School Mapping and Micro Planning in Education

Firstly, school mapping deals essentially with the question of allocation of resources. In other words, it deals with efficiency in the allocation of resources especially for the purpose of creation of educational facilities. Microplanning on the other hand, deals with issues pertaining to better utilization of the resources already provided by the planning process. In other words, school mapping deals with optimum allocation of resources whereas microplanning deals with optimum utilization of resources. Secondly, school mapping essentially deals with creation of educational facilities and hence the focus is on inputs and provisions. Micro planning on the other hand focuses on issues pertaining to processes and outputs both at the local level and at the institutional level. Thirdly, school mapping is always norm based. For example, norms to open schools in Ethiopia at present are: maximum walking distance of 5km; and population of around 600families in the plain area and about 500families in tribal or hilly areas. Micro planning does not strictly adhere to any such norms. It is more an output oriented exercise than norm based activity.