What does School-based Management primarily emphasize?

• A. Decentralized approach empowering local school leadership.
• B. Centralized control from the national level.
• C. Reliance on standardized testing.
• D. External consultants for school improvement.

Answer: (A)

School-based Management focuses on giving schools more control over their own affairs, distributing authority and resources to local leaders such as principals, teachers, and the school community. This decentralization lets decisions about budgets, staffing, curricula, schedules, and school policies be tailored to the specific needs of students and the local context, promoting quicker responses, a sense of ownership, and greater accountability for results. The other options describe centralized control, an emphasis on standardized testing, or reliance on external consultants, which are not the defining feature of SBM. While assessments and outside help may play roles in education, SBM’s main idea is empowering decisions at the school level through local leadership.