Exploring the effectiveness of management communication from and within the Ministry of Education Head Office, Namibia.

Abstract

Purpose – the purpose of this mini-thesis is to explore the Effectiveness of Management Communication from and within the Ministry of Education Head Office in Namibia. The Ministry of Education has an important role to play in the education of the Namibian people. According to Ministry of Education (2012), the mandate is to educate and train for citizens for national development. To this end, the study aims at identifying and examining factors that contribute to poor management communication in the Ministry of Education Head Office, and how this impact on staff performance and service delivery to the public. Design and methodology - the study is a qualitative research, which used a narrative design. Data was collected from staff members and members of the public who have/had a relation with the Ministry of Education. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaire. A desk research was also used. Findings – An efficient structure is indispensable for a high performance organization. The findings of the study show that the structure of the Ministry of Education is inefficient and does not enhance high performance of the staff, nor does it provide employee growth. Another significant finding of the study indicates that the communication style of the management cadre is aggressive and authoritative, and impact negatively on service delivery. Key benefits – The study was very important for the Ministry of Education as it identified reasons why the Mandate of the Ministry of Education has not been implemented as required. Furthermore, the study identified challenges faced by the Ministry, and offered recommendations on how these challenges could be addressed. Key words – Communication Styles, Communication Skills, Leadership Skills, Management Skills, Organizational Structure, Teamwork, Internal Communication, Interpersonal Relations.