1 GfK Custom Research National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSI June 2008 National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational

1

June 2008National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSIGfK Custom Research

National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSIJune 2008


Content

SamplingA

Fieldwork by CountriesB


SamplingA

4


• Sampling design is Stratified Random Sample.

• Stratification by region is done to reflect regional distribution in the population of schools.

• Urban/rural distribution in the sample is proportional to distribution of schools in the

population.

• Inside given cells (region/area) choice of schools is made randomly.

• Schools that are selected for the sample but refused to participate were replaced by

another randomly selected school from the same municipality.

• Sample is drawn through SPSS software, with Complex Samples procedure.

• In BiH sample is disproportional due to specific characteristics of the educational system,

which differs among regions. There is small number of schools with Croatian NP and in

order to include sufficient number of schools with Croatian NP (national group of subjects/

curriculum) proportion in the population was not kept.

Sampling

5


Sample

Country Universe Sample size Regions

Albania 1484 300 4 (North, South, Centre, Tirana)

BiH 612 237 3 (Serbian majority, Bosnian majority, Croatian majority)

Kosovo 523 225 3 (Centre, Southeast, West)

Macedonia 358 200 5 (Skopje, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest)

Montenegro 161 145 Census

Serbia 1209 200 4 (Belgrade, West, East, Vojvodina)


Fieldowork by CountriesB

7


Albania

• Preparations were concluded on time and fieldwork had to be extended with 3 days.

• Problems:

Unwillingness of the schools to participate, without written approval form the

Ministry of Education (District Directorates).

Interviewers were not allowed by the security guards to enter the building of the

school.

Due to low penetration of telephone services, it was not possible to schedule

interviews, interviewers had to go in some cases several times to the schools.

Problems and rejections occurred less often in smaller communities, where people know

each other and are less suspicious.

• How do we solved the problems?

- BIG THANK YOU! to Mr. Musai for his timely intervention.

- Interviewers were instructed to give contacts from the Ministry of Education and District

Directorates to the directors if they would like to check if the survey is really

supported by them.

8


Albania

Rejection

s

Region Urban Rural Reason

North 5 21 Refusing to participate without written letter form the ministry, even though second time were given contacts (just stayed by the rejection)

South 2 6

Centre 15 15

Tirana 9 28

9


Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Preparations and fieldwork were concluded on time.

• Problems:

Regarding scheduling of the interviews

- End of the school year, the directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be

rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at school for the

(re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour for

them to show up.

- directors absent for longer time – excursions, sick leaves.

- In remote areas because of the above mentioned reasons interviewers had to travel

longer distances several times.

Problems regarding wrong telephone numbers, broken telephone lines.

In several cases the directors didn’t know some of the data and asked for help the school

secretary, the school psychologist, teachers.

10



• Generally the interviews were evaluated as interesting, directors were willing to share

opinions and experiences, but also expressed opinion not being sure that all this work will

bring some results.

• Some directors were pointed out by the interviewers as very kind, continued to discuss the

subject and their problems after the end of the interview.

• Some directors expressed the opinion that there is too much politics in the schools -

decisions about school programmes and plans and election of directors (scared about their

own positions). Some being suspicious towards the interviewers, thinking that there is

some hidden goal of this interview.

11



Rejection

s

Region Urban

Rural Reasons

Serbian NP 6 0 Rejection in 3 schoolsDirector absent for longer period in 3 schools

Bosnian NP 2 3 Rejection in 1 school - urbanDirector absent for longer period in 2 schools - 1rural, 1 urban2 schools were part of pilot study and didn’t want to participate again - rural

Croatian NP

1 1 Rejection in 1 school – ruralDirector too busy – urban (interview was scheduled)

12


Kosovo


• Problems:

In few cases, where due to the lack of time directors were unable to make it for the

scheduled appointment.

Lack of contacts for some of the rural settlements – more time needed for recruitment.

In several cases interviewers needed give additional explanations regarding the parenting

services provided by the school authority, as well as a possible misconception about the

parents’ initiatives - Some parenting services were reported to be provided by the school

authorities and when asked about the specific services and the target groups, it turned out

that they are actually done during the regular meetings (each semester) of the class-

teachers with the parents and not as an organized and conventional form of sessions.

