UNIT 12 MANAGEMENT OF PHYSICAL

RESOURCES
Structure
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Objectives
12.3 Physical Resources: Meaning and Identification of Elements
12.4 Management of Physical Resources
12.4.1 Need and Advantages
12.4.2 Principles of Management of Physical Resources
12.4.3 Essential Characteristics
12.5 Procedure of Management of Physical Resources
12.5.1 Making a Survey of Resources
12.5.2 Making an Analysis of the Present Position of Rekources
12.5.3 Preparing Improvement Programme Projects
12.6 Ensuring that Resources are Well Maintained
12.7 Constraints of Physical Resource Management
12.8 Let Us Sum Up
12.9 Unit-end Exercises
i2.10 Suggested Readings

12.1 INTRODUCTION
One ofthe modern aims of school administratioh is creating conditiqns for progressive
change in accordance with the changing goals patterns and changing systems of the
society. The institutional plan seeks improvement in all directions.
It endeavors to touch the human and physical resources to make optimum utilization
for the institution. The material equipment of the school is as a body to the soul,
machinery to the fdctory and tool to the workman.
The nature and quality of the curriculum offered in a school is closely related to the
available resources, and more importantly how well they are used. In this unit we
consider the management of physical resources in a school, which is the important
responsibility of tlie School Head, for developing the appreciation of resources and
the i~lvolvementof everyone i n their management.
A head has to manage the following resources in an institution:
- Resource Management

Intangible Finance Tangible

(Time, manpower (Acci~raterecording (Physical
and space) and accounting) Infrastructure,
Building etc.)

The concern in this unit is with learning about management and maintenance ofTangible
22 or physical resources in the teaching-learning situation in a school.
 Management of
12.2 OBJECTIVES Physical Resources

After going through this unit, you should be able to:

a define the meaning of Physical Resources in a school;
a distinguish between different categories of physical resources;
a explain the importance and essential characteristics of physical resources in
teaching-learning;
a discuss the principles of effective physical resource management;
a describe tlie procedures to keep physical resources in your institution properly
maintained;
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a a~lpervisethe procedures of preparation of improvement pkogrammes for the
physical resources;
e identify the constraints of physical resource management; and
a ensure that resources are well maintained and being uscd effectively in
teaching process.
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12.3 PHYSICAL RESOURCES: MEANING AND

IDENTIFICATION OF ELEMENTS
A school can filnction only when adequate material equipmenit is there. Now we
proceed to discuss the tangible or physical equipment as resouraes of a school, viz.,
the school plant, furniture and the subsidiary equipments. The duties of a
School Head consist of looking after tlie following physical
A. Main school building with its various sections and departmelbts
B. Garden and lawns
C. Playgrounds
D . Hostel building
E. Staff quarters
F. Outhouses and iniscellany
A. The main school building can be divided into two inajor sections: (])Academic
and (2)Administrative.
Academic I

i) Asser~lblyIdall
ii) Library
iii) Muscum

iv) 'l'he Medical Section, which should include: 1. The Doctdr's Room 2. The
Dispensary 3. The Sick Room or bedroom for the paticnts.

v) St~ldents'Co~n~non Room Section, which should include (i) Common room for
thc pupils (separate for boys & girls), (ii) 1,unch room (for bo
vi) loilets separate for boys and girls. i
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vii) Activities section, which should include: I. Games rool11,2.~ a l b stores.

e 3. Scout
and guide room, 4. NCC, NSS room, 5. Photography clubroolr etc.
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ltlanage~llcntof 'l'caching - viii) Crafts section i~icludillg1. Craft workshop, 2. Craft store.
Learning Resources
ix) Art section including 1. Drawing and painting workshop, 2. Drawing and painting
gallery.

x) Science section including 1. one Lecture Theatre, 2. one laborato~yeach for

difference science subjects, 3. one museum, 4. one store each for subjects, i.e.
physics, chemistry, biology etc.

xi) Music and dance section including: 1. one demonstration room, 2. one ~nusical
apparatus room.

xii) Home science section including: 1 . one lecture room, 2. one home science
worlishop, 3. one home science kitchen, 4. one store.

xiii) Technological section including: 1. one lecture room, 2. one workshop, 3. computer
labs., 4. educatio~laltechnology equipments store.

xiv) Language labs. having adequate number ofapparatus, linguaphones, audio-visual

aids and cassettes etc.

xv) Subject rooms like geography room, mathematics room, geology room, and social
sciences room.

xvi) Classrooms one for each of the sections of the various classes in the school.

