Empowering Schools, Engaging Communities: School Principals’ Experiences of Educational Decentralization in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This study explores the effects of educational decentralization in Punjab, Pakistan, through the perspective of public-school principals in the Sheikhupura district. This study explores decentralization of education in Punjab, Pakistan, and its impact on school governance and education. Despite the reforms of 18 constitutional amendments, challenges like limitation of resources, weak accountability, and administrative isssues still there, which affect the school education system. The study explore these issues from the perspective of a public school principal in the district of Sheikhupura of Punjab, Pakistan. A qualitative approach has been used in which semi-structured interviews with 20 public school principals in the district of Sheikhpura were conducted. Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis using Principal Agent theory and Resource dependency Theory. The results show increased local decision-making and community engagement, but there were still problems with bureaucratic inadequacies, inadequate access to resources, limited financial autonomy, and an unclear authority system. Transparent accountability, equal resource distribution, a capacity-building program, and governance reforms are recommended to improve the outcomes of the decentralization.