The Illusion of Self-Management in Kindergartens in Unrecognized Arab Bedouin Villages in Israel

Omar Mizel

(Department of Education, BU University and Al Qasemi College, Israel)

Abstract: Upon the request of the Israeli Ministry of Education, kindergartens in unrecognized Bedouin villages in the south of Israel had to move to self-based management even though the teachers in these kindergartens were completely unaware of even the basics of the system. This study aims to explore kindergarten teachers' perception of self-management. More specifically, it attempts to ascertain how these kindergarten teachers/principals coped with the move to self-management. To this end, I interviewed eight kindergarten teachers from the villages who had transferred to self-management five years earlier and who had previously been affiliated administratively with the local schools. The study results revealed social difficulties facing women in management positions in a society that still does not accept women in administrative positions. The kindergarten teachers saw their success as administrators as a means to prove their abilities and considered it a step towards professional development and advancement in their societal status. The findings highlight difficulties in self-management within a particular cultural context and vis-à-vis the local authorities.

Key words: Arab, education, unrecognized village, Israel