Abstract
D.Ed.
Since postmodernism according to Von Recum (1990:10) has to do with the
dissolution of universal meanings for the world and life, along with the process of
egalitarianism, that is, equality for all people, and dehierarchisation, and dismantling
of authority, the administration and management processes of colleges of education
are invariably influenced by the movement. This investigation therefore seeks to
find out the influence of postmodernism, that is, dehierarchisation and dismantling
of bureaucratic authority by students and lecturers on the generic processes of
administration and the significance of it for educational management. The
dehierarchisation process will, in the view of this study, make it possible for the
colleges of education to be democratised and to be transformed.
It would appear that the colleges of education have difficulties in coping with the
demands of the postmodern times that are characterised by democratisation and
transformation. This study therefore intends to examine the paradigms or models
that may help these institutions to succeed in accomplishing the missions for which
they were established which is to nurture and to train teachers.