National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSI

1. National Survey of School Directors SEE– Educational Support Program OSI June 2008

2. A Sampling Content B Fieldwork by Countries

3. A Sampling

4. Sampling • Sampling design is Stratified Random Sample. • Stratification by region is done to reflect regional distribution in the population of schools. • Urban/rural distribution in the sample is proportional to distribution of schools in the population. • Inside given cells (region/area) choice of schools is made randomly. • Schools that are selected for the sample but refused to participate were replaced by another randomly selected school from the same municipality. • Sample is drawn through SPSS software, with Complex Samples procedure. • In BiH sample is disproportional due to specific characteristics of the educational system, which differs among regions. There is small number of schools with Croatian NP and in order to include sufficient number of schools with Croatian NP (national group of subjects/ curriculum) proportion in the population was not kept.

5. Sample

6. B Fieldowork by Countries

7. Albania • Preparations were concluded on time and fieldwork had to be extended with 3 days. • Problems: • Unwillingness of the schools to participate, without written approval form the Ministry of Education (District Directorates). • Interviewers were not allowed by the security guards to enter the building of the school. • Due to low penetration of telephone services, it was not possible to schedule interviews, interviewers had to go in some cases several times to the schools. • Problems and rejections occurred less often in smaller communities, where people know each other and are less suspicious. • How do we solved the problems? • - BIG THANK YOU!to Mr. Musai for his timely intervention. • - Interviewers were instructed to give contacts from the Ministry of Education and District Directorates to the directors if they would like to check if the survey is really supported by them.

8. Albania Rejections

9. Bosnia and Herzegovina • Preparations and fieldwork were concluded on time. • Problems: • Regarding scheduling of the interviews - End of the school year, the directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at school for the (re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour for them to show up. - directors absent for longer time – excursions, sick leaves. - In remote areas because of the above mentioned reasons interviewers had to travel longer distances several times. • Problems regarding wrong telephone numbers, broken telephone lines. • In several cases the directors didn’t know some of the data and asked for help the school secretary, the school psychologist, teachers.

10. Bosnia and Herzegovina • Generally the interviews were evaluated as interesting, directors were willing to share opinions and experiences, but also expressed opinion not being sure that all this work will bring some results. • Some directors were pointed out by the interviewers as very kind, continued to discuss the subject and their problems after the end of the interview. • Some directors expressed the opinion that there is too much politics in the schools - decisions about school programmes and plans and election of directors (scared about their own positions). Some being suspicious towards the interviewers, thinking that there is some hidden goal of this interview.

11. Bosnia and Herzegovina Rejections

12. Kosovo • Preparations and fieldwork were concluded on time. • Problems: • In few cases, where due to the lack of time directors were unable to make it for the scheduled appointment. • Lack of contacts for some of the rural settlements – more time needed for recruitment. • In several cases interviewers needed give additional explanations regarding the parenting services provided by the school authority, as well as a possible misconception about the parents’ initiatives - Some parenting services were reported to be provided by the school authorities and when asked about the specific services and the target groups, it turned out that they are actually done during the regular meetings (each semester) of the class-teachers with the parents and not as an organized and conventional form of sessions. • Directors generally were cooperative and very willing to accept the interviewers for the survey. • Common observation was that the motivation of the school directors, as well as of the teachers working in the school were highly correlated with the engagement of the community in the school activities. • 2 Schools with Goranian minority – interviews conducted in Serbian

13. Kosovo Rejections

14. Macedonia • Preparations and fieldwork were concluded on time. • Problems: • Regarding scheduling of the interviews - End of the school year, pre elections period, the directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at school for the (re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour in front of the offices. • Few cases of rejection, generally directors were cooperative and very willing to accept the interviewers for the survey.In rural areas directors seem to be more open for cooperation than in urban areas. • Each school received a present – a sponge and a box of chalks. Presents were accepted well, as a gesture of kindness. In most of the schools the presents were given after the interviews, so it didn’t have influence on the willingness for cooperation. In the few cases where it was given before the interview it contributed to a more cooperative atmosphere. • - Presents were especially welcomed in some villages where they had shortage.

15. Macedonia Rejections

16. Montenegro • Preparations concluded on time, fieldwork extended with 3 days. • Problems: • Regarding scheduling of the interviews - End of the school year, the directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at school for the (re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour for them to show up. - Directors absent for longer time – excursions, sick leaves. - Problems regarding wrong telephone numbers, lack of contacts. - Hard to reach schools – remote areas, no contacts. In some cases the interviewers travelled 60km and the director was not available • National holiday which was celebrated 3 days. • In many cases the directors were unkind and was very hard to schedule interviews.

17. Montenegro Rejections

18. Serbia • Preparations concluded on time, fieldwork extended with 3 days. • Problems: • Regarding scheduling of the interviews - End of the school year, pre election/election period, schools were voting centres. The directors had more duties than usual - meetings had to be rescheduled in some cases several times, directors were not at school for the (re)scheduled meeting - interviewers waiting for more than an hour for them to show up. Exception is Vojvodina where directors who agreed to participate were available at the scheduled time. - Directors absent for longer time – excursions, sick leaves, school closed for some event. - Hard to reach some of the schools – remote areas, rural areas. In most of the cases the interviewers travelled to these remote schools in some cases the directors were interviewed at a regional centre. • - In Vojvodina of great help was the intervention of the OSI team, who trough Teachers Union helped in making it possible to get in touch with some directors. • - In East Serbia around 70% of the interviews were scheduled thanks to personal contacts (interviewer knowing the director or being recommended)

19. Serbia • - Difficulties in scheduling interviews also came form the lack of interest form directors’ side. • In Western region one interview was interrupted by the director in the middle with the comment that the interview has no sense and signed the questionnaire. • In many cases directors had difficulties in defining the groups of parents. • Generally the directors, who agreed to participate were kind and open for cooperation. A lot of things that was said were not covered with the questionnaire – for instance explanations why they have problems with parents of problematic children.

20. Serbia Rejections

21. Thank you for your attention! GfK. Growth from Knowledge