Research on the benefits of enhancing public - private partnerships in increasing capacity for the senior high school principals

In addition to the training and fostering units for formal management (such as Hanoi National University of Education, VNU University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City School of Education[r]

RESEARCH ON THE BENEFITS OF ENHANCING PUBLIC- PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN INCREASING CAPACITY FOR

THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

DINH, Thu Trang, MA

NGUYEN, Thi Thuy Duong, MA

Abstract: Based on the analysis of some public-private partnerships in

education in some countries around the world and some difficulties in organizing to increase capacity for high school principals in Vietnam, the paper proposes a model of public-private partnership in fostering the capacity of school principals

Keywords: Principal, High schools, capacity, public-private coorperation

1 Introduction

Improving the professional capacity of the education management staff is always a strategic and important solution in the direction of education and training development, especially for the senior high school principals [1] [2] [3] [4]

However, according to research of Dr Nguyen Hong Hai, “the professional development of the principal team is not reasonable in terms of program, content, method and form” and one of the reasons is indicated as “ Teacher training does not meet the requirements of the current situation such as: Insufficient funds for regular training, international experts, overseas training, training of subjects” [5]

1 Lac Viet Culture Training Center;

E-mail: dttrang0301@gmail.com; Cellphone: 0948324921 Thuongmai University;

According to the Feasibility Study Report of the Education Development Project (the second period), the total budget for the capacity building of 2,700 senior high school principals is 1,620,000 USD (3 training courses, days per course) [6] This funding is used to hold senior high school education training courses as planned by the Ministry of Education and Training from 2015 to 2018 In addition to the local self-organized training program with the government funding allocated to local education, each year the senior high school principals will be trained for 5-6 days The same training courses are conducted for elementary and junior high school principals The duration of 5-6 days of training is not enough to meet the needs of the senior high school principals as well as the needs for development of the management team

In order to find a solution to the cost of training, the education sector can not rely on limited government funding but should take advantage of available resources from the private sector Within the scope of this article, we refer to public-private partnerships in education, namely public-private partnerships in capacity-building for school principals to ensure the “right to be educated” of all people in general and the “right to be educated” of the senior high school principals in particular

2 Research content

2.1 What is public-private partnership?

According to the Asian Development Bank Public-Private Partnership Handbook, the term “public-private partnership” describes a range of possible relationships between public and private entities in the context of infrastructure and other services A strong PPP allocates tasks, obligations and risks among public and private partners in an optimal way PPP public partners are government organizations, including ministries, branches, municipalities, or state-owned enterprises Private partnerships may be local or international and may include businesses or investors with technical and financial expertise related to the project PPPs may also include non-governmental organizations and community organizations representing directly affected parties [7]

leverage its expertise in trade, management, operations and innovation to run the business efficiently Private partners can also contribute capital in the form of contracts The structure of the partnership is designed to allocate risks to partners who have the best risk management capabilities and thus minimize costs while improving performance[7]

According to the research paper of the international and national consultative group on public-private partnerships in education of the Education Development Project (second period) in July 2014, public-private partnership (PPP) is a generic term that describes the myriad of structures in which the private sector is facilitated to engage in supplying infrastructure and public services The definition of PPP becomes uncertain because of legal, investment and public procurement in different jurisdictions and the nature of the context of each agreement [8]

PPPs are usually referred to the following five criteria (not fixed but depending on cooperation) [8]:

Contract, agreement, or long-term relationship; Private capital supply;

Private providers or infrastructure;

Significant risk transfer to the private sector, such as investment, design, construction and operation risks (but there is a shared risk between partners);

Obligations and outputs of the contract are complex, changing over the life of the contract when the project is transferred over divergent terms, eg financing, construction and operation

In the traditional form of investment, the government carries out the entire work of the project: arranging funding (from the state budget), construction, management, operation and risk tolerance throughout project with investment purpose of social security In case of full investment(100% private capital) and all risks by private investors, the implementation process is considered as privatization Public-private partnerships are forms of investment in the midst of traditional and privatized investment, demonstrating the partnerships between the Government and private sectors, contributing both resources and strength in achieving the goals of the project The role of the private sectors is not merely a “seller” of products and a single entity They equitably participate in the project with the goal of achieving the highest return on investment [9]

investment is the form of investment made on the contract of the project between the competent state agency and the investor or project enterprise for the construction, renovation, operation, business, management of infrastructure works and provision of services” [10]

