Improving the Efficiency of Secondary School System in Egypt Using Six Sigma Approach

Research Abstract

Improving the Efficiency of Secondary School System in Egypt Using Six Sigma Approach. A Dissertation Submitted to Obtain Master's Degree in Education (Educational Administration) By Manar Mohammed Gaber Demonstrator in the Department Supervised by Prof.Dr Mohammed Abd El-Hammed Mohamed Professor of Comparative Education and Educational Administration and the Dean of Faculty of Education, Bani- Sweif University Prof.Dr Osama Mahmoud Korany Associated Professor of Educational Administration Faculty of Education, Bani- Sweif University 1431HD-2010AD Summary Introduction The Stage of secondary education considers one of the most important education stages, in which the young generation are being prepared and guided to interact with the whole world around them. Also, it considers the final stage of education for most of people; hence, it’s a direct relation with the requirements of the society and labor market. That requires a special attention to the system of this stage, especially, the management of the secondary schools. Nowadays, lots of modern administrative ways and techniques have appeared, as they work on improving the performance of the school management to raise its efficiency and increasing its productivity, and make it capable of harmonizing with the contemporary global changes. These Approaches include: Management by Objectives, Self- Management, Total Quality Management, Re- Engineering and Six Sigma. In fact, the six sigma approach works on improving the work system as a whole via concentrating on the processes and avoiding mistakes. Problem of the study One of the priorities which the government should give a huge attention is improving the educational system efficiency and the education available via its institutions, in order to increase the knowledge and efficiencies which the graduate gains and to a bridge the gap between the achieved results of the general secondary schools and the desired results. Although, the trials of improving the educational system in order to harmonies and infuse within the knowledge society and cope with the scientific and technological revolutions, the general secondary school system suffers from the decline of its efficiency, because of the system of management and the managerial approaches which used to improve and activate the elements of the educational system. In spite of the fact that making many changes, but these changes don’t depend on an integrated administrative approach which allows working effectively in a manner help in solving its problems, and helps it to perform its roles. What assure the necessity of developing the general secondary school system to overcome its weakness and satisfies the requirements of the society. Thus, the problem of the study can be formed in the following main question: "How can the efficiency of secondary school system in Egypt be improved using six sigma approach? This question is branching out the following questions: 1. What is six sigma approach, and the possibility of applying it in improving the general secondary school system in Egypt? 2. What is the general secondary school system and the techniques of improving its efficiency? 3. What is the quantitative and qualities status quo of the general secondary school system in Egypt? 4. What is the suggestive perspective of using six sigma in improving the efficiency of general secondary school system in Egypt? The Objectives of Study: This study aims at using one of the modern administrative approaches to raise the efficiency of general secondary school system in Egypt, in order to reach a new framework of the secondary school, to achieve the most possible productivity based on this framework. Thus, to achieve these objectives, it requires the following: 1. To know six sigma approach that can be used in improving the efficiency of general secondary school system in Egypt. 2. To know the dimensions of educational efficiency and understand the nature of general secondary school system in Egypt and the social changes effects on it. 3. To explore the status quo of the general secondary school efficiency in Egypt. 4. To present a suggestive perspective for using six sigma approach in developing the efficiency of general secondary school system in Egypt. The Significance of the study: The Significance of the current study presented in the following: 1. It gives the decision makers of general secondary schools a general framework to achieve an extraordinary general secondary education. 2. It depends on studying the reality of a serious problem which stresses the whole society. Also, it tries to show the weakness of schools in harmonizing with the accelerated progress of the global change and scientific knowledge. 3. It comes with some exerted trials and efforts of developing the education generally, and secondary education especially, to promote its quality using six sigma approach. 4. It activates the role of scholastic administration in achieving the objectives at the most efficient degree, with the minimum degree of time and effort. Hence, the administration takes its right position in our structure, as the scientific administration becomes the first requirements of the desired updating. 