How can we empower school leaders to #LeadforLearning: Recommendations from the 2024/5 GEM Report

How can we empower school leaders to #LeadforLearning: Recommendations from the 2024/5 GEM Report


Leadership takes many forms and is hard to measure concretely, but it is critical for education success at all levels. There are enabling factors, however, which nurture rather than stifle talented leaders of all styles and backgrounds, in all contexts. The 2024/5 GEM Report covers these in its first three recommendations. They are underpinned by four dimensions of an education leader’s role that are relevant for them to lead effectively, whether they work in a school or a government education office: to set expectations, to focus on learning, to foster collaboration and to develop capacity.

Recommendation 1. Trust and empower

Create the enabling conditions for school principals to improve education

Principals have significant decision-making power in setting disciplinary policies but not teacher salaries

There can be little leadership when there is no opportunity to make decisions. Education systems therefore need to empower leaders with sufficient autonomy to manage financial and human resources and to make decisions related to teaching and learning.

Governments must be clear about the scope of school leaders’ decision-making authority and provide them the support they need to lead. They need to allocate adequate resources in a timely, equitable and predictable manner. School leaders need to be accountable to governments and communities for the responsible use of these resources to achieve feasible education outcomes. Governments must develop leaders’ capacity to use resources effectively and their own capacity to monitor schools and use the information effectively. Trust should be developed further by meaningful and regular engagement. And governments need to be aware of, and protect, school leaders from the potential downsides of greater autonomy.

Recommendation 2. Select, develop and recognize

Invest in the professionalization of school principals

 a. Select talented school principals through inclusive recruitment

Talented people are likely to be discouraged if recruitment processes are closed and inequitable. One way to encourage candidates if for initial teacher training to incorporate elements of leadership development. Talent spotting and succession planning should be integral components of recruitment strategies. Offering management and leadership roles in advance is desirable where circumstances allow. However, it is crucial to ensure that these approaches are free of bias, stereotypes and favouritism, and to avoid hierarchical structures, partisanship or patronage.

Selection criteria should be clearly defined, objective and transparent to ensure that qualified candidates, regardless of their background or gender, have equal opportunities to demonstrate their diverse leadership skills. Politics should not play a role in the choice of school leaders.

Teacher hiring and firing is politically influenced in many countries

The lack of diversity in leadership positions is a problem for education decision making at all levels. Currently, 8 in 10 countries do not have measures in place to ensure balanced representation. Open selection processes could help reduce disparity in representation in leadership positions, but temporary quotas may be needed where problems persist.

The best teachers need not make the best principals – and care should be exercised to avoid signalling that the position of a principal is a reward for the best teachers. On the other hand, being a good teacher is important to succeed as a principal. The review of selection processes for this report shows that almost all countries consider teaching experience as a prerequisite for being a school leader. But only about 3 in 10 countries also specify management experience. Selection criteria should therefore be broadened and diversified.

b. Prepare, train and support school principals to focus on the core dimensions of their role

A global review of training courses for this report, both pre-service and in-service, suggests that barely half of training courses focus on any of the four dimensions of instructional leadership, expectations and vision, collaboration and alliances, and staff development – and just one third on all four.

Only one fifth of principal preparation and training programmes cover all four dimensions of leadership

Some types of support, such as induction, coaching and mentorship, are critical for novice and early career leaders’ success. Yet only 3 in 10 countries have regulations to provide training for new principals after their appointment. Preparation programmes should include a practice or experiential learning element and enlist the support of coaches and mentors.

Professional development programmes should fill gaps, especially for leaders whose previous training did not cover the four core dimensions. Training should also cover  the details of government reform priorities to support their implementation.  Competences that can be nurtured include a range of good observation, listening, social, emotional and analytical skills but also practical skills in data, financial, human resource and pedagogical management. One quarter of school principals in upper-middle- and high-income countries have expressed the need for training in these areas. Specialized knowledge is needed to implement policies on inclusion and on digital transformation, both focuses of forthcoming regional reports in the GEM 2024/5 cycle. Other education policy areas, such as greening and health and nutrition, will also require school leaders to develop capacity.

With a growing range of responsibilities, leadership is often associated with stress and burnout. Principals need access to professional counselling and mental health services, and a supportive network within the school environment where they can discuss challenges and seek assistance.

c. Set and implement school leadership standards and recognize their achievement

Globally, the PEER country profiles on education leadership show that almost half of countries have adopted stand-alone national professional standards or competency frameworks which outline the required competencies of aspiring and practising school principals and indicate desirable practices. Standards are particularly important where perceptions of school principals’ roles remain limited to administration and management. They help communicate national priorities and can be used to guide selection, preparation and training. But they should not create uniformity and should reflect the country’s education and cultural context, avoiding the temptation to import standards from other countries without adapting them to the local context.

School leaders’ performance should be assessed against these standards and intended education outcomes. The primary intention of such appraisal should be formative: to give feedback and recommend changes in practice. Appraisal systems can be used as a basis to develop a certification process that recognizes the professional competences of school leaders. Well-organized appraisal systems can further be used to develop career advancement pathways.

Recommendation 3. Share

Promote shared leadership and collaborative school cultures

Leadership is sometimes thought of as a series of heroic acts. But school leaders should not be seen as heroes; it is not possible for them to do everything and do it on their own. They need to lead through collaboration to achieve common goals.

Leadership status needs to have deeper roots than a position of power. It needs to be earned through daily practice that demonstrates integrity, commitment, ability and humanity. These qualities are strengthened if leadership functions are shared, formally and informally, with members of a management team (e.g. the vice principal or heads of department), teachers and school support staff, students, parents, and community members. School principals need to know how to meaningfully use structures, such as school management committees and student councils, as forums for consultation and engagement. Such collaborative relationships strengthen governance, improve decision making, enhance accountability, and foster inclusive and resilient environments.

Policies on shared school leadership should be developed and implemented. Yet only about half of countries emphasize teacher collaboration in their leadership standards. And barely one third of leadership programmes  reviewed for this report focused on developing school leaders’ preparedness to share responsibilities through openness, collaboration and partnerships.

Not all leadership dimensions are equally embedded in national professional standards

Professional development programmes should, therefore, help school principals to clarify roles; delegate responsibilities; empower colleagues, students and parents and recognize their unique contributions; create an environment where everyone feels valued; establish clear communication channels and regular feedback mechanisms; build teams; and see the school as a learning organization that works toward common goals.

Share these recommendations online and help amplify the need to empower school leaders to #LeadforLearning.

 



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