Secondary School Principals Research Articles

Investigating Blended Leadership Dynamics: Analysing Transformational, Transactional, Laissez-Faire, and Instructional Approaches in High and Low Achieving Secondary Schools in Ethiopia

This study delves into the leadership practices within secondary schools in the Gedeo Zone, with a specific focus on those achieving high performance. Employing an embedded mixed research design, the study selected four high-performing and eight low-performing schools. Data collection methods encompassed surveys, document analysis, focus group discussions, and interviews, engaging 48 principals, 311 teachers, 6 senior teachers, and 7 supervisors, totaling 372 participants. Statistical analyses including regression, correlation, and independent t-tests, coupled with thematic analysis, were utilized. Both qualitative and quantitative findings indicate notable differences in leadership practices between high-performing and low-performing schools, with principals in high-performing schools demonstrating a blended approach of instructional and transformational leadership styles. Positive correlations emerged between principal effectiveness, employee effort, and satisfaction, linked to the adoption of instructional and transformational leadership styles. Regression analysis suggested that blended leadership styles positively impact academic achievement in high-performing schools but may have adverse effects in low-performing schools due to insufficient implementation of such leadership styles. The study proposes that principals in Gedeo Zone's secondary schools adopt a blended leadership approach, incorporating full-range and instructional models to enhance school performance. Additionally, the education department in the zone is encouraged to arrange workshops integrating full-range and instructional leadership practices. Received: 11 March 2024 / Accepted: 29 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024

Influence of Teaching and Learning Resources Provided by BOM on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools of Kisii Central Sub County, Kenya

Despite interventions by policymakers and implementers in instituting BOM so as to ensure the delivery of quality education in Kenya, performance in some schools has remained poor. According to the Sub County director of education, Kisii has witnessed very poor performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination over the years. To address the situation, the Kisii Central County Education office conducted workshops to capacity-build the BOM members from the entire County in relation to their roles in schools. It was for this reason that the study was to establish the influence of board of management practices on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools of Kisii Sub County. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population consisted of 53 public secondary schools in Kisii Central Sub County with 53 principals, 391 teachers, 689 members of the Board of Management, and 14,776 students. The sample size comprised 44 secondary school principals, 44 assistant teachers, 42 students and 248 members of the Board of Management. This constituted a total sample size of 378 respondents. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires as well as through interview schedules for the BOM members. A pre-test of the instruments was conducted in three schools using 38 respondents constituting 10% of the study sample. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, the mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlation) by employing SPSS version 21.0 and excel computer packages. Qualitative data was organized into themes, and categories as they emerged from the field and presented in narrative form. The analysis of results revealed that teaching and learning resources, staff recruitment and incentives positively and significantly influence the academic performance of students in secondary school. The study recommended that in order to improve the academic performance of students in secondary schools, the BOM should ensure that they provide enough teaching and learning materials to schools to guarantee the performance of students in their academics, recruit competent teachers to improve the teacher-student ratio which is a necessary measure in improving the performance of students in academics, establish the most appropriate method of appreciating teachers and students so as to motivate them to work positively toward improving the academic performance of students

Influence of Organizational Technology on Administrative Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of organizational technology on administrative performance in public secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study adopted a mixed-method research design. The study targeted 352 principals in public secondary schools and 11 Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers in Nakuru County. Using stratified random sampling, a sample size of 106 principals and 4 Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (30 % of the population) was selected. Data collection methods included questionnaires administered to principals and interviews conducted with Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (SCQASO). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. A pre-test involving 11 schools in Nyandarua County confirmed the reliability of the research instruments, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.805. The findings reveals a strong and significant correlation between organizational technology and administrative performance (r = 0.876, p = 0.004). It was concluded that organizational technology, significantly influenced the administrative performance of principals, ultimately enhancing school effectiveness. To improve public secondary school administration, it is recommended that operational efficiency be enhanced, and technology be integrated.

Influence of Organizational Roles on Administrative Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of organizational roles on administrative performance in public secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study adopted a mixed-method research design. The study targeted 352 principals in public secondary schools and 11 Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers in Nakuru County. Using stratified random sampling, a sample size of 106 principals and 4 Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (30 % of the population) was selected. Data collection methods included questionnaires administered to principals and interviews conducted with Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (SCQASO). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. A pre-test involving 11 schools in Nyandarua County confirmed the reliability of the research instruments, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.805. The study found that the correlation coefficients between organizational roles and administrative performance in public secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya (r = 0.567, p = 0.002) was strong and significant. Organizational role significantly influenced the administrative performance of principals, ultimately enhancing school effectiveness. To improve public secondary school administration, it is recommended that clearly defined administrative roles be established.