Administrative Section

Further includes:

A. Principal's Room 2. Visitors' Room 3. Office, 4. Record Room, 5. Staff Room,

6. Co~nniitteeroom, 7. Guidance and Counseli~igroom, 8. Accountant office,
9. Head clerk office, 10. Examination section.

13. Gardens, lawns and farms will include, flower-pads, creepers, decorative plants
and trees, the water storage and manure pits, a store etc.

' C. The playground will have separately demarcated grounds for hockey, football,
cricket, volleyball, kabaddi etc.

D. The tlostel Building should have appropriate number ofRooms, Common room,
Guest room, Medical room, outdoor and indoor games facility, proper furniture,
security and lighting arrangements.

E. 'The staff quarters will includc the residential quarters for the headmaster, the
members of the staff and the lower establishment (clerks, assistants, peons and
other non-teaching staff).

F. The Miscellaneous section of thc campus may in,clude (i) Water storage,
(ii) Swimming pool, (iii) Gas plant, (iv) Open air theatre, (v) Gymnasium, (vi) Fire
extinguishers, (vii) Agricult~iralpoultry, (viii) Cycle-shed and (ix) Cafeteria or
School tuck-shop (x) stationary shop.

Activity
Suppose you are Ilead of a school and you wish to make a survey for the identification
of pllysicd resources for management purposes, assign the task between your staff to
the resources and distinguish the categories of physical resources.
 Management of
Comments: I
Physical Resources
e For this purpose, a Head should divide tlie staff categorically, i.e., teaching &
non-teach ing.
w All possible physical resources should be identified.
Physical resources should be categorized according to acadei~nicand administrative
purposes.
e Physical resources should be en1isted and records accordbngly.

Check Your Progress 1 ,

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Note: Write your answers in the space given below.
1.
.~
What do you uiidersta~idby physical resources in a school? Mention a
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few necessary tangible resources of a sciiool plant.

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2. What considerations will you undertake in preparind a master plan of an
ideal school with regard to its physical resources?
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I 12.4 MANAGEMENT OF PHYSICAL RESOURCES

12.4.1 Need and Advantages
Resources are essential to get our work done. Everything that we see and touch is a
resource, which perhaps we coi~lduse.
requires considerable skills.
delegates this responsibility and ~nonitorsthe performance ofth concerned
and ensures tlie provision of storage and appropriate
, benefits your will derive from a more effective
the school resources more e f k c t i v e l ~tlie
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the c~~rriculum objectives and higher goals of
greater satisfactio~iamongst pi~pilsand staff, the School Head nii~stplan, anticipate,

1 consult, supervise and act in a timely lnalilier to ensure that a1 tlie required physical
resources are identified, developed and fully used ill arespons ble manner.

I 12.4.2 Principles of Management of Physical ~ dI s o u r c e s

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Sonie oftlie principles, which we need to apply in the managemelit of physical resources

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are as follows:
I. All possible resources should be identified and used appr priately.

I 2. 'rl~ereshould be tlie manin~u~n

use of all available resourkes.
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I' 3.
4.
Local resources S I I O L I I ~ be saught and manufactured whe ever possible.
'I'lie use of resources S I I O L I I ~ be carefully ~naintainedand controlled. 1
Management of Teaching - 12.4.3 Essential Characteristics
Learning Resources
Physical Resource Management in a school campus should have the following seven
prominent Characteristics:
a) Adequacy
A school must possess adequately all the facilities necessary for curricular
and co-curricular activities. For this purpose the following four points need
special attention: i) Site and surroundings, ii) Area, iii) Plan, iv) Design of
construction
b) Safety
A school plant m i ~bet able to protect and secure the life and things ofthe people
inside. It must have proper ventilation and light.
c) Coordination
All the sections of the school campus must function separately but connected
mutually so as to help and not interfere with each other's functions.
d) Efficiency and Unity
The whole campus must be planned in such a way tliat the management is efficient
and convenient.
e) Beauty
Tlie caliipus must be beautifully designed and decorated so as to present a cheerful
atmosphere.
f) Adaptability
It must be planned in a flexible way so as to leave scope for modificatiolis and
growth in accordance with the need.
g) Economy
The school plant should be economical in original cost, upkeep and operations.

