MEANING AND

SCOPE OF
SCHOOL PLANT
MANAGEMENT
First let’s define “Management”
• The term, ‘management’ has been defined in various ways by different
authors. Griffin (2003) defines it as “a set of functions directed at the efficient
and effective utilization of resources in the pursuit of organizational goals”.
Terry and Franklin (2003) are more specific about the activities involved in the
performance of this function.
• According to them, “Management is a specific process consisting of the
activities of planning, organizing, actuating, and controlling, performed to
determine and accomplish stated objectives with the use of human beings and
other resources.”
• A common idea in these and many other definitions is that
management is goal-directed. These definitions convey the idea that
management involves a series of on-going activities, individuals and
groups working together, use of resources, efficiency and
effectiveness. All these ideas and terms are applicable to the
management of the school plant. School plant management entails
the making and carrying out a series of decisions by individuals and
groups in building school a plant according to need, operating and
using it effectively and efficiently and ensuring that it is in a
functional state as the educational programme is being implemented.
• School plant management involves a number of on-going and related
activities – determining the need for school plants, educational
programme planning, school facility or building design, building
construction, furnishing and equipping the school, school plant
operation, utilization and maintenance and school plant modernization
or renovation if and when the need arises.
• School plant management ensures that school buildings and grounds,
equipment, materials, technical and other service systems, facilitate
and support the provision of education by a school.
• The responsibility for managing the school plant rests with the head
teacher or the school principal. The school head may not be
knowledgeable in some aspects of school plant management such as
school facility design and building construction but his/her inputs,
and, in some cases, the inputs of other school staff during decision
making in these areas may be necessary as it is the principal or head
teacher and the school staff that will make use of the buildings after
their completion.
What is School Plant?

• School plant refers to everything within the school

premises which includes the site, buildings, equipment and
all essential structures, permanent and non- permanent as
well as machines and laboratory equipment and others.
School
Plant
Assessment of Needs
Identify possible construction project issues such as the following:
• school site
• school facility
• program
• student enrolment
• health and safety
• community use/ partnership
Maintenance of school building
• A school maintenance program is an organizational
activity carried out by the school community in order to
prolong the life expectancy of school buildings, its
furniture and equipment.
Maintenance and repairs
• Regular attention
• Good motivation for development
• Annual repairing
• Replacement of broken furniture
Essentials of a school plant site
• Surrounding of school
• Healthy: Trees, calmness
• Free from disturbance and noise
• Should be spacious enough to meet all the
requirements of structure
Essentials of a school plant site
Essentials of a school plant site
•Proper ventilation and lighting
•Provision of following rooms
Classrooms
Principal’s office
Library
 SCHOOL
FURNITURE,
EQUIPMENT AND
OTHER FACILITIES
Good Seating
• The importance of good seating cannot be overlooked
since the school children usually spend significant
part of their time in school in a sitting position.
• Good seating is necessary for comfort and good
posture and is crucial to the proper physical
development of the child.
School Tables
School tables are designed according to its use or function.
Table height
a. There shall be sufficient clearance between the
underside of the tabletop and the seat of the chair to allow
comfortable space for the thighs of the seated person.
b. The tabletop shall be level with the elbows of the
seated person.
• Furniture for storing and displaying materials,
supplies and equipment is as essential as seats and
tables in any school. Commonly use in public
schools for storage and display are bookcases,
cupboards, cabinets, shelves, and divans.
Equipment
Equipment
School Tables
School tables are designed according to its use or function.
Table height
a. There shall be sufficient clearance between the
underside of the tabletop and the seat of the chair to allow
comfortable space for the thighs of the seated person.
b. The tabletop shall be level with the elbows of the
seated person.
Characteristics of a
School Campus
 MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS OF
SCHOOL PLANT
OPERATION
Classrooms
• The school should have sufficient number of class­rooms, depending upon its
strength. Each classroom should be spacious. Care should be taken that there is
no over-crowding in the classrooms. A pupil requires a minimum of ten square
feet ground area, to sit in the room without suffocation. So, for a classroom of
50 to 60 students, we require about 500 sq. ft. of floor.
• The class-rooms should be well-ventilated. There should be adequate light in
the classrooms.
Staff Room
• Every school building should have a staff-room. In the
room, the teachers can sit in their free period. They may do
correction work or prepare their lesson. A lavatory should
be attached to it. If the class is co-educational, there should
be separate lavatories for the male and female staff.
Headmaster Office
• There should be headmaster’s office near the staff
room and the school office. The headmaster may sit
in his office and attend to the various programs and
plans etc.
Auditorium
• A good school must have an auditorium. This is essential
to organize various school functions like dramas debates,
extension lectures, etc. It is a place to hold assembly of
students for a purpose. Though An auditorium costs much,
but the amount spent on it is well spent.
Toilets
• In a school, there should be separate toilets for the
students. They should not be allowed to urinate anywhere
in the school. In a co-educational school, there should be
separate toilets for boys and girls. Toilets should be
adequate in number, depending upon the strength of the
school. There should be flush latrines.
Playgrounds
• It is impossible to think of a good school without
grounds. There should be spacious playgrounds so
almost all the students can play there. These
playgrounds should be well maintained.
Canteen
• Every school should have a good canteen which neat
and tidy. It should have certain fresh and nourishing
eatables. In the absence of such a canteen, the
children rush to certain canteen for stale eatables.
Equipment
• More important than the building is the equipment schools.
Class rooms should be well-equipped. Sea blackboards etc.
should be suitable. There should be number of audiovisual
aids. There should be enough equipment in the laboratory,
etc. Sports materials should also be sufficient.
THANK YOU! 