An Analytical Study of Administrative Communication Means Related to Organizational Performance Quality among Secondary School Principals in Al-Karkh, Baghdad

Community understanding requires the exchange of understanding and understanding on the subject of reaching the goal, and this requires both parties of communication who achieve a common understanding, especially in administrative work, which is an essential function in creating a common understanding among workers in programming the work to be implemented. Therefore, the study aimed to study the reality of administrative communications related to the quality of institutional performance. Administrators of some faculties and departments of physical education and sports sciences have chosen, and in order to do this, the descriptive approach was chosen using a survey method as a way to solve the problem and the use of a random sample of secondary school principals in Baghdad Al-Karkh, numbering (532) principals, in addition to the use of several methods and tests that contributed to the implementation of the research procedures, including the use of scale. The quality of institutional performance and means of communication. After conducting statistical treatments and analyzing and discussing the results, several conclusions were reached, including that there is a deficiency in institutional performance, especially in the field of available relationships and human capital. As for the recommendations, the most important of them was to conduct a review in the use of communications related to the technological aspect of implementing community service.

Principal–Teacher Relationships Under the Pressure of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Critical Factors and Implications for School Leadership During Crises

This paper aims to present the views of Greek school principals on whether and how working amid the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic affected principal–teacher relationships. It mainly focuses on the factors that contributed to the quality and course of these relationships. A qualitative methodology was adopted. Data were collected from 57 principals of public primary and secondary schools who answered the open-ended questions of an online questionnaire. Written answers were analyzed using the method of thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that, given the adverse working conditions, principal–teacher relationships were affected to varying degrees and in different ways in each school unit. For forty-seven percent of principals, the relationships remained unaffected; for forty percent, the relationships worsened; and for thirteen percent, they became stronger. It was found that teacher-related factors (attitude towards increased duties/obligations and ability to manage stress and fear), as well as work climate-related factors (communication and interaction, togetherness, and pre-existing work climate) contributed to the course of principal–teacher relations amid the pandemic. The findings provide practical and theoretical implications for school leadership and human resources management in a crisis context.

The Role of Perceived Self-efficacy in Achieving Institutional Excellence Among Secondary School Principals in the Hail Region

The study aimed to identify the role of perceived self-efficacy in achieving institutional excellence among secondary school principals in the Hail region. The research sample consisted of (180) secondary school principals in the Hail region. The descriptive, correlational approach was used, and two questionnaires were adopted to collect data from sample members. The study included the Perceived Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and the Institutional Excellence Questionnaire. The results showed that the level of perceived self-efficacy among school principals in the Hail region was high, and that the level of institutional excellence among school principals in the Hail region was moderate. It also showed that there was a positive, statistically significant relationship to the role of perceived self-efficacy. In achieving institutional excellence among secondary school principals in the Hail region, and in light of the research results, a set of recommendations were presented, most notably the conduct of training courses for school principals to raise their level of behavioral self-efficacy and social self-efficacy due to their importance in achieving institutional excellence.

Relationship between Theoretical Knowledge and Application Abilities of Science Teachers in Assessment Practices at School Level

The objective was to test the hypothesis that there is no relationship between theoretical knowledge and its practical application in assessment practices used by science teachers in the classroom and in general at the school level. The nature of the study was quantitative with descriptive correlational and linear regression design. The sample was randomly taken for the survey questionnaire from the Principals of high and higher secondary schools in two districts of Pakistan. The result revealed that there is a strong positive relationship between theoretical knowledge and its practical application in assessment used by science teachers at the secondary level. The regression analysis also showed that the theoretical understanding of assessment has a strong impact on the hands-on practices of the assessment. It was recommended that the science teachers' training focus on both theoretical concepts and learning along with the practical application of the assessment practices for effective and quality instructions or pedagogy.