Education is one of the many fields which the State encourages investment in the form of PPPs

However, also in Decree No 63/2018 / ND-CP, public-private partnership investment is just focused on the construction, renovation, operation, business and management of infrastructure while there are not any specific regulations on public-private partnerships for public services This article will outline some of the views on public-private partnerships for public education services in general, and for capacity-building for school principals in particular

Some Reasons to Implement PPP[11]:

- PPP will alleviate financial hardship for the public sector PPP is projected to be a key strategy for exploiting finance and untapped human resources, including specialized skills that may not be available in government and encouraging active participation of the private sector on national development With increased resource base, there will be better access to education and improved quality of education

- PPP is considered to be a model that encompasses “market-based” solutions and effects to the public sector and does not have rigidities associated with the public sector PPP will provide flexibility in the constraints related to the public sector, such as wage structure, recruitment policies, fees and rules for resource mobilization and management and development PPP responds promptly to changing market signals in learning and other facets and even promotes innovation, increasing transparency

- PPP increases competitiveness, brings private sector efficiency, improves accountability, reduces costs, improves cost efficiency, and thus reduces costs or fees in education

- PPP does not mean providing less government resources; It does not mean giving up the responsibility of the government; It is not a transfer of responsibility; It certainly is not the privatization of the industry; but is a tool for strengthening the public resource base PPP is predicted as an absorption model in which the best features of both the state and private sector model and each model control the weaknesses of the other models

Purchase services under PPP agreement in India: The School Excellence

Program of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) seeks to significantly improve student achievement and help Mumbai become the benchmark for public primary schools in India for five years, by significantly enhancing the student’s average academic achievement, and strengthening the capacity of the existing system to ensure a sustained and continuous improvement The program consists of five core initiatives: pedagogical or activity-based and group-based teaching and learning; facilitation of teacher training and on-site coaching with highly trained training specialists; training the principal so that he or she can play the role of CEO; regular assessment of academic performance, including an annual assessment conducted by a third party; and streamline the main system processes Private partnerships include three well-selected partners and a general design and management partner, are jointly implementing the Program This model is based on state funding and infrastructure and additional support, which catalyses a number of activities from organizations such as UNICEF or the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation

PPP tuition payment form in the Philippines: All licensed Senior High School

- grades 11 and 12 can receive eligible students for QVRs and may require students to register for the QVRs program to complete normal admission procedures Licensed Senior High Schools are the following: High schools and private higher education institutions, local colleges and universities, state universities and colleges, technical and vocational training schools All schools must first obtain a license from the Ministry of Education There are three levels of funding - Level 1: National Capital Region, Level 2: Cities with high rates of urbanization excluding the national capital, and Level 3: Cities without a high rate of urbanization At each level, the value of the tuition payment form is further classified by the beneficiary (100% of the coupon value for a grade 10 public school student) or the type of school participating in the program of high school tuition payment form (50% of coupon value for state universities/colleges and local universities) In 2016 with the first mass deployment of high school systems nationwide 665,912 public sector students enrolled in private high schools (grades 11 and 12) – it can be calculated at 469,879 or about 50% of the total registration

PPP agreement on management in Malaysia: Malaysian Trust Schools are

supervision of the Ministry of Education) These schools focus on four major goals, including developing high quality school leaders, improving teacher pedagogy, and maximizing student achievement and potential through comprehensive and inclusive development, then let teachers, the community, stakeholders involve in supporting the learning of students The transition to each school will begin with a five-year intervention and support program that will help schools move forward sustainably on the path to success

In Vietnam, PPP in education is not new, some PPP models in education services have been implemented in Vietnam such as:

- Collaboration between schools and businesses in building and improving

career education programs: Long-term and successful PPP cooperation between

Hai Phong Tourism College and Do Son International Joint Venture Company This partnership gives students the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the travel industry and the motivation to pursue not only practical courses but also theoretical courses Pegasus Education Group and Melia Hanoi Hotel also shared their experiences of cooperation and investment in education towards the development of the workforce by providing students with study trip, in which the staff of the corporation or hotel directly participate in training and counseling for students, as well as training for the hotel staff [12]

- Currently, many primary schools implement PPP in teaching English and computer in schools for students Informatics and Foreign Language Centers which are eligible, will be allowed to teach English language and computer in the school according to the school’s educational program The school is responsible for supervising and evaluating teaching results This is a great opportunity for students to benefit from the high quality of service and up-to-date teaching technology

- There are also PPPs in catering services, school buses, computer rooms, smart classrooms, etc at some schools

Proposing some models of public-private partnership in fostering leadership

capacity and management for senior high school principals in Vietnam.

