(CZ) K pojetí školní inspekce
(EN) On the Conception of School Inspection

The question of management and control plays a significant, even though not exclusive, role in our efforts to improve the work in education. The management of schools is dependent on generally valid principles on the one hand, and on the specific features of this sphere on the other hand. One of the most important tasks in the developed division of labour is to build up and maintain a suitable communication system. The point is that not only the central authority should communicate certain basic information to its subordinate organizations, but the central authority itself should be suitably and reliably informed about the effectiveness of its measures and the fulfilment of the tasks it has given. This is one of the main tasks of school inspection as a form of control. Its second but no less important task is consistent contact with the staff in its area, leading and motivating them, helping them in their work, providing suggestions for improvement in their performance and currently removing obstacles and shortcomings. These are the two basic tasks of school inspection as such. A historical and comparative survey shows that the content, methods and forms of the inspector's work have been gradually changing in the course of history and under different social conditions, but those two basic tasks have, on the whole, remained unchanged. From time to time greater stress was laid on any of these components. In our conception school inspection is defined as an important factor in the uniform ideological and pedagogical guidance and control of schools. Its task is to watch consistently the work of the school and its results and to contribute, on the basis of factual findings, to the improvement of the educational system. The socialist school inspection is supposed to combine control, instruction and educational influence in one indivisible whole, and to be a source of information in a rational management of schools. While underlining the significance of this controlling and guiding function, we must, of course, be aware of certain limits to its possibilities and of its influence being restricted by other factors such as the general political, ideological, economic and cultural level of the society in question.