To be a branch manager in a local educational directorate: Occupational problems and solutions

Abstract

This study examines the occupational problems of educational branch managers in local educational directorates as well as their expectations and suggestions on these problems. The study aims to reveal the problems of the branch managers regarding their occupational rights, assignments and duty place changes, roles and status, and their rise in their career steps based on the participants’ opinions and suggestions. In the study, a phenomenological model was used, and qualitative data was collected via standardized open-ended interviews. The working group, determined by snow ball sampling, was composed of 61 branch managers working in 30 different provinces and seven different regions across Turkey. The findings of the study revealed that the branch managers working in local directorates think that their salaries are lower than other educational managerial positions; their workload is quite heavy; they don’t have enough authority, although they have too many responsibilities. The participants also made suggestions for increasing branch managers’ salaries and wages by granting seniority, authority and special service compensation; raising additional indicators for retirement; and having more in-service, postgraduate and doctoral training opportunities. More than 2000 branch managers work in local educational directorates in Turkey however no scientific research about the problems of this local staff has been carried out so far. This study is likely to be the first specific research entirely carried out for local educational branch managers. By means of the study, it is also expected that the occupational problems of this managerial position will be better noticed in local educational management system.