Principals Quality Management Strategies in Administration of Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The study investigated the quality management practices of secondary school administrators in Bayelsa State. A total of 485 principals from Bayelsa State's public secondary schools made up the study's population, and it used an ex-post facto research approach. Because 485 public secondary school principals made up a reasonable portion of the total population, researchers were able to conduct their experiment using the cluster sampling approach. Researchers collected the data using a 32-item structured questionnaire. "Principal Management Strategies for Quality Secondary Education Questionnaire" was the name of the structured questionnaire. A four-point scale was used to develop the instrument: SA = 4, agree = 3, disagree = 2, and SD = 1. The reliability analysis generated a coefficient of 0.731 after the instrument's confirmation. We used the mean score to look at the survey results. Bayelsa State's principals used strategies for quality management in secondary schools, including planning, organizing, staffing, and coordinating. The research concluded that the government should select capable principals who can work closely with educators to accomplish school goals and implement quality management practices.

Challenges Faced by Female Secondary School Principals in Three Geographical Regions in Lesotho

Challenges Faced by Female Secondary School Principals in Three Geographical Regions in Lesotho

Principals’ Records-Keeping Practices and School Effectiveness in Ilorin Metropolis Secondary Schools

The research focuses on the record-keeping practices of principals in public secondary schools in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Two research questions and one research hypothesis were raised to guide the study. A descriptive survey research design was employed, allowing for self-reporting of information without manipulating variables. The sample included 121 principals and 155 vice principals from four Local Government Areas. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire, "Principals' Records Keeping Practices and School Effectiveness Questionnaire (PRMPSEQ)," developed from a literature review. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found a positive correlation between these two aspects, indicating that effective records management is crucial for achieving high levels of school effectiveness. The study found a moderate level of effectiveness in principals' records-keeping practices, with areas for improvement identified in record retrieval, disposal, use and archiving. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between principals' record-keeping practices and school effectiveness in public secondary schools in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Overall, the findings provide valuable information for policymakers and school administrators in Ilorin metropolis, suggesting that enhancing records management practices could be a strategic approach towards improving school effectiveness and ultimately, the quality of education for students. The findings suggest that schools should prioritise continuous improvement in their records management systems, focusing on enhancing retrieval, disposal, utilisation, and archiving practices. Recommendations include enhancing records management training, implementing standardised systems, investing in technology and conducting regular audits.

Identifying the Administrative Problems Encountered by Secondary School Principals in Agbani Education Zone

This study aims to identify and analyze the administrative problems encountered by secondary school principals in the Agbani Education Zone. The research adopts a descriptive survey design, focusing on 594 respondents, including both principals and teachers, from a population of 1,142. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, validated by experts, with reliability established using Cronbach’s alpha. The study is guided by two research questions and two hypotheses, tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The analysis utilized mean, standard deviation, and t-tests to evaluate the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding administrative challenges. Key findings indicate that secondary school principals face significant challenges, including truancy, indiscipline among students and staff, poor communication facilities, and inadequate financial resources. These issues were found to detrimentally affect school administration and educational delivery. To address these challenges, the study suggests several strategies, including organizing regular seminars and workshops for principals, involving parents more actively in the administrative process, and improving communication facilities within schools. The study concludes that addressing these administrative issues is essential for improving educational outcomes and overall school management in the Agbani Education Zone. The proposed strategies aim to enhance the leadership capabilities of principals, foster a collaborative environment among stakeholders, and ultimately improve the quality of education in the region. These recommendations underscore the need for a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders, including government authorities, to create a supportive and effective educational environment.

A Systematic Review Analysis on Instructional Leadership Styles: Exploring Research Foci, Conceptual Models, Methodological Designs, and Geographical Distributions

Aims: This study explored the various literature on Instructional leadership of secondary school principals. This study aimed to answer the following questions based on (1) the geographic distribution of the distributed leadership literature published globally; (2) methodological designs (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods) have been adopted and data collection tools used; (3) the nature of literature in terms of research foci; and (4) conceptual frameworks/models are predominant in the relevant literature publications between 2012 and 2022. Study Design: Systematic review analysis. Place and Duration of Study: The systematic review of existing literature was carried-out last 2023 and analyzed relevant studies on instructional leadership from 2012-2022. Methodology: This study utilized the systematic review analysis using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) as the functional research design in answering the research questions. The study used the Google scholar and Eric as the main database search platform for seeking relevant literature. These databases have an advanced search method to set the desired operative words, the year of publication, and it provides the data based such as in-full text version, peer-reviewed, written in English, research design, etc. Results: As a result of the systematic analysis, this study exposed notable variations in terms of research design employed, and the locale of the study. Based on the synthesis of the various research studies, it was observed that instructional leadership is currently being studied against students, teachers, and school performances. Moreover, the widely used conceptual framework used was exploratory, and a direct effect model. Conclusion: Finally, the framework provided by this study and the overview of the challenges outlined here may help to improve the delivery of instructional leadership among secondary school principals and will serve as the foundation for future research projects and policy decisions.

