The Ministry of Education decides and declares numerous national
educational policy such as open recruitment system for school principals.
This study examined the open recruitment policy as a case for
understanding how an educational policy is being implemented. Focusing
on policy implementation process based on street-level bureaucracy and
policy compliance theory, this study used in-depth interview methods.
Researcher selected 5 key policy implementation interviewees at provincial
educational district and conducted structured and semi-structured
interviews between November 2010 and December 2011. The interview
note was cross-examined and triangulated by a team of experts and
retired principals conforming to case study protocol. The study results
show worrisome pictures; first, street-level bureaucrats experience alienation
and powerlessness in implementing process; second, they show limited
understading and limited belief in open recruitment policy; third, the
study showed that the policy compliance pattern is mostly 'token
compliance'; fourth, as a street-level bureaucrats, they experience more of
restrictions than discretionary activities. This study illustrated the gap
between policy decision and policy implementation and recommended
action plans to bridge the gap.