5. It presents a suggestive perspective based on studies, dissertations and scientific visions, useful for developing the structure and core of secondary education, what helps in improving the level of its efficiency. Thus, development reaches the whole sides of the educational system. The Methodology of the study: The "Descriptive Research Methodologies” is used to review Six Sigma approach, its characteristics and requirements. As well as, to describe and analysis the efficiency of the general secondary school system. Also to analysis the efforts exerted to develop the general secondary school system. That’s besides, the "System Analysis Approach" which deal with topics via an integrated system in which the all relations are shown clearly, also, it used SWOT Analysis to identify the status quo of the general school system. The Tools of the Study: A closed questionnaire to survey a group of educational and field experts’ opinion and supervisors of the general secondary education about the primary suggested perspective to improve the efficiency of the general secondary school in Egypt using Six Sigma Approach. The Limits of the Study: 1- Thematic: The current study focuses on the stage of general secondary education in Egypt as it suffers from defects in its systemic issues, and it focuses on six sigma approach to use it in improving the efficiency of secondary school system in Egypt through a great degree of quality and the fewest possible cost, and with a ratio of success (99.99%) that satisfies most of the society. 2- Time: from May 2008 till March 2010. 3- Human: A group of educational and field experts and supervisors of the general secondary education. The Steps of the Study. The steps of the study unfold as follows: 1. The framework of the study: it includes the study introduction, problem, objectives, significance, previous researches, methodology, scope, and its steps. 2. The theoretical framework that includes six sigma approach, its concept, its relation with other administrative approaches, the stages of applying it, the tools and statistics used in it, and the individuals who perform it, and how to use it in improving the efficiency of general secondary school system in Egypt. 3. The analysis of general secondary school system in Egypt and the means by which its efficiency is measured, and the indicators of decline and the techniques of increasing it. 4. The analysis of the quantitative and quality status quo of the general secondary school system in Egypt and the problems related to it, also, the social and global changes it faces. 5. Executing the field study to determine to what extend Six Sigma Approach is suitable for improving the efficiency of the general secondary schools. Also to know the requirements needed and the obstacles faced when applying this approach. 6. Proposing the suggestive perspective for improving the efficiency of general secondary school system in Egypt using Six Sigma Approach in the light of what the theoretical and field study reached, then presenting some recommendations and suggestions. The Results of the Study: The study concludes to the possibility of applying Six Sigma Approach in the general secondary schools what achieves the most possible level of quality and efficiency in performance inside it. That can be achieved via applying Six Sigma approach on some activities in the general secondary schools in Egypt, such as shaping the vision and mission of the school, dividing the time of the class according to the school day, dealing actively with the students, developing the initiatives of the student to analysis the problems of the society via analysis and measuring. Also, teachers would be able to turning from one educational strategy to another in case of the first strategy has been failed, that's beside the necessity of studying the possibilities and resources available inside the school, and clarifying tasks using pictures and diagrams. In order to apply the six sigma approach successfully, some studies should be done in order to determine the characteristics of the secondary schools’ graduates according to the visions of the higher education institutions. Also, studying the materialistic, human and financial possibilities inside the schools, represented in exerting to put the mechanisms of performance development inside the general secondary schools in Egypt. Also, concerning with spreading the culture of the Six Sigma approach inside the schools, and assuring that the workers inside the school know well the managerial process which occurs in it, and applying the measurement tools in the light of customer requirements, and the workers participate in designing the measurement tools with the help of an expert or a councilor if they need so, and improving performing tasks in the light of peer reviews revision. Applying process is performed on different stages, what helps in improving the general secondary schools’ graduates to be able to harmonize with the contemporary global progress. The Suggested Studies and Researches: In the light of the current study, the following studies and researches are suggested: 1- A suggested perspective of developing the pre- higher education using Six Sigma approach. 2- Improving the Faculty of Industrial Education Management in the light of the six sigma approach. 3- Developing the special centers of the universities in the Egyptian universities using the six sigma approach. 4- Using six sigma approach in improving the managerial and teaching process in higher education. 5- Re- newing the organizational structure of the Egyptian universities in the light six sigma approach. 6- The role of six sigma approach in developing education and raising the level of performance.

Research Keywords

Improving the Efficiency of Secondary School System in Egypt Using Six Sigma Approach