Abstract:
The study consisted of the following objectives: 1) to investigate parental satisfaction toward the management of opportunity expansion schools under Nakhon Sawan Primary Educational Service Area Office 3; 2) to compare parental satisfaction toward the management of opportunity expansion schools under Nakhon Sawan Primary Educational Service Area Office 3; and 3) to propose the guidelines for enhancing parental satisfaction toward Sārāṇiyadhamma-based management of opportunity expansion schools under Nakhon Sawan Primary Educational Service Area Office3. The study used a mixed method research approach and was conducted in two phases, the first of which involved collecting quantitative data from a sample group of 364 parents of students enrolled in opportunity expansion schools. The research instrument was a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire with a reliability of 0.96. The acquired data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and One Way ANOVA. The second phase involved collecting qualitative data with 9 key informants by using semi-structured interview form. The obtained data were analyzed by mean of content analysis.
From the study, the following findings are found:
1) The conditions of parental satisfaction toward the management of opportunity expansion schools under Nakhon Sawan Primary Educational Service Area Office 3 overall at a high level. When each aspect is considered, personnel management is found to be at a high level. followed by budget management at a high level, and general management at a high level but with the lowest mean.
2) The comparison of parental satisfaction toward the management of opportunity expansion schools under Nakhon Sawan Primary Educational Service Area Office 3 classified by genders, educational levels, and occupations, the findings discovered as follows: parents with different genders and occupations do not have different satisfaction, and parents with different educational levels have different satisfaction with a statistical significance at 0.01 level, accepting the null hypothesis.
3) The guidelines for enhancing parental satisfaction toward Sārāṇi yadhamma-based management of opportunity expansion schools under Nakhon Sawan Primary Educational Service Area Office 3 are as follows: (1) On academic administration, in which administrators should emphasize the participatory principle by organizing meetings where parents can express their opinions, requirements, and participate in the development of the school. Administrators should also develop curriculum based on the requirements of students, encourage teachers to develop innovation in learning management, and show loving-kindness and compassion to all students equitably; (2) On budget management, in which administrators should manage budgets transparently, plan budgets based on participatory principles, allocate budgets based on reality, give budget management authority to each department equitably, and consider the impact on students; (3) On personnel management, in which administrators should mobilize community resources, improve their communication skills, have speaking skills in order to motivate teachers with their performance, co-plan activities and implement actions that are beneficial to schools, allocate funds for welfare, and assist teachers and personnel in acquiring additional knowledge; and (4) On general management, in which administrators should allow teachers, personnel, and students to be responsible together to care for the environment so that it contributes to learning and cooperation, while schools and communities should be in harmony, work as a team, and clearly assign work and responsibilities.