Based on some public-private partnership models for public services in some of above mentioned countries and the Vietnamese policy research on public-private partnerships, we propose some public-private partnership in leadership capacity building for senior high school principals:

2.2.1 Cooperate with private schools in sharing experience, supporting the leadership and management implementation.

field visits, professional exchanges for public school principals, then consult and assist principals of public schools to achieve education goals

Because of the competitiveness of attracting students to study, private school principals are often more responsive to innovative activities (management styles, curriculum, teaching methods, etc.) to provide educational services that meet customer satisfaction; they have a broad mindset, and are quick to innovate, and so on Therefore, learning from successful leaders of private schools is an effective and practical way of learning

The benefits of private school principals are obvious, and for private schools, the fostering of public school principals will help them enhance the school’s image, promote the school’s image In addition, they can get some other public services to meet their needs, such as: going to lower secondary schools to promote their school to students and parents and to recruit students enrolled for the new school year, or advirtising for paid extracurricular programs organized by a private school

The education sector has the criteria for the selection of private school principals to enhance capacilty building for senior high school principals based on the school’s educational outcomes At the same time, signing long-term contracts ensures the support of the private school principal to public school principals whose pathways help the principal of the public school to practice in practice, thereby making progress in the management

2.2.2 Allow the private sector to be eligible for training senior high school principals

In addition to the training and fostering units for formal management (such as Hanoi National University of Education, VNU University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City School of Education Management, National Academy of Education Management, regular education centers, etc.) the Government should encourage private education institutions to be allowed to organize capacity building programs for senior high school principals following the demands of the principals These courses are designed to meet the requirements of the education sector in terms of content, outputs, timelines and long-term support to principals in previous, during and after training Private training institutions are very professional, really impact on the awareness of learners than mass training courses organized by the Ministry of Education and Training

training courses which are organized annually by the Government in the form of mass concentration, based on the needs of the state management agencies have not actually transmitted the contents in - days and not meet the learning needs of the principal

In order to successfully accomplish the task, the principal has no other choice but to continuously develop his/her professional career with specific routine However, due to limitations on the duration of training courses, limited organizational resources as well as funding sources for the development of the Government’s staff, the support to the principal before and after the training course almost impossible to The results of training is impossible to assessed These restrictions can be addressed for private entities, where conditions of finance, personnel, technology, time, etc are met

When private institutions enter the formal education market for principals, there will be ongoing competition for the quality of training courses, innovative ways of fostering, training cost, etc The competition not only takes place in private institutions but also at state-owned training institutions, helps to promote the teaching capacity and creates better choice for principals in the process of learning, developing themselves

Collaboration with foreign educational institutions to provide new or modern specialists or technologies is often time-consuming for state management agencies but relatively easy for private entities It is a great opportunity for principals to study with professional experts from abroad, gaining knowledge and access to world-class modern technologies

2.2.3 Provide academic forms for senior high school principals

The Government provides each principal with a one-year scholarship payment coupon The principal will be able to choose one course that is tailored to their needs (content, teacher , form of organization, ) is organized by a private organization to register for study (if the course costs more than the study coupons, the principal will have to pay for itself)

2.3 Public-Private partnerships in fostering the capacity of Senior school principals to benefit participants

2.3.1 Benefits to the private sector

The profit to private sector participation in PPPs for public services is sometimes not as important as the two main benefits:

Advanced Imaging: The capacity of the senior school principals has been

improvined by the management agencies at all levels in coordination with the units of training and fostering education administrator of the Government Private education institutions are hardly able to participate in formal and recognized training although many courses that are highly effective for leaders, business managers, professional CEOs, etc., are implemented by private educational institutions For example: “Become a good leader” - Dr Le Tham Duong; “Leadership Camp” - Pham Ngoc Anh, ASK Training JSC These courses attract a large number of leaders of private enterprises, even leaders of some State’s units, the trainer of the management training institutions, to participate in learning, developing themselves, but they are not recognized as formal training courses Therefore, being selected to foster senior school principals will improve the influence of the private sector on the society, help them easily promote the image of the business to society

