Query: Role of head teachers in school management

title: Instructional management of head teachers and its relation to teachers' commitment to teaching work Shazali Hj Rosdi
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine which of the 10 leadership functionscontained in the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) as identified by Hallinger (1983) are demonstrated by the head teacher and the nine items in the Teachers' Commitment to Teaching Work (TCTW) demonstrated by teachers at three different types of primary school in the district of Kuching. The schools involve in the study are government national school, religious school, and a missionary school. A number of 150 questionnaires were distributed to the target respondents of teachers from the respective schools. The results and findings presented in this study are based on the following Research Objectives in which it meant to determine teachers' perception toward the Head Teachers' Instructional Management. The study also wishes to investigate whether the head teachers' Instructional Management role has any relation to the teachers' commitment to teaching work. Alongside, it is also expected to examine the relative importance of head teachers' Instructional Management towards teachers' commitment to teaching work. The study also sought to determine if there would be a significant difference in teachers' perceptions of the head teachers' instructional management roles as well as to investigate teachers' commitment to teaching work that will contribute to enhance student achievement and the school outcomes at large. Descriptive statistics were used to identify which instructional management functions were being demonstrated frequently by the head teachers as the instructional leader cum instructional managers at school.

title: Gender disparities in appointment of primary school head teachers in Nyeri Central District in Nyeri county, Kenya
abstract: Gender disparities have been a critical issue in the developing countries including Kenya. Gender disparity is not limited to any specific field of life and education is no exception. Either gender should have equal access to power and resources; because women and men bring in different styles of management to education, under representation of either gender in educational management and leadership positions would have negative implications on government policies. For instance if women are under represented the girl child would lag behind in education due to lack of positive female role models. Women teachers would also lack mentors, the scenario cyclic and self perpetuating. This study investigated social cultural factors, organizational factors and personal factors that cause gender disparities in appointment of primary school head teachers in Nyeri Central District, Nyeri County. Various scholarly works that are related to factors causing gender disparities in educational management were reviewed. Descriptive survey design, utilizing a population of 538 primary school teachers was used. A sample of 34 respondents was selected by simple random sampling. The sample size was determined using the sampling formula by Nassiuma (2000) for populations whose underlying distribution is unknown. The study looked at factors such as social cultural factors, personality factors and organizational factors that tend to hinder or promote career advancement of men and women in primary school headship positions. Data was collected by use of a self scoring questionnaire consisting of 29 items that are both open and closed ended questions. Piloting was carried out in two schools which were not included in the study sample. Data was analyzed by use of the computer package, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) The analyzed data was presented in form of frequency polygons, pie charts, bar graphs and frequency tables. The results of this study provide essential information on what can be done to make gender equity considerations a worthwhile under taking in the educational management of primary schools. Findings from this study may influence the policy makers, educationists, teachers and parents to review the current status and come up with more practical intervention to improve participation of all. The government through the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour and the ministry of Gender and Development, may use these research findings in evaluating and strengthening their contribution towards policy implementation and legislation. The nation as a whole may use these research findings in tapping the human potential of either gender to the benefit of all. Administrators and managers may also use the findings of this study in making gender sensitive decisions in recommendations for appointments or in actual appointments and thus ensuring that only the very competent ascend to positions of management. Workers in the education sector may also make use the findings to boost the morale and job satisfaction once it becomes evident that all have equal chances in career advancement.

title: Evaluating the use of a strengths based development tool with head teachers
abstract: This exploratory study investigated an educational psychologist's use of a strengths based development tool with head teachers, in the context of influencing and supporting leaders in school organisations. Nine head teachers completed the "Realise2 Introductory Profile" online strengths assessment and then received a structured debrief by an educational psychologist, to facilitate discussion around their individual profile. Feedback was gathered from five head teachers, using semi structured interview and a Likert type rating scale. Interviews were analysed thematically. Head teachers reported raised self awareness in terms of their realised strengths, learned behaviours, weaknesses and unrealised strengths. They noted an increased motivation and commitment to self reflection as a core practice and related this to subsequent changes in management practice, such as improving personal resilience, increased authenticity in their professional role and more effective delegation of management tasks. Organisational level outcomes reported by head teachers included increases in focus on strengths based practices, teacher well being and resilience. Personal and professional development with individual head teachers is discussed as an effective use of educational psychology resources with potential benefits for the wider organisation.

