Preparation of School Heads in Ghana: Making a Case for Theoretical Knowledge

Abstract

This paper examined the preparation of school heads in Ghana. It looked at the academic and professional credentials of the school heads and the criteria for their appointment. The paper also looked at the nexus between the role expectations of school heads and school improvement.  It explored the career path to school administration and the knowledge base of school head preparatory programmes in some selected countries from a discourse analytic perspective.

The paper identified the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and core technical skills in leadership and management by aspiring school heads as sine qua non for practitioners to meet the expectations of their job. Policy recommendation included the revision of the criteria for appointing school heads in Ghana to include the requirement for formal academic preparation in educational administration. The paper recommended a comparative study of the administrative styles and problem-solving techniques of school heads who took courses in educational administration and those who did not.

Keywords: School administration, preparation programmes, theoretical knowledge