Abstract
This study situates the process of educational decentralization in the narrower context of social justice. Its main object, however, is to analyze the implications of decentralization for strategies of equity and social justice in Nigeria. It starts from the premise that the early optimism that supported decentralization as an efficient and effective educational reform tool has been disappointed. The author maintains that decentralization — on its own — cannot improve education service delivery, the capacities of subordinate governments, or the integration of social policy in broader development goals. If the desired goals are to be met, public spending must be increased, greater tax revenues must be secured, and macro-economic stabilization must be achieved without re-instituting the welfare state.
Zusammenfassung
Diese Untersuchung stellt den Prozess der Dezentralisierung von Bildung in den engeren Zusammenhang der sozialen Gerechtigkeit. Ihr Hauptthema ist jedoch, die Implikationen der Dezentralisierung für die Strategien zur Chancengleichheit und sozialen Gerechtigkeit in Nigeria zu analysieren. Sie geht von der PrÄmisse aus, dass der anfÄngliche Optimismus, der die Dezentralisierung als ein effizientes und effektives Werkzeug zur Bildungsreform unterstützt hat, enttÄuscht wurde. Der Autor stellt die Behauptung auf, dass Dezentralisierung — für sich allein genommen — die Verfügbarkeit von Bildungsangeboten, die KapazitÄten der untergeordneten Regierungsebenen oder die Einbindung der Sozialpolitik in die weiteren Entwicklungsziele nicht verbessern kann. Wenn die erwünschten Ziele umgesetzt werden sollen, müssen die öffentlichen Ausgaben erhöht, grö\ere Steuereinnahmen sichergestellt und makroökonomische Stabilisierung erreicht werden, und zwar ohne den Wohlfahrtsstaat wiedereinzuführen.
Résumé
Cette étude situe le processus de la décentralisation éducative dans le contexte plus proche de la justice sociale. Son objet principal, cependant, est d’analyser les implications de la décentralisation pour les stratégies de l’équité et de la justice sociale au Nigéria. Elle part de la prémisse que l’optimisme de départ qui soutenait la décentralisation comme étant un instrument de réforme efficient et effectif s’est révélé trompeur. L’auteur maintient que la décentralisation — seule — ne peut améliorer la distribution des services d’éducation, les capacités des gouvernements subalternes, ou l’intégration d’une politique sociale dans un élargissement des buts du développement. Si l’on veut atteindre les buts désirés, les dons publics doivent augmenter, des taxes sur les revenus plus élevées doivent Être assurées, et une stabilisation macro-économique doit Être réalisée sans une nouvelle remise en place de l’étatprovidence.
Resumen
Este estudio sitüa el proceso de la descentralización de la educación en un contexto más restringido, el de la justicia social. Sin embargo, su principal objetivo no es el de analizar los efectos de la descentralización sobre la equidad y la justicia social en Nigeria. El trabajo parte de la premisa de que la expectativa optimista inicial, que habia apoyado a la descentralización como herramienta de una reforma educativa eficiente y efectiva, ha quedado defraudada. El autor sostiene que la descentralización, por si misma, no es capaz de mejorar los servicios de educación ni las capacidades de los gobiernos regionales ni la integración de una politica social dentro de unos objetivos de desarrollo mayores. Si se quieren alcanzar los objetivos deseados, sin reimplantar el Estado de bienestar, habrá que incrementar el gasto pÚblico, asegurar una mayor recaudación fiscal y lograr la estabilidad macroeconómica.
РЕжУМЕ
ДАННОМ ИсслЕДОВАНИИ РАссМАтРИВАЕтсь пРО цЕсс ДЕцЕНтРАлИжАцИИ В БО лЕЕ УжкОМ кОНтЕкстЕ сОцИ АльНОИ спРАВЕДлИВОс тИ. ЕгО глАВНыМ пРЕДМЕтОМ, тЕ М НЕ МЕНЕЕ, ьВльЕтсь АНАлИ ж ВлИьНИь ДЕцЕНтРАлИ жАцИИ НА стРАтЕгИИ РАВЕНстВА И сОцИАльНОИ спРАВЕДл ИВОстИ В НИгЕРИИ. ОНА Н АЧИНАЕтсь с пРЕДпОсылкИ О тОМ, ЧтО РАННИИ ОптИМИжМ, к ОтОРыИ пОДДЕРжИВАл ДЕцЕНтРАлИжАцИУ кАк ДЕИстВЕННыИ И ЁФФЕктИВНыИ ИНстРУ МЕНт ОБРАжОВАтЕльНО И РЕФОРМы, РАжВЕНЧАН. АВтОР стАтьИ УтВЕРжД АЕт, ЧтО ДЕцЕНтРАлИжА цИь сАМА пО сЕБЕ НЕ МОжЕт УлУЧшИть пОстАВкУ ОБ РАжОВАтЕльНых УслУг, ВОжМОжНОстИ жАВИсИМых пРАВИтЕль стВ ИлИ ИНтЕгРАцИУ сОцИА льНОИ пОлИтИкИ В БОлЕ Е шИРОкОЕ РАжВИтИЕ. Дль ДОстИжЕНИь жЕлАЕ Мых цЕлЕИ НЕОБхОДИМО УВЕлИЧИть гОсУДАРстВЕННыЕ жАтРАты, ОБЕспЕЧИть Б ОльшИЕ пОДОхОДНыЕ НА лОгИ И ДОстИЧь МАкРОЁкОНОМ ИЧЕскОИ стАБИлИжАцИИ БЕж пЕР ЕУстРОИстВА гОсУДАР стВЕННОгО сОцИАльНОгО ОБЕспЕЧЕНИь.
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Geo-JaJa, M.A. Educational decentralization, public spending, and social justice in Nigeria. Int Rev Educ 52, 125–148 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-005-5605-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-005-5605-3