title: Assessing the role of School Management Committees (SMCs) in improving quality teaching and learning in Ashanti Mampong municipal basic schools
abstract: The study sought to assess the role of School Management Committees (SMCs) in improving quality teaching and learning in Ashanti Mampong Municipal Township Basic Junior High Schools through the views of head teachers, teachers and SMC Members. The design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey. A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample size of thirty (30) respondents. Questionnaire was used to collect (ed) data from the respondents, validated by the researchers and analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that SMCs were ineffective in the monitoring and supervision of head teachers' teacher's and pupils' attendance. Even though SMC's are not doing enough to assist teachers to improve teaching and learning, they are seen as very effective in solving school community relations since SMCs are relatively on task on the issue of serving as a vehicle for promoting community participation in the provision of quality education. Finally, it was recommended that much effort is needed to be done by SMCs in the Ashanti Mampong Municipal to raise the standard of basic education. It is hoped that the findings will serve as tools for change of practice of supervision of all stakeholders in the quality of teaching and learning in basic schools.

title: Organization Commitment of Public Primary School Senior Head Teachers
abstract: Commitment to organization is important and plays key role in the formation of an integrated human effort in an organization. The importance of organizational commitment has attracted consideration over recent years and has been reflected in many management studies. Specifically, the objective of this study was to identify the significant difference between the selected demographic variables and organizational commitment. A quantitative cross sectional research design with purposive sampling was employed in collecting data. The cross sectional survey design was used to determine the demographic variables of gender and ethnicity. The questionnaires for Organizational Commitment was originated by Mowday et al. (2003) The respondents for this study were senior public primary school head teachers who attended the three years intensive program of Bachelor Degree in Education Management. Two cohorts comprised of 107 students were chosen from 600 students who enrolled for the Head Teacher Degree Program. They were purposively selected because they represented almost equal numbers of respondents based on gender and ethnicity of the ratio of people in Malaysia. The results of the analysis revealed that organizational commitment showed no significant different between male and female. There was significant difference for organizational commitment related to ethnic of Malay, Chinese and Indian. In conclusion, the degree of commitment of the organization among senior teacher has shown the differences between the ethnics but no different between the gender. Therefore, organization need to build up the necessary efforts to encourage and enable the different ethnics to strive their strong commitment to the organization. This will enable the organization to meet future challenges and at the same time maintain employee's attachment to the organization.

title: School leaders as agents of change a case study on how two head teachers are trying to implement the learning study method in their school
abstract: This paper seeks to describe and discuss the impact of inspections of schools in Sweden. It outlines the political context, based on New Public Management (NPM) theory, according to what role the S

title: Influence of the Head Teacher's Role on Student Behavior Management in a Primary School
abstract: The role of head teacher as the school leader does not only deals with the academics and general administration of the school but also deals with the life world of the school which is composed of values, character, relationships behaviors and attitude. Hence it becomes imperative to know how the head teacher's role does influences behavior management of the students. To address the above stated query, a case study method has been followed with in the qualitative research paradigm. A private school head teacher was purposefully selected as study participant from the context of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. The study explored that, the head teacher as the school leader has delineated a comprehensive vision and policy for student behavior management in the form of "Six character Pillars" The critical role of the teachers in managing the student behavior is highly valued and they are expected to be role models of good behavior. Teacher's professional development for student behavior management emerged as an area highly valued by the school leadership.

title: Influence of in service programmes on head teachers' competence in management of secondary schools in Mukaa District Kenya
abstract: Headteachers play a key role in achievement of educational goals and objectives in schools. The quality of schools depend largely on leadership. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of in service programmes on head teachers' competence in management of secondary schools in Mukaa District Kenya. The study sought to determine the influence of Kenya secondary schools heads' Annual conferences, previously held administrative positions, learning on the job, exposure to KEMI programmes, DEOs' offices administrative support of headteachers' levels of competence in administrative task areas. In addition, the study sought to establish the most and the least preferred forms leadership and management preparations. Mukaa district has 40 secondary schools according to the district education office data. The study therefore considered the head teachers of 36 secondary schools and one teacher in every school making a total of 36 teachers. Data was collected using questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered to the 36 headteachers and 36 teachers. The data was analysed using frequencies and percentages. The return rate was 100% The study found out that the headteachers are effective in curriculum implementation, fairly effective in curriculum evaluation, very effective in management of teaching staff and very effective in management of the non teaching staff. The study recommends that the in service programmes should give more emphasis on ICT related courses to cope with the emerging trends in technological form of leadership e.g. in storing of data, accounting, decision making softwares, internal and external communication systems, website maintenance with proficiency in internet and email. This study is likely to benefit the Ministry of Education particularly at the County level, who will gain more insight on the most preferred modes of management preparation. The study could also provide feedback to KEMI on headteachers' most preferred forms of preparation. Further research should be extended to all secondary school headteachers on in service programmes that enhance their competence in internal leadership roles and teaching. Factors contributing to headteachers' incompetence in school administrative tasks and in service programmes to all secondary school teachers in Kenya focusing on enhancement of their competence in future school administration, needs further research.

