“State, educational governance and control mechanisms”
Aristotelis Zmas
Pages 11 – 38
Abstract
The present article argues that governments, as central bodies of state power, continue to play an important role into the arena of educational governance. More specifically, they facilitate the development of educational initiatives by various non-state actors such as international bodies, NGOs, enterprises and charities, establishing collaborations and partnerships with them. However, this development does not weaken the
state power. The article claims that although governments delegate educational responsibilities through their partnerships with non-state actors, they are able to maintain and, in some cases, to strengthen further their panoptic role in the reconstruction of their country’s educational system.
In order to substantiate this claim, the manuscript focuses on the attempt of Greek governments to involve various actors in shaping education policy. This attempt enables the Greek state to incorporate postbureaucratic features into its structural and operational mechanisms, collaborating with non-state partners inside and outside of its territory. Such collaborations allow the Greek state to respond to the demands of
various pressure groups for more democratization as well as to increase its flexibility. The latter is proved in the fact that while the Greek governments share educational responsibilities with partners, at the same time they regain these responsibilities in case they consider it necessary.