Bureaucracy in the Department of Education

Is there a Bureaucracy in Education? What is Bureaucracy anyway? How can a person identify a
bureaucracy? In order to answer those questions, we need to define Bureaucracy first. Bureaucracy refers to
a specialized system and process of maintaining uniformity or authority within an organization. In other
words, it is a complex organization that has multiple layered systems and processes. Its main goal is to
efficiently manage an organization and to keep it intact. According to Max Weber’s bureaucracy theory, to
manage an organization efficiently, it is essential to have a clear line of authority along with proper rules,
procedures, and regulations for controlling each business operation. So, is there a Bureaucracy in education?
Yes, there is. Just like any other institutions, education has an organization that keeps everything in order.
The bureaucracy in the Department of Education (DepEd) is lead by the DepEd Secretary. In the
Philippines, the current DepEd Secretary is Vice President Sara Duterte. She has the authority to mandate
the activities done for the educational system of the country from its budget until its services.

According to Zuzana Skorková on her research on the Effect of Formalization on the Enterprise,
Formalization is represented by the rules, regulations, procedures and other written documents that
organizations create to support and coordinate different and challenging tasks through behavioural
regulation. Formalization is one of the foundations of a bureaucratic organization, in this case, the
Department of Education. Through formalized System, a high number of formally given rules, procedures
and written guidelines are being implemented. One of these formally given rules and guidelines is the RA
7836 also known as the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers. It is a guiding principle for teachers to
show proper behavior around the community at all times. Teachers must serve as exemplary role models for
students. They must establish and maintain a positive reputation not only in the classroom but also in the
community as the way of work is determined by precisely defined rules. Different theorists defines
formalization in different ways. Max Weber himself defined it as a way of regulating activities in an
organization through formal rules in Weber's concept of bureaucracy, there is real authority in regulations.
The power of superiors is precisely defined by regulations. But Organ and Green said that formalization is a
way of controlling individual activities through rules and procedures. On the other hand, Mintzberg claims
that organizations formalize employee behaviour in order to limit their variability and thus better anticipate
and control it. According to him, formalization serves for easier coordination of activities. However, it also
gives other reasons for formalization. These include the need for keeping the things in order. Despite of the
various characterization of formalization by different theorists, it all comes down to a common ground, that
formalization leads to system stability, simplifies coordination and control. Employees know exactly what to
do and how to do it. From a management perspective, it is certainly easier to manage a highly formalized
system than an organization without any official rules.

Everyone in a bureaucracy has a specific job to do. In the Department of Education, the DepEd
Secretary’s job is to provide the Department with economical, efficient and effective services relating to
strategic and operational planning, program development, policy (re)formulation and research coordination
and sector monitoring and evaluation. Also, it is the Secretary’s responsibility to advice the President on
matters related to education and to establish policies and standards for the operation of the Department
pursuant to the approved programs of the Government. The Administrative Service has its own job too, it is
to provide the Department with economical, efficient and effective services relating to personnel,
information, records, delivery and receipt of correspondence, buildings, school furniture, supplies,
equipment, collections, disbursements, security and custodial work. The Financial Management service’s
responsibility is to ensure the efficiency to support the organization as a whole to focus on its core business
and thus attain its targets through the provision of finance services. Formulates a national policy framework
for the operationalization of the Finance services in the Department. Human Resource Development Service
is the one who provides and manages needs-based and demand-driven professional development programs
for the continuing education of the human resources of the Department, which includes providing technical
assistance to the NEAP (National Educators' Academy of the Philippines) in the regions for the same
purpose. Each Services’ responsibilities are important for it plays a specific role that keeps the organization
intact.
 Many hierarchical positions exist in bureaucratic organizational structures. This is essentially the
hallmark and foundation of a bureaucracy. The hierarchy of authority is a system in which different
positions are related in order of precedence and the highest rank on the ladder has the most power. If you
search on the internet the organizational chart of the Department of Education you will see the hierarchy of
the authority from the Office of the Department of Education Secretary down to the Public and Private
Schools.

As what Max Weber stated in his theory, it is essential for a bureaucracy to have a clear line of authority
alongside with proper rules and procedures. In the Department of Education , one of the formal rules and
regulation in a written form is the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers. It has a clear set of principles,
procedures, rules and regulations that guides the teachers in maintaining a good and exemplary character,
not only inside the school but also in the community.

Routine is one of the key elements of a bureaucracy. The bureaucracy’s previous records provide it with
organizational memory, thereby enabling it to follow precedent and standard operating procedures. The
ability to utilize standard operating procedures makes organizations more efficient by decreasing the costs
attached to any given transaction. Hence, following a routine is Vital for the Department of education to
maintain its identity and legally grounded transactions.

The framework of the impersonal bureaucratic environment encourages making decisions based only on
facts and careful consideration. The laws are well-articulated, unambiguous, and uniformly applied to
everyone.

In conclusion, bureaucracy exist anywhere. May it be small or big, formal or informal. As long as there
is a hierarchy of authority or power, that is considered as Bureaucracy, because it is define as a hierarchical
institution with the purpose of creating, implementing, and upholding public policy in a way that is both
effective and fair.
References: Bureaucracy and Organizational Culture PPT
https://openstax.org › introduction-political-science
https://www.britannica.com/
The Effect of Formalization on the Enterprise Research Paper