title: The Preparedness of Secondary School Head Teachers as Leaders and Managers of Schools in Kenya
abstract: Management practices in Kenyan Secondary schools ha ve come under scrutiny following the wave of student strikes that swept across the count ry i recent years. Over the past decade strikes in schools have been increasing phenomenall y. Several reasons have been advanced by different stakeholders as the underlying root cause s: overloaded curriculum; autocratic school administration; drug and substance abuse; poor livi ng conditions in schools; excessive use of corporal punishment; lack of an effective school gu idance and counseling services among others. The latest upsurge in violent strikes in pu blic secondary schools in 2008 brought into sharp focus the role of head teachers in the manage ment of schools in Kenya. The thrust of this study was to establish whether they are prepared to face challenges and problems that come with running these institutions. The fact that they are elevated to head schools without proper training in management practices is a cause for concern. Thi s paper posits leadership and managerial ineptitude on the part of head teachers. The study specifically sought to identify the challenges and training needs of head teachers in secondary sc hools. It also explored the availability of head teacher training and its importance in managin g schools. The data for this paper was collected through review of published and unpublish ed literature. The need to have management training for teachers' prior to promotion to the le v l of head teachers should be the focus.  2008) more than 300 secondary schools went on strike in Kenya between the months of May and Augus t 2008, resulting in the destruction of property worth millions of shillings. The report a dded that the students were protesting against poor living conditions and bad management. This study proceeds from the observation (Eshiwani, 1993; Okumbe 1999; Mutai, 2003; inter alia) that in Kenya, there are no set criteria enum erating the skills a person should possess to qualify for appointment as a head teacher. This cr eates a managerial gap in public schools since without basic managerial training, the head teacher s are less likely to be knowledgeable in elementary management practices and cannot readily grasp the provisions of the Education Act. The Education Act (1968) defines a manager as any p erson or body of persons responsible for the management of a school. The regular upsurge of unrests in schools puts the capability of head teachers in this respect in serious doubt. Al though the Act confers extensive powers on the Minister of Education over the management and regul ation of education in Kenya, the day to day running of affairs in the school falls squarely on the shoulders of head teachers. Indeed, the Act presumes that head teachers are knowledgeable in ed ucational management. The term management can be defined as the art of getting peo ple t gether to accomplish desired goals through planning, organizing, sourcing, leading or directing, and controlling for the purpose of accomplishing a goal (Lewy, 1991) This paper inten ds to show that herein lays the main

title: The role of school leadership in conflict management in selected secondary shools of Chingola District
abstract: The fmdings showed that head teachers, D E B S and teachers understood what the term conflict management meant in the context o f the school environment. Their responses were: ability to effectively communication with teachers; approaches to control misunderstandings among teachers, students, administration and subordinate staff The causes o f conflicts were absenteeism, teachers having higher qualifications than the head teacher, late coming, incompetence on the part o f the head teacher, teachers having a negative work culture, and favoritism. The findings from the study showed that a course on conflict management should be introduced in the curricula for student teachers and that it should also be introduced as a regular refresher course for teachers and school administrators. School administration has been adversely affected by lack o f knowledge o f conflict management. Hence, most of them administrators handled conflicts by trial and error approach because there were no specific procedures and methods of managing conflicts. The findings showed that conflict management strategies commonly used were confrontation, avoidance, dialogue, charging the teacher, communication and scolding the teacher. A l l in all respondents understood the term conflict management. They too brought out causes o f conflict in schools. Though the school leadership lacked training in conflict management they had conflict strategy methods they employed in trying to solve conflict in their respective schools. In light o f the findings, the study recommended that induction of school head teachers should be mandatory and conflict management should be among the important aspects in this induction. It also recommended that courses in conflict management should be included in the curriculum for teachers in training as a way o f preparing them for conflict management in school administration.