Devolution
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Unchanged governance structures and classic responses of 'more of the same' are inappropriate to this intricate policy environment, since: highly centralized, rule-bound, and inflexible organizations that emphasize process rather than results impede good performance.
(OECD, 1995, p. 7).
Used as a catch-all term for the granting of greater decision-making authority and autonomy: a) by central management bodies to line departments and agencies; b) by departments and agencies to their subordinate bodies; c) within departments and agencies to lower levels of management and to regional/local offices of central government; and d) by central government to lower levels of government.
(OECD, 1995).
Devolution has been referred to as "the pooling of powers from central government to government at regional or local level [with devolved] power s [that are].temporary and ultimately reside in central government" (Wikipedia encyclopedia). Often times, devolution is used synonomously and interchanged with decentralization in relation to governance. In examining issues of governance, it is important that we clarify these terms. Moreover, the decentralization/centralization debate is one that is consistently present in discussions of governance and management in education, where devolution is a related term. These discussions typically assume that the meanings of the terminology are self-explanatory and apparent. However, it is worth defining devolution given the multiple ways in which it is used by all levels of governments, as well as world policy organizations, such as OECD, UNESCO, World Bank, and supranational organizations, such as the European Union. Devolution is used in a wide variety of contexts and is important to focus on and engage in its varied meanings in relation to governance. Devolution is a multifaceted term that has also been referred to in relation to different "types," where there are also additional meanings, including primarily devolution of financial, political, market, and administrative terms (http://www.ciesin.org/decentralization/SB_entry.html). There is an extensive dialogue surrounding devolution that becomes reduced by the nature of "camping" it into concrete definitions. Nonetheless, I would like to suggest two main, different ways that devolution can be broadly defined: One relating to democratic notions of devolution and secondly, public management notions of devolution.
Devolution has been traditionally thought of as related to increased autonomy and democratic power. It signals increased powers from a central authority to local levels, where there is an increase in participatory democracy. The United Nations Development Program writes that devolution "concerns the processes by which people and their institutions are empowered throughout an entire societal system whether at the global, national, local or household level. The greater the extent to which people are involved in decision-making, management and service delivery at all levels, the greater the potential for effective, sustainable and equitable development" (http://www.undp.org/governance/decentralization.htm). Ferrer (2000) and Hanson (1989; 1998; 2000) have been two primary academic figures that have written about devolution in this way in their work on educational governance and minority representation in education.
Devolution can also relate to public management in educational governance. The OECD uses the term devolution in a specific way to align and outline governance directly with public management. In this sense, devolution is associated with increased responsibilities given to the local level to increase flexibility, accountability, and transparency. For example, in a 1995 report by OECD, they discuss devolution as ultimately "entail[ing] strengthening capacities at local level.[with] the full benefits of greater flexibility.not [to] be realized unless the empowerment of managers filters downwards and upwards" (p. 84). Devolution in alignment with public management reinforces the consumerist notion that increased powers and responsibilities given to the local levels will increase responsiveness to the consumers (which in education, relate to students, parents, communities, etc).
The Asian Resource Center for Decentralization: http://www.decentralization.ws/
World Bank online resource for decentralization: http://www.ciesin.org/decentralization/SB_entry.html
Ferrer, F. (2000). Languages, minorities and education in Spain : the case of Catalonia . Comparative Education, 46(2) 187-197.
Hanson, M. (1989). Education, administrative development and democracy in Spain . Educational Development, 9(2) . 127-138.
Hanson, M. (1998). Strategies of educational decentralization: key questions and core issues. Journal of Educational Administration, 36(2). 111-128.
Hanson, M. (2000). Democratization and educational decentralization in Spain : A twenty year struggle for reform Education Reform and Management Publication Series, 1(3) [Electronic version]. 1-62.
OECD (1995) report: Governance in Transition: Public Management Reforms in OECD countries
Contributed by Laura Engels
