Self-Evaluation as a Change in the Greek Education System (General and Special Education): A Critical Overview of This Project

Abstract

At a time when maximizing the effectiveness of educational organizations is a requirement, school self-evaluation is increasingly gaining ground as a practice of evaluating educational work, providing information that can contribute to the development of schools. Seamless implementation of self-evaluation in a school unit requires acceptance of its core assumptions by those involved in the process, otherwise it is undermined. At the same time, introducing a change in an educational organization is a complex process that, if not accompanied by the appropriate manipulations, is very likely to fail to integrate into its processes. One case of an unsuccessful attempt to introduce change is the application of the school unit's self-evaluation in the Greek education system, whose manipulations have led it to failure. The study estimates that the factors that have impeded its introduction and implementation have to do with teachers' non-involvement in the creation of the change, non-participatory decision-making and not dispelling teachers' insecurities, while the bureaucratic structure of the central authority appears to be problematic as well. These practices are an example to be avoided and education policy makers must take this into account so that the effort to introduce and integrate a change in the Greek education system can be effective.