School Mapping

School Mapping- A sub-title of Book-Educational Management: New Perspectives

Overview

This section on school mapping attempted to explain the concept, meaning and origin of the term school mapping. Its functions and objectives were outlined. The seven steps involved in school mapping were clearly identified and given detailed analyses. The steps are: (i) choosing a locality for the exercise; (ii) assessing the resource situation in the selected area; (iii) assessment of the number of children to be enrolled; (iv) Specifying norms, standards and catchment area; (v) assessment of the facilities in schools. The roles of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) were highlighted; (iv) based on the identified requirements, cost estimates can be made; and (Vii) preparing a proposal for funding or having a local operational plan.

The factors to be considered in a school mapping exercise were identified as demographic, educational, geographic, economic, and political.

In order to improve on school mapping activities, it was recommended that there be internet linkage of all the local government areas and states to the Federal Ministry of Education. Also recommended was that private schools should be incorporated to make school mapping of formal schools a holistic one.