Decision Support System for Spatial Analysis of Private Schools in Tobruk, Libya Based on GIS

Abstract

Effective metropolitan planning for educational services requires precise spatial analysis of both service locations and consumers. This paper presents an integrated Decision Support System based on Geographic Information Systems (DSGIS) to evaluate the distribution efficiency of private schools in Tobruk, Libya. The proposed model uses web-based geolocation acquisition and IP-to-coordinate conversion to map the spatial density of students and schools across various metropolitan polygons. Methodologically, the system organizes spatial data into distinct GIS layers (Base Map, Customer Layer, and Private Schools Layer) to facilitate geostatistical comparison. The results reveal a significant spatial misalignment, indicated by a weak correlation coefficient of - 0.318 between school locations and student concentrations. These findings suggest that the current distribution of private schools is largely spontaneous rather than planned. The study concludes that the DSGIS model provides a robust digital foundation for municipal decision-makers to optimize resource allocation, ensure equitable access to education, and support future metropolitan expansion based on empirical spatial data.