The Primary School Administration with Excellent Practice According to Philosophy of Sufficiency under the Office of the Basic Education Commission in the Provincial Area in Responsibility of the Regional Education Office No.11: Multiple Case Studies

Abstract

          The purposes of this research were to examine the phenomenon of the administrative characteristics of primary school with performance excellence based on the principles of sufficiency economy philosophy (PSEP). A purposive sampling was employed to enlist three schools with excellent performance of administration in three participating areas under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) in the Regional Education Office No.11 (REO 11). The data were collected through in-depth interview, observation and written records, document analysis, and a focus group discussion of key school personnel and stakeholders. Triangulation was employed to confirm reliability and validation of data drawn from different types of data sources.

          The findings were as follows:

                   The primary school administration with excellent performance based on the PSEP consisted of 5 aspects with 17 sub-components:

1. Educational administration management aspect comprised four sub-components: 1) Policy; 2) Academic; 3) Budgeting; and4) General administration. School strengthened school-community relations to enhance students’ well-being, which was a starting point for building students’ sufficiency.
2. Teaching and learning management aspect comprised four components: 1) Learning units, 2) Learning management, 3) Materials and learning resources, and 4) Learning measurement and evaluation were perceived as relevant to learning development for learning activity management imbedded in the PSEP.
3. Learner development activities consisted of three sub-components: 1) guidance activities, 2) student activities, school organized the projects for promoting students’ participation, and 3) activities for society and public benefits.
4. Personnel development comprised of two sub-components: 1) personnel development promotion, and 2) follow-up and expansion were done through operational monitoring process. All personnel were informed with accurate information about professional development activities based on the PSEP.
5. The outcomes comprised of four sub-components: 1) school focused on continuous development of work process, 2) school administrators had knowledge, understanding, and were role models in both lives and work, 3) personnel had knowledge, understanding and were role models, and 4) learners obtained knowledge and understanding to apply the PSEP as a guideline for future career and everyday life practice.