An analytical study of educational administration in Malta

Abstract

In Malta, the British left behind on independence, a system of administration adapted from the British Civil Service to suit the needs of colonial administration. The two systems were based on the same values. The view of personnel management implicit in this system was the "Establishment" model, which was almost wholly mechanical, concerned with numbers and "head-count", meticulous record-keeping and ensuring consistency of treatment for civil servants through highly regulated and centralized “schemes of service". Because of the relative stability of the system, these essentially bureaucratic notions did not carry any negative connotation that might be ascribed to them today. In addition to this, there was also the (some would say peculiarly British) view that specialist attention to personnel issues was unnecessary, even undesirable, because it cut across the notion of "amateur pragmatism" which implied that a "good chap" could apply his administrative skills to good effect in many different areas of work. This is called amateur pragmatism. This reluctance to specialize has been one of the values held in the "time warp", but it has had a particular effect on the organization and structure of the personnel function in the public sector, namely that the personnel role is often combined with other disparate and peripheral roles, emphasizing its continued marginalization from the real decision-making process. Whilst initially this broad-ranging role may appear to be influential on the basis of having fingers in many pies this is our view, an illusion. If it is believed that the clerk of works role is all that is required from the personnel function then, of course. there is no reason why other administrative functions should not be added in if the function is not contributing to policy-making. then it may as well provide a broad-based administrative service. If, however, one wishes the personnel function to perform a broader role. i.e. move towards the architect role in having the function ensure that manpower considerations are ta.ke11 into account when formulating organizational objectives and plans. then the current arrangement is unsatisfactory on two counts. First, the time spent on routine non-personnel administration needs to be spent on more strategic personnel matters. Secondly, the skills required for the two roles are quite different. With the current arrangement it is unlikely that one person can combine all the skills required to control the various functions – in all likelihood he or she will favour one aspect of the role. based on his or her own individual preferences and specific skills/training and, perhaps subconsciously. give emphasis to that. The only real way in which these roles can be combined is by concentrating on routine administration, keeping the records straight and ensuring that established procedures are adhered to. The architect role. however. requires skills of a different order - the ability to analyse a complex reality and offer policy changes to improve the contribution of human resources and also, the social skills necessary to sell solutions to often sceptical managers. The Maltese public administration and Education Administration in particular, is no exception, and it had to wriggle through these misconceptions and it is no wonder that as late as 1937, the then Director of Education. had to admit that rock bottom had been reached. It had to be the strong determination of an able administration to realise that first. one had to tackle and reform an antiquated administrator not suited to our natural set up if one were to place education on a strong foundation.