A Systematic Review of Best Practices in Educational Resource Management at the Small-Scale Schools in Thailand

Abstract

          The research had three main objectives: to analyze situation and problem, identify the best practice, and recommend the educational resource management at the small-scale schools in Thailand. The research used systematic literature review methods to select 10 quantitative studies from TCI ThaiJo databases, published between 2013 and 2024. The selection process followed PRISMA guidelines while the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool evaluated quality before content analysis.

           The research results showed that the small schools faced five major issues: personnel shortages together with limited budgets and insufficient, outdated materials/technology, and deteriorated facilities, and obstacles in external resource mobilization. The five resource areas demonstrated the best practices through (a) Human resources: recruiting, developing, motivating, and retaining personnel; (b) Budget: participatory planning, transparency, and monitoring; (c) Materials and technology: ensuring adequacy, modernity, maintenance, and distance learning support; (d) Facilities: maintenance, efficient use, and community access; and (e) External resource mobilization: building collaborative networks. Recommendations for improvement are threefold: policy recommendations include flexible budgeting, technological support, and school network development; practical recommendations emphasize developing principal leadership, participatory management, and data utilization; and future research recommendations suggest a focus on action research, comparative studies, and management innovations.