The inspector is the person in charge, from the educational administration, of monitoring and advising on the activities carried out in schools.
Inspectors are the persons who liaise between the administration and each school. Their task is to be aware of the activities carried out in the schools and to supervise the established documentation. They meet periodically with the management teams of each school to check their pedagogical and organisational functioning, supervise the responsibilities of teachers, advise the educational community on their rights and obligations, all of this always in accordance with the established guidelines.
Inspectors are teachers who have at least six years of teaching experience and have to pass a competitive examination.
The Head of the Inspection Service organises inspectors to visit schools, both public and private, in each school district.
The inspectorate is considered a public authority and exercises its activity to ensure compliance with the law, to guarantee the rights and duties of all those who participate in the education process, and also supports the improvement of the functioning of the education system itself, as well as the quality and equity of education. Thus, inspectors participate from the educational administration in the evaluation processes of educational centres and of the system itself.
In Spain, the Organic Law on Education LOE (2/2006, of 3 May, in Article 148, in accordance with Article 27.8 of the Constitution) establishes that it is up to the public authorities to organise the inspection of the education system. This LOE law in Articles 151, 152, 153 and 154 regulates the educational inspection exercised by the educational administrations through civil servants who have been appointed to this post. In Spain, the different regions have competences in educational matters, so that in each region the functioning of the Inspection Service is regulated by specific decrees and resolutions. Within each territorial area, it is the public administrations that mandate, regulate and carry out inspection activities in order to guarantee compliance with educational standards. Thus, the inspectorate reports directly to the head of each education administration, i.e. the Regional Minister of Education.
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The role of the inspector is not always clear. This video provides an overview of all the functions of these professionals.
Comment on the operation of inspection in Spain.