A leading education researcher is calling for an overhaul of the school system including the creation of 20 local education authorities.
In a book launched on Monday, Council for Educational Research chief researcher Cathy Wylie says the Government could stop schools failing by giving them more support.
Ms Wylie says the system of self-managing schools introduced 20 years ago means schools are isolated and wastefully repeat the same work and the same mistakes.
She says local education authorities run by the Ministry of Education would help schools and ensure good ideas are shared.
Ms Wylie says the ministry should merge with the Education Review Office and the Qualifications Authority, and boards of trustees should not be responsible for employing school principals.
Her call for local authorities is reminiscent of the old district education boards that operated before the model known as Tomorrow's Schools was introduced in 1989.
The School Trustees Association does not like the idea, but teachers' unions say change is needed.