Education policy intentions and principals’ and teachers’ conceptualizations of curriculum differentiation in Ethiopian secondary education

This study examined the intentions of education policy documents and the conceptualizations of secondary school principals and teachers regarding curriculum differentiation. Regular and special day schools were selected using purposive sampling based on their experiences with different types of curriculum differentiation. Two school principals and 17 subject teachers were selected using purposive and convenience samplings, respectively. The study analyzed national education policy documents (e.g., education and training policy and curriculum framework) and collected interview data from school principals and teachers. The two main national education policy documents conceptualize curriculum differentiation in terms of various tracks, like fields of study, streams, and school types. The other national document, the guideline for curriculum differentiation, emphasizes the differentiation of curriculum components—contents, instructional processes, assessment strategies, and learning environments—and highlights the importance of inclusive classrooms. Principals’ and teachers’ conceptualizations of curriculum differentiation vary across three levels: lacking awareness, holding divergent views, and aligning with policy intentions. The absence of a coherent policy guide and the lack of engagement of principals and teachers in reform ideas have contributed to these diverse conceptualizations. Additionally, the policy intentions seem inadequately addressed through curriculum differentiation practice by school types, such as regular, special day, and boarding schools, which do not correspond to variations in the types and levels of difficulty of the school subjects taught.

Determining the Challenges of Implementing Instructional Leadership in Township Secondary Schools in the Western Cape: A Case Study

In this empirical paper, the researchers determine the challenges experienced by township secondary school principals in the Western Cape, in implementing instructional leadership. The background to this paper is that there are challenges in the implementation of instructional leadership in township secondary schools which leads to learners performing poorly in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam. The study is couched in the theoretical framework of Critical Emancipatory Research which advocates peace, hope, equality, freedom, and social justice. A transformative paradigm under the qualitative approach and participatory action research design was adopted to analyse the experiences of the stakeholders of the research school. A focus group discussion was conducted with the school management team (SMT) of a particular secondary school in the Metro East Education district in the Western Cape. This SMT comprised eight members, including the school principal. The findings revealed that ineffective communication and a lack of clear goals are the primary causes of challenges to the effective implementation of instructional leadership. Contrary to this, effective communication and formulation of clear goals can alleviate the challenges experienced in instructional leadership. Considering the findings, the study argues that effective communication, and a formulation of clear goals, are a prerequisite for the implementation of effective instructional leadership in schools. This study contributes to the body of research on the challenges of implementing effective instructional leadership from the township context in the Western Cape province in South Africa. Keywords: instructional leadership, critical emancipatory research, participatory action research, learner achievement, teamwork.

The Degree of Transformational Leadership Practice among Public and Private Secondary School Principals in the Capital Municipality of Sana'a

This study aimed to determine the degree to which transformational leadership dimensions are practiced by public and private secondary school principals in the Capital Municipality of Sana'a, from the perspective of teachers. A descriptive-analytical approach was employed to achieve the study's objectives. The study sample consisted of (899) male and female teachers. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and a number of inferential statistical methods were used for analysis. The study found that the degree of transformational leadership practice among public and private school principals in the Capital Municipality of Sana'a, as perceived by teachers, was high, with a mean of (4.02). The dimensions were ranked in descending order as follows: (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individual consideration, and empowering teachers). The study also found statistically significant differences in the responses of the sample members regarding the degree of transformational leadership practice among public and private secondary school principals which could be attributed to the variable of teacher qualification and school type; the differences were in favor of the non-educational university qualification category and in favor of the private schools' category. The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences attributed to the variables of (school principal gender, teacher gender, and years of teaching experience). The study provided several recommendations in light of its findings, the most important of which is to hold training courses and professional development programs for principals to raise the level of their practice of transformational leadership behaviors.