12.5 PROCEDURE OF MANAGEMENT OF

PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Tlie new concept for management of physical resources is need-based and not grant-
based, i.e. the plan is prepared in accordance &ith tlie actual needs of the school. The
institution's physical resource management plan seeks improvement in all directions
and it must include school improvement projects in the form of action research. The
procedure of physical resource management improvement co~nprisesthe following
steps:

12.5.1 ~ a k i n ag Survey of Resources

The head of tlie school sliould make a survey of the existitig physical resources as
well as the resources tliat can be niade available with the help ofthe suppofting staff.
, The resources are of these categories:

i) Physical resources ofthe school building, e.g., equipments in library, laboratory

etc.

ii) Resources easily available in the community, e.g., public library, museum, hospitals,
banks, government departments and important private establishments including
 Management of
factories. The Head sliould make the best use of community resources for the Physical Resources
benefit of students. Students must visit placcs ofeducatio~ialinterest in the locality.

12.5.2 Making an Analysis of the Present Position of Resources

'I'lie lieatl should analyse tlie present situation to review whether -

i) Tlic school building is spacious enough to cope with tlik present needs

ii) l'lie equipments and furnitures are adecluate.

iii) 'I'lie laboratory and library fnci l ities are proper.
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iv) 'l'hc institutional progranirnc nceds reshuffling and chadges and the institution
nceds additional adjuncts like hoslel, staff quarters, schbol bus, inore playfields
etc.
The I-lead should call regular meetings of staff in order to identify the areas of
improvements in physical resources needed for better management.

12.5.3 Preparing Improvement Programme Ptojects

In the process of preparation of improvement programmes, discussion with the staff
should he followed by enlisting the physical resources with dctails about each
programme. The programme may be classified into -
bi) Short term programlnes
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ii) Long term prograrnriles
Each improvenient programme needs to be defi~ledin terms of financial i~nplicationsif
any arid i~romthe point of view of urgency of the probleni and availability of resources.
Pro-jects must have some broad and some specific objectives depending upon the
iltility and urgency of the resources. Some of tlie physical resource irnprovement
projects arc suggested below:

a) Projects concerning building - construction of additibnal rooms, compound

wall, quarters for tlie academic, administrative and supportive staff and white
washing, rcpairs and electrification ot'the building.

b) Projects cortcerning cnmpus - Beautification of the entire campus, installation

of water pumps, provision of sewage. drainage and sanitary conveniences.

c) Projects concerning instrslctioncrl mnterinl- Enrichins tlie scl~oolIi brary with

supply oftextbooks, reference books, magazines, and journals and equipping the
labs with cliarts. inodels and portraits of'scientists.

d) Prqjects concerning equil)nzents - Provision of audio+visualequipments, art

:ind craft equipments, sports and musical instruments and science laboratory
equipmcnts etc.

e) Projects concerning hygiene and snnitntion - Supply of personal hygiene

materials, soap, towel. mirrors, etc.

f) Projects concerni~zgstudents' tveljnre - Provision of scholarships, mid-day

meals, necessary assistance to pupils belonging to poorand deprived sections,
organization of sports and co-curricular activities, workshqps, seminars, excursion
and picnic, etc. I

'The c\ecution of the above nlentioned projects milst be in cooperation of man and
matcrial resources. A time schedule of tlie improvements df the project must be
prepared. At the conipletion of the project the end product or the result niust be
assesscd quantitatively and qualitatively.
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Management o f leaching - In this way a School Head can build a task-oriented plan for actual exccution and
Learning Resources
implementation of improvement programmes for the purpose of physical resource
management.

Activity
Enlist the steps in finding out local resources that could be sought and manufactured
for the purpose of physical resource management in your institution.

Comments:
The following steps can be followed:
Aspects where local resources can be applied should be identified, i.e., scliool
campus, building, laboratories, etc.
Subjects where local resources can be tapped and used, include-
i) Art and craft - local designs in cloth, furniture, pottery etc.
ii) Geography - Physical resources used by the people from the surrounding
according to the local climate and environment.
iii) Practical agriculture - Skills and techniques of the local farmers can be
applied in the school farm.
iv) Sciences - Natural resources can be used for practical purposes in
laboratories and in Classroom teaching.
Check Your Progress 2
Note: Write your answers in the space given below.
I. What guiding principles would you follow for planning and designing
physical resources in your institution?
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2. What essen~ialcharacteristics do you consider for effective physical
resource management in a school?
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3. Chalk out any i~n~rove~nent

programme project in the procedure ofphysical
resource management in your school.
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12.6 ENSURING THAT RESOURCES ARE WELL