• Directors generally were cooperative and very willing to accept the interviewers for the

survey.

• Common observation was that the motivation of the school directors, as well as of the

teachers working in the school were highly correlated with the engagement of the

community in the school activities.• 2 Schools with Goranian minority – interviews conducted in Serbian

13


Kosovo

Region Urban

Rural Reasons

Centre 0 1 Rejection to participate

West 0 3 Director absent for longer period in 1 school2 school closed (less than 10 pupils)

Southeast

0 1 Director absent for longer period

Rejection

s

14


Macedonia


• Problems:


- End of the school year, pre elections period, the directors had more duties than usual -

meetings had to be rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at

school for the (re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour in

front of the offices.

• Few cases of rejection, generally directors were cooperative and very willing to accept

the interviewers for the survey. In rural areas directors seem to be more open for

cooperation than in urban areas.

• Each school received a present – a sponge and a box of chalks. Presents were accepted

well, as a gesture of kindness. In most of the schools the presents were given after the

interviews, so it didn’t have influence on the willingness for cooperation. In the few cases

where it was given before the interview it contributed to a more cooperative atmosphere.

- Presents were especially welcomed in some villages where they had shortage.

15


Macedonia

Region Urban

Rural Reasons

Skopje 4 0 Rejection in 2 schoolsDirector too busy - 1 school

Director absent for longer period

Northwest

2 4 Director absent for longer period in 4 schools, ruralDirector too busy - 2 schools, urban

Southeast 0 0

Southwest

0 1 Not having trust in the survey

Northeast 2 0 Director too busy

Rejection

s

16


Montenegro

• Preparations concluded on time, fieldwork extended with 3 days.

• Problems:


- End of the school year, the directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be

rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at school for the

(re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour for

them to show up.

- Directors absent for longer time – excursions, sick leaves.

- Problems regarding wrong telephone numbers, lack of contacts.

- Hard to reach schools – remote areas, no contacts. In some cases the interviewers

travelled 60km and the director was not available

National holiday which was celebrated 3 days.

• In many cases the directors were unkind and was very hard to schedule interviews.

17


Montenegro

Region Urban

Rural Reasons

Montenegro

1 16 Director too busy - 5 schools (1 urban, 4rural)Wrong number, no number, contact – 12 schools

Rejection

s

18


Serbia

• Preparations concluded on time, fieldwork extended with 3 days.

• Problems:


- End of the school year, pre election/election period, schools were voting centres. The

directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be rescheduled in some

cases several times, directors were not at school for the (re)scheduled

meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour for them to show up.

Exception is Vojvodina where directors who agreed to participate were available at the

scheduled time.

- Directors absent for longer time – excursions, sick leaves, school closed for some

event.

- Hard to reach some of the schools – remote areas, rural areas. In most of the cases

the interviewers travelled to these remote schools in some cases the directors

were interviewed at a regional centre.

- In Vojvodina of great help was the intervention of the OSI team, who trough Teachers

Union helped in making it possible to get in touch with some directors.

- In East Serbia around 70% of the interviews were scheduled thanks to personal

contacts (interviewer knowing the director or being recommended)

19


Serbia

- Difficulties in scheduling interviews also came form the lack of interest form directors’

side.

• In Western region one interview was interrupted by the director in the middle with the

comment that the interview has no sense and signed the questionnaire.

• In many cases directors had difficulties in defining the groups of parents.

• Generally the directors, who agreed to participate were kind and open for cooperation. A

lot of things that was said were not covered with the questionnaire – for instance

explanations why they have problems with parents of problematic children.

20


Serbia

Region Urban

Rural Reasons

Belgrade 9 3 Rejection in 5 schools (3 urban, 2 rural)Director too busy - 7 school (6 urban, 1 rural)

East Serbia

8 3 Rejection in 7 schools (4 urban, 3 rural)Director too busy - 4 school, urban

West Serbia

1 12 Rejection in 4 schools, ruralDirector too busy in 9 school (1 urban, 8 rural)

Vojvodina 7 3 Rejection in 6 schools (3 urban, 3 rural)Director too busy in 4 schools, urban

Rejection

s

21

GfK Custom Research National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSI June 2008

Thank you for your attention!GfK. Growth from Knowledge

Documents

1 GfK Custom Research National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSI June 2008 National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational