In 2004, a new form of inspection was introduced to post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. It represented a complete change from the previous light touch pattern and reflected the New Public Management approach to policymaking and implementation then becoming fashionable in the jurisdiction. Around the same time, a new policy for…

During period 1919-39 through rather passive and uncontroversial means under the banner of cooperative federalism the Commonwealth instituted some major and long-lasting school educational policy. During this period it was generally acknowledged that the Commonwealth should eschew involvement in school education, yet, the politics of the time,…

Radical economic policy change from the 1950s had major implications for Irish education which had traditionally drawn its values and orientation from Catholicism and cultural nationalism. While change to the economically-related administrative structures were bold and innovative, responses in the sphere of education were less so. This article…

The emergence of a vibrant literary, culture and arts scene promotes Singapore's claims as a hub for arts and culture in the Asian region, and as a global arts city by the 21st century. The richness and variety of Singapore literature from the early post-colonial years are evident in the evolution of a Singapore literary culture. The diaspora of…

As part of Malaysia's aspirations to achieve developed nation status by 2020, and become a key player in the global economy, the government has sought to improve the English language proficiency of its citizens while maintaining the status and significance of the Malay Language as the national language. Recent strategies have involved…

This paper offers an analysis of the development and implementation of the policy to teach Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) in Malaysian primary schools, commencing in 2003, in the context of the 2009 reversal of the policy. The original study focused particularly on the impact of the policy on the children of the Federal Land…

This paper details how educational policy is developed in an educational authority in a political environment of a hung parliament. The paper begins by looking briefly at the difficulties facing educational policy rollout in Tasmania during the years 2000-2011, and then details how an educational policy dealing with school closures was reshaped in…

Between 1937 and 1952 three differing philosophies for the reform of NSW schooling found expression in three successive ministers for education. David Drummond, the Country Party minister during the Great Depression, wanted to extend the well-established democratic principle of equality of opportunity and the formation of character. He emphasised…

This issue is devoted to the publication of a doctoral thesis by Dr. David McKenzie, one of New Zealand's leading educational historians. The research in this essay was completed over 30 years ago. Inevitably, the standpoint from which it was written has altered with the passage of time. No one then, for example, could have predicted the strength…

The Seychelles, one of Britain's more remote Indian Ocean colonies, long suffered a totally inadequate system of schooling based mainly on the Roman Catholic mission. This article traces how education policy was challenged in the 1930s and changed in the 1940s. Emphasis is placed on the decisive role of the colonial governor in initiating and…

Clive Whitehead (2005: 315-329) makes an indisputable claim that British colonial education is a controversial topic in the history of education. The macro study of educational systems undertaken within a framework that guarantees a systematic and rigorous approach can offer answers to many disputed issues, but researchers should not underestimate…

This paper locates contemporary issues in teacher education in the Republic of Ireland within the broad context of historical developments. The paper is in six parts. It opens with an exposition on the emergence of teacher training in pre Independent Ireland which considers teachers' working conditions, the management structure of schools, and the…

The historical development of teacher education in New Zealand manifests several major contradictions and tensions. One if these involves two conflicting models of teacher education that have historically struggled for dominance. The first model holds teaching to be an essentially practical craft involving classroom management, whilst the second…

This paper examines the rationale for ethnic schooling in former British colonial territories in East Africa and Southeast Asia. Critics, especially of British rule in Malaya and Singapore, have traditionally claimed that ethnic schools were established as part of a British political strategy of "divide et impera". An examination the…

The view that values play a crucial role in how principals conceptualise and interpret school leadership is not new. However, very little of the research underpinning this view has been conducted in developing countries. Drawing on qualitative case study research into how principals in Jamaica conceptualise school leadership, this paper explores…