MAINTAINED
Supervision and administration are two functions, which are mostly blended into one.
Educationists now take the most modern view of supervision as improvement in the
taaching-learningsituation.Administration is usually connected with providing material
facilities and successful functioning of the school plant.
 Management of
The School Head is responsible for the foliowing specific tasks in connection with the Physical Resources
supervision of physical resource management:
i) All school building equipments and property milst be well maintained.
ii) iie or she must be conversant with supplies and ~iiainIte!ianceregulations.
iii) All school purchases must be correctly recorded and maintained in good order.
iv) All school purchases must be used for the purpose foi whicli they were bought.

V) ( i ~ ~ tarid
i s materials niust be frequently checked andcontrolledto ensure their
cffcctive use. ,

vi) An uptodate inventory must be kept in every locationof the school resources.

12.7 CONSTRALNTS IN PHYSICA RESOURCE

!MANAGEMENT 4
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Scllool Heads arc faced with many constraints which affect their ability to manage
school r.esources et'fectively. 'I'liese include:
i) Insufficient funding
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ii)
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Shortage of trained personnel to handle maintenance nd supplies.
iii) lack of storage space. 1
iv) Insecurc storage facilities. ,
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V) Delays in the disposal of i~nserviceablestock items ank equipments.

vi) Lack of consultation between supplier and user.

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vii) Increase i n maintenance de~nandsbecause of limited

P' cilities and equipments.
\iii) Inability of all members of the teaching and non-teacl{ing staff in being regular
and prompt in maintaining records. I
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Activity
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A school inspection by the Government authorities is due ih your school next week.

beautitication ofthe entire campus. a

Considering yourself as head of the institution, work out project concerning the
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CJommcnts:
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So~nepoints may be pondered by you as: I

e Specify it as a short-term plan,

a Make a survey of the available physical resources in the school campus and
plant. I

P, Makc an analysis of the present position ofthe available physical resources

lteeping in view their maintenance.
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Execute the required project.

12.8 LET US SUM UP

In this unit, we have discussed the need of physical resourceb and their identification
and essential characteristics. As a Head, it is very importhnt for you to know the
principles i~lvolvedin management of physical resources. We hope that you have
learnt wcll the procedure of physical resource management, bhich co~nprisesvarious
prqjects for in~prove~nentprogramnies. We have also discussedl the methods of ensuring
Management of Teacliing - that resources are properly maintained. In order to do this, you should see that money
1,e;lrning Resources
and efforts expended on resource maintenance are worth the result or the output.
Constraints of tlie process and ways to overcome them are also discussed. As you
undergo the process you find out the areas of improvement. Your administrative skills
help you to manage tlie physical resources for a better teaching-learning situation in
your organization.

12.9 UNIT-END EXERCISES

1. What do you understand by the physical resources in your school?
2. What are tlie essential characteristics of physical resource management?
3. Describe the main principles, which the School Head needs to know about with
regard to effective physical resource management in the school.
4. It is said tliat the scliool building should be cost-effective and more functional.
What considerations will weigh with you while planning a new school building?
5. Draw a sketch plan for identification of an improvement project for a science
laboratory in a secondary school. Describe the procedure with illust~ations.
6. From your own experience identitjr the main constraints you face as the Scliool
Head in finding and managing physical resources for your school.

12.10 SUGGESTED READINGS

American Association of School Administration ( 1 953):Anlerican School Curriculum,
3 I " Yearbook, \Vasliington.
Austin A., D'Souza A., Chaudhary, R.P., (1965): The Mt~ltiyz~rpose
School: Its
Theory a~lclPractice, Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Benjamin, Harold ( 1950): Denzocracy in the Adnzini.strution of Higher Education,
Harper & Brothers, New York.
Dewey, John (1 939): Democrecy cmd Curriczrlum, 31d Yearbook, New York.
Flaum, L.S. (1953): The Activity High School, Harper and Brothers, New York.
Munctgitig the Czrrriculutn & Resoz~rces,Commonwealth Secretariat, Marl borough
House, London (1 993).
Safaya R.N., ~ h a i d aB.D., (1 992): SchoolAdtni~~i.stration
and Organisatio~z,Dhanpat
Rai & Sons, Jullundhur.