Implementing distributed leadership in Irish voluntary secondary schools from the principals’ perspective

ABSTRACT In 2018, the Irish Department of Education and Skills (DES) officially recommended a distributed leadership model as a new approach to leadership and management in post-primary schools. Policy implementation guidance was circulated to school management via DES circular CL003/2018. This study investigates the perspective of voluntary secondary school principals implementing CL003/2018 within the voluntary secondary school sector, where the role of the school principal is pivotal in its implementation. A pragmatic approach to the research methodology led to the adoption of a case study methodology within a mixed-method sequential quantitative > qualitative research design. The quantitative research instrument was an online survey distributed to a census population of voluntary secondary school principals in Ireland. Using Zoom, semi-structured interviews with ten voluntary secondary school principals informed the qualitative research. The findings are examined and interpreted within the literature on distributed leadership, with the concepts of power, accountability, and sustainability emerging from the research. The research identifies recommendations on professional learning for principals to develop sustainable leadership capacity within the voluntary secondary school sector, and the essential time to hold strategic leadership team meetings.

Bridging the Generational Gap between the Teachers and Students in the Utilization of Modern Technology in the Teaching Methods in Public Secondary Schools in Delta State

Purpose: The study focused on bridging the generational gap between the teachers and students in the utilization of modern technology in the teaching methods in secondary schools in Delta State. Two research questions were raised and two null hypotheses were formulated in the study. Methodology: The descriptive survey design was used. The population for this study comprised all public secondary school principals and teachers in Delta State. The sample for this study was 1533 and it is made up of 100 principals and 1433 teachers in Delta State public secondary schools selected from 12 Local Government Areas. Principals represented 50% while teachers represent 10% of the population. A self developed questionnaire was design titled “Bridging the Generational gap between the Teachers and Students in the Utilization of Modern Technology Questionnaire (BGTSUMTQ)”, validated and its reliability equally determined via a pilot study using test re-test reliability technique with a coefficient index of 0.96 was used. The research questions raised were answered using percentage for the study. The researcher employed descriptive statistic of mean scores and standard deviation to provide answers to the research questions while Pearson Product Moment Statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings: The findings revealed that there are factors that are associated with the utilization of modern technology in teaching methods in public secondary schools in Delta State. The use of technology in education is influenced by the following factors such as teacher factor, organizational factor, technological factor and student factor. It also showed that there are strategies to be adopted to improve teachers and students in the utilization of modern technology in teaching methods in public secondary schools in Delta State. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Based on the findings, it therefore concluded that as a catalyst for massive change, technology has improved our existing understanding by assisting educators and students in making the most use of cutting-edge teaching techniques in Delta State public secondary schools.

Schools that learn to improve student learning: the effectiveness of schools as PLCs

ABSTRACT This paper studies the effectiveness of schools as Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Specifically, it explores whether schools, as perceived by principals to meet the defining characteristics of a PLC, are associated with enhanced student learning outcomes. To answer the research question, the paper integrates two different databases: the data on schools as PLCs are collected by a questionnaire from the lower secondary school principals of the Emilia Romagna Region, Italy. The data on the student’s learning, economic, social, and cultural status and other students’ background characteristics were taken from the INVALSI (the National Agency that administers the standardised tests). After integrating these two databases, we obtained original data from about 6.000 3rd graders students of 61 schools. In this context, a two-level linear model (HLM) was applied to study the relationship between PLC and student learning. The analysis integrates predictors from both within-school and between-school levels. Within-school models account for the effects of student characteristics. Meanwhile, between-school models, which incorporate within-school controls, assess the impact of school characteristics – including PLC – on student learning outcomes. The results show that PLC understood by school principals as a multidimensional construct that integrates personal, interpersonal, and organisational capacities, improves student learning in Maths and English.

Challenges of ICT Tools for Managerial Functions in Private Secondary Schools

The study examined the challenges of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools for managerial functions among private secondary school administrators in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Both primary and secondary data were used in the paper. Using a standardized questionnaire, the principals of the private secondary schools in the Ilorin Metropolis provided the data. The total population of Private Secondary Schools within Ilorin Metropolis is 141. The entire population was used as a sample for the study. Findings from the study showed that the majority of the respondents strongly disagreed that there is a non-availability of computers in private secondary schools. The respondents disagreed with the unavailability of internet services in the Ilorin metropolis. The majority of the respondents agree that inadequate Information and Communication Technology tools in private secondary schools. The study concluded that fear of technology use among principals, inadequate Information and Communication Technology tools, and power failure are the challenges confronting the effective use of ICT among principals in private secondary schools in the Ilorin metropolis. The paper recommended that the proprietors of private secondary schools in the Ilorin metropolis should procure more Information and Communication Technology tools. Computer literacy experts should be appointed as the principal. The management should introduce solar energy to save the school from the interrupted power supply.