Abstract

This paper provides a modest contribution to understanding how Fayol's principles can be contextualised and applied in the administration of school systems in Tanzania and beyond. A qualitative approach is adopted to review journal articles that analyse Fayol's 14 principles and compares their suitability to the current management of school systems in Tanzania. A descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the typical structure and operations of school systems in Tanzania in line with Fayol's principles. Fayol's principles are reviewed and analysed to conceptualise them in school management and administration. While the literature and anecdote on Fayol's principles on the administration of business and industrial systems are clear, its contextualisation in the administration of school systems is rare, particularly in Tanzania. Therefore, the match of Fayol's principles was evaluated concerning the management of the education system as articulated in educational policies, educational sector reports and government circulars. Document analysis reveals that Fayol's 14 principles work better in a decentralised schooling system than in centralised authorities and procedures. There is a high linkage in the usability of Fayol's 14 principles in Tanzania's schooling systems concerning the decentralisation of primary and secondary education management to the local level context. This paper recommends further studies to explore the existing structures and administration of the education sector at different levels of schooling. Further review and analysis of Henry Fayol's administrative principles are recommended using different research approaches and designs.

Key words: Fayol's principles, school administration, education structure, Education policies, Tanzania.