Educational Leadership and Management Development

The objective of this study is to find out whether Problem Solving can improve students’ achievement in speaking. This study was conducted by using classroom action research. The subject of this research was the second year students of SMA HKBP SIDORAME MEDAN. The research was conducted in two cycles and each cycle consisted of three meetings. The instruments for collecting data used speaking test for quantitative data and used diary notes, observation sheet, interview sheet for qualitative data. Based on the speaking test result, the students score kept improving in every test. In orientation test, the mean score was 42,35. In the test of cycle I, the mean score was 51,70, and the mean score in the test of cycle II was 70,45. In line with the data, it was found that Problem Solving can improve students’ achievement in speaking.

The paper reports the result of an investigation on the effectiveness of afterschool program management in Taiwan that was conducted in the Yonglin Hope School through an in-depth investigation consisting of observations, interviews and questionnaire. The involved participants were the director of Institute for Disadvantaged Students’ Learning (IDSL), Yonglin Foundation, school principal, social workers, and tutors. This study found five main factors that contribute toward the effectiveness of afterschool program management in Yonglin Hope School, namely setting specific goals, having professional development and training, continuous evaluation, class sizes and designed curriculum. In addition, the effectiveness of the afterschool program was supported by five main activities (i.e., remedial teaching, homework assistance, English summer camp, special event and field trips) to improve the students’ knowledge and experience. Furthermore, it was also supported by an integrated and inte...

The purpose of this study is to describe how the implementation of quality management in Pelita Nauli Middle Tapanuli High School. The research used descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques carried out by interviews, observation and documentation. The indicators developed are how to implement quality management starting from the planning stage which includes the formulation of the school's vision, mission, goals and work plans. The next stage is the implementation of each program and activity. This implementation stage takes into account the provisions of quality standards covering eight national education standards, namely content standards, process standards, graduate competency standards, educators and education personnel standards, facilities and infrastructure standards, management standards, financing standards, and education assessment standards. Monitoring and evaluation should also be carried out during program implementation. This is done to assess the achievement of the school's vision and mission through eight educational standards instruments. The results showed that the implementation of quality management at SMTK Pelita Nauli Sibolga was still not optimal. The fulfillment of each educational standard instrument is still far from what it should be. Improving the quality of schools is an important concern that must be carried out on an ongoing basis and involves the cooperation of all components in the school.

Background: Appropriate menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is impeded by taboos and secrecy surrounding menstruation. Unhygienic menstrual practices and unpreparedness for managing menstruation has been associated with adverse health and social outcomes among adolescent girls. In The Gambia, there is limited data on menstrual practices among girls and women in rural communities and the sources of information about menstruation for the adolescents. This study aimed to explore knowledge, preparedness and practices of menstruation and its management among adolescents, mothers and teachers in rural Gambia. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted in the rural Kiang West district of The Gambia. Twenty focus group discussions and thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted among mothers, adolescents and teachers to explore their views on menstruation, cultural beliefs, sources and level of knowledge on menstruation and MHM practices. In addition, a survey was done among 331 school girls to assess their knowledge, practices and attitudes of menstruation and its management. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data, and descriptive analysis and chi-squared tests were used to analyse quantitative data. Results: All participants had different levels of knowledge about menstruation. Knowledge score was higher among post-menarche girls compare with pre-menarche girls (p = 0.0001). All groups expressed difficulties, embarrassment and shame in relation to discussing menstruation. Two thirds of the surveyed girls reported having learnt about menstruation before menarche, however at menarche most felt unprepared. Teachers were the main source of information, but when asking for advice most girls preferred to ask their mothers. Mothers reported facing difficulties in discussing menstruation with their children and felt that boys did not need to be taught about it, however boys were very curious to know about. Most girls used reusable cloth unless they are given free pads from school. Conclusion: Taboos, secrecy and embarrassment associated with discussing menstruation hinder adolescents from seeking advice from parents and teachers on appropriate MHM practices. Strategies to encourage positive social norms towards menstruation would help to promote more open discussions about it at the family, community and national level, which will support improvements in MHM in this and similar communities in low and middle income settings.

Poor knowledge and management of menstruation impacts girls’ school attendance and academic performance. This paper aims to explore how menstrual hygiene management practices and related factors influence school absenteeism and drop-out among primary and secondary school girls in rural Gambia. Mixed-method studies were conducted among students and key informants from 19 schools from July 2015–December 2017. Focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, cross-sectional surveys, menstrual diaries, and school water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facility observations were used. Key findings from the interviews were that menstrual pain, cultural beliefs, fear of peers knowing menstrual status, and poor school WASH facilities led to school absenteeism, however, they had no impact on school drop-out. Of the 561 girls surveyed, 27% reported missing at least one school day per month due to menses. Missing school during the most recent menstrual period was strongly associated with menstrual ...