Market expansion: Currently there are about 27,000 senior high school

principals in the country, this number is not large in comparison to the number of students or teachers, but this is a team that has a great influence on each unit they are in As a result, the investment/retraining for senior high school principals is a good opportunity for the private sector to reach a large number of clients, including teachers, students and parents

2.3.2 Benefits to the Government

Raising the quality of management training institutions of the Government:

In order to be competitive with the private sector and to attract the attention of the principals of senior high schools, education managenent training institutions must change dramatically in curriculum program, content, method and the form so that they are not evaluated by the school principal as “unreasonable” [1]

There is an additional cost for fostering a team of principals: At present,

meet the learning needs of the senior high school principals and the management agencies at all levels to build a quality team to meet the requirements of the renovation The greater the investment from the private sector, the more funds will be allocated to foster the capacity of the principal team, the more opportunity to develop the capacity of the school principal will be taken

There are teams of professional training: When participating in training courses

organized by private sectors, participants are taken care not only in the course but also before and after the course It may provide long-term learning opportunities with a specific routine for the principal This is very difficult to implement for regular training courses organized by the public sectors due to budget constraints, professional staffs who are assigned to complete specialized task of organizing training

From the above benefits, the greatest benefit to the Governement is that the capacity of the senior high school principals will effectively meet the requirements of school leadership and management

2.3.3 Benefits to senior high school principals

Learning to meet the needs of being a principal: After building a self-development plan in one school year, in addition to other forms of self-reliance, the principal chooses a course that suits his or her own condition and help him/her be active in the process of self development [4]

Access to modern knowledge and advanced technology: In addition to studying with industry leaders, educational leaders, principals will also learn, being trained with successful, professional leaders, managers, even study with international lecturers This is a good opportunity to access new sources of advanced knowledge and technology Training courses for principals that are organized by the government “normally have not mobilized many good trainers or foreign lecturers to take part in”[1] One of the reasons is that the teacher financial ratio is low

Receive good educational services: Being taken care at all three stages before –during - after training; being assisted and consulted in handling practical situations occurring in the course of their work; being equipped with modern infrastructure;

2.4 Factors to ensure successful cooperation

Cooperation must be based on a national framework in which goals, expectations, outcomes, conditions and resources are identified;

Clearly define the criteria and conditions of participating partners;

The contributions, roles and responsibilities of the participants must be clearly stated, as described in the agreement or contract between the parties;

Predict the possible risks and behavior of the parties in each situation; Cooperative model should be suitabg to local conditions;

There are periodic reviews should be conducted to monitor the effectiveness of the cooperation, with modifications to the implementation if necessary

3 Conclusions

In order to increase the resources for fostering the capacity of senior high school principals, calling for investment and participation from the private sector is a necessary and long-term effort to help the principals have continuous learning, continuous development Although PPP has been increasingly popular in recent years in Vietnam, PPP is currently focusing on building, renovating, operating, trading and managing infrastructure Therefore, the implementation of PPP in public education services in general and in fostering senior high school principals in particular needs to be studied, defined in detail and legally created so that it can be implemented in practice The authors will continue to work on this issue so that public-private partnerships can be further proposed to improve the capacity of the senior high school principals

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nhà trường khu vực Đông Nam Á theo quan điểm Trung tâm SEAMEO INNOTECH học cho công tác bồi dưỡng đội ngũ hiệu trưởng trường phổ thơng Việt Nam Tạp chí Giáo dục, Số 421 (Kỳ – 1/2018).

NGHIÊN CỨU LỢI ÍCH CỦA VIỆC TĂNG CƯỜNG HỢP TÁC CÔNG - TƯ TRONG HOẠT ĐỘNG BỒI DƯỠNG

NÂNG CAO NĂNG LỰC CHO ĐỘI NGŨ HIỆU TRƯỞNG TRƯỜNG PHỔ THÔNG

Ths Đinh Thu Trang Ths Nguyễn Thị Thùy Dương

Tóm tắt: Trên sở phân tích số mơ hình hợp tác công – tư giáo

dục số nước giới số khó khăn công tác tổ chức bồi dưỡng nâng cao lực cho hiệu trưởng trường phổ thông Việt Nam, viết đề xuất mơ hình hợp tác cơng – tư hoạt động bồi dưỡng nâng cao lực cho đội ngũ hiệu trưởng trường phổ thông