in Mongu Township are no exception to all of the aspects of the organisational or structural changes as discussed below. Importantly, care must be taken by the basic school managers in Mongu Township to consider the pertinent issues which are significant to their management roles. The management roles for the basic school managers are related to areas of providing a suitable organisational structure for bringing about curriculum change in their basic schools.
Schools are organisations that experience diverse changes requiring making decisions. Decision-making, as a process, is dependent on the organisational structure of a school. The organisational structure of the school is essential for the implementation of school management policies. The organisational structure comprises the pattern of relationships amongst position holders in the organisation where division of work and co-ordinations of activities to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization are set and in which the vision is shared among members of the organisation. This is where the school tasks and responsibilities, work roles and relationships and channels of communication are all defined and structured (Blandford 1997:64, 44).
Under planning curriculum change, as discussed in paragraph 2.7.1 above, the organisational roles of the various management levels in planning curriculum change are essential. These are essential organisational roles in the successful delivery of change. CACC (2002a:8) suggests three further levels of managing and organising curriculum change in a school: individual,
group and organisational levels. Organising curriculum change at the school level will require
that a class teacher, a senior teacher, the deputy head teacher and the head teacher as individuals take up their respective roles and responsibilities to put the institutional goals in place. Additionally, each individual change agent at his or her own level will be required to effectively implement his/her job description. A subject or class teacher has a tough role to not only organise but also to effectively manage his/her subject. The school is a professional community that comprises a number of professional individuals and groups with a common instructional goal in managing curriculum change.
Reeves (2009:26) believes that organising institutional change at a school level requires executing effective strategic planning, quality improvement, technological implementation or putting other systemic changes in place for the organisation to thrive. Once one decides to
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embark on organisational change, it is imperative that change initiatives are focused on those areas that will have the greatest effect on learner’s achievements in the school (Reeves 2006: 100). Change processes at a school level need to be organised in such a systemic way by using or adapting the school structure for delivering desired changes. Lines of responsibility and job allocations as well as job descriptions relating to curriculum change need to be clearly spelt out for the various ranks to operate and function satisfactorily.
Organising curriculum change at a school level is closely related to managing organisational change. For Schollaert and Leenheer (2006:24):
…managing organisational change is actually learning not only the desired competencies, but also swapping the old beliefs for the new ones in which acquiring new competencies and constructing new meaningful knowledge exits; for this, one should not expect a monolithic implementation of change within the organisation.
If a particular change has to occur and get implemented by the critical mass of the teaching staff, one needs to tackle the challenges of the school with the staff by using the basic tenets of a learning and leading team (Cunningham & Cordeiro 2009:64; Schollaert & Leenheer 2006:24). Schollaert and Leenheer (2006:24) believe that the success of the learning and leading team at a school level depends on three factors: (a) the competencies and qualities of the team members should be sound, meaning that the team members should have expertise in or affinity with the topic of the change, (b) the composition of the team/leadership (change agents) should be complementary, and (c) that the team members should have a shared passion (vision). They must be representative of the group and the empowerment of the team should bear a common goal and compelling direction, enabling structure, moral support, and building trust with expert coaching (Schollaert and Leenheer 2006:24).
Organising change agents to implement curriculum change is an important factor in successful management of change. Organising also entails that the school staff obtains the required competencies, the required management and team structures in place and the qualities required for effecting change. The basic school managers in Mongu Township in Zambia can fall back on these discussed issues above pertaining to the effective organisation of curriculum change. Adherence to these organisational principles will make the basic school managers achieve the desirable organisational goals. Schollaert and Leenheer (2006:59) attest that “successful
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organisational change is not achieved by pulling some random instruments out of the hat.” The solutions to the problems and challenges that the schools are facing depend on the school management’s efforts and skills to organise curriculum change. Thus, the strategy chosen to solve the problems and challenges should match with the type of change envisaged and the context in which it is taking place. Sustainable improvement in a basic school can only be achieved by steadily working on the multitude of factors involved in the organisation of curriculum change (Pryor & Pryor 2005:7-8; Schollaert & Leenheer 2006:59).
Schools, as organisations, can adapt to environmental and cultural shifts, change strategies and can be a source of innovative services and resources, and can create an atmosphere of excitement and engagement with regard to change (Reeves 2009: 35). In a basic school, like the basic schools in Mongu Township in Zambia, as far as structural interventions and reorganisations are concerned, change agents can favour the decentralised decision-making that result in organisational benefits and if supported, can improve effective communication skills, and can improve employee relationships and greater organisational autonomy to promote change (CACC 2002b:5-6). In view of organising curriculum change, the introduction of new values in schools requires that change agents support less management control, have increased tolerance for risk and conflict and create effective communication channels for effective management of the school’s activities (CACC 2002b:5-6). It is thus advisable that managers also keep these matters in mind when organising curriculum change.
The next paragraph, 2.5.3, looks at how leading curriculum change can be implemented at a basic school level to yield tangible and discernible organisational achievements and results.