Role of School Heads’ Leadership Competencies in the Context of School Improvement Initiatives

Abstract

The aim of this research was to find out the relationship between school heads leadership competencies and the school results. It further investigated the on ground leadership competency challenges being faced by the head teachers of secondary schools in District Rawalpindi. Mix method approach was used. The study was basically descriptive in nature which required the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data by using a questionnaire and interviews.The information obtained through questionnaire were analyzed through, frequencies, percentage and mean value. Information gathered through interviews were qualitatively described. There were 285 teachers and 93 head teachers from tehsil Rawalpindi, Texila and Kotli Satian using the consecutive sampling technique. A questionnaire was developed for quantitative data collection. The study revealed that there is a significant relationship found between leadership competencies of school heads and school annual results. The study also depicted that the head teachers of the schools confront several challenges to improve their school including: lack of strict accountability in the system, heavy administrative duties, overcrowded classes, students affair management, weak result in Maths and Science, lack of trust of people on the education of government institutions, children coming from low socio economic backgrounds and lack of parents participation in the education of their children, lack of subject competent teachers, assessment practices, students drop out, medias’ role in portraying bad image of the government institution.

Keywords: leadership competency of school head, relationship, school improvement, challenges for school improvement.