Running head: DECENTRALIZED ECONOMY IMPLICATIONS 1

Decentralized Economy Implications

Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Decentralized economy implications

Decentralization refers to the transfer of power from the national government to lower

administrative levels such as provinces. When power resides in the central authority, populations

at the community level receive plans that are not necessarily tailored for their unique needs.

General policies are applied to all communities and organizations (Kisumbe, Sanga & Kasubi,

2014). According to Eskeland & Filmer, 2007, decentralization in the education sector refers to

the migration of the management of schools to private entities or communities. Education

decentralization leads to improved schools’ autonomy and better schools’ performance (Eskeland

& Filmer, 2007).

Eskeland & Filmer (2007) posit that, in a decentralized system, the power of making

important educational decisions is given to local communities, school officials, headteachers,

students, and parents. Decentralization in education results in enhanced schools’ autonomy.

Schools make decisions that suit their unique situations (Eskeland & Filmer, 2007). Policies that

come from central ministers do not work for many institutions of education. For instance,

decisions regarding the deadline for the payment of fees are hard to implement in schools located

in poor rural settings. As such, headteachers need autonomy to decide on the appropriate

deadline depending on the economic situation of their parents (Kisumbe, Sanga & Kasubi, 2014).

According to Kisumbe, Sanga & Kasubi (2014), decentralization in education leads to

increased competition in performance. Giving the stakeholders of schools the power to decide

what best suits their situation increases efficiency. For instance, in some areas, students prefer to

do their lessons early in the morning and rest in the afternoon. Schools located in the tropics

experience extreme weather conditions that make learning uncomfortable during particular times

(Kisumbe, Sanga & Kasubi, 2014). Some regions are too hot in the afternoon, and learners
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cannot concentrate optimally. In such schools, students would rather wake up early in the

morning and start their classes. Therefore, following the timetable issued by the central

government does not work for some institutions. Therefore, the academic performance of

students improves due to a better learning environment (Eskeland & Filmer, 2007).

The above arguments underscore the importance of decentralization in the education

sector. As stated above, giving the stakeholders of schools the mandate of making crucial

decisions leads to improved school autonomy and better performance. Schools tailor policies to

suit their unique needs hence an enhanced learning environment for better academic

performance. Again, the stakeholders of schools get autonomy that results in better school

management.
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References

Eskeland, G. S., & Filmer, D. (2007). Autonomy, participation, and learning: Findings from

Argentine Schools, and implications for decentralization. Education Economics, 15(1),

103-127.

Kisumbe, L., Sanga, D., & Kasubi, J. W. (2014). More than a decade of decentralization in

Tanzania: Its implications on Pro-poor service delivery. The case of primary education

and health services. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 4(12),

1-8.