Educational Leadership and Principal Efficiency: Bridging Knowledge and Practice for School Improvement

Dr Nargis  Sultana; Tasmia  Nawab; Mehwish  Ikhlaque; Dr Noor Ul Ain  Khan; Masood  Omerzai; Dr Shams-ur Rahman

doi:10.63056/

Authors

Dr Nargis Sultana Lecturer Education, Govt Associate College for Women Sukheki Mandi, District Hafizabad, Pakistan Author
Tasmia Nawab Lecturer Education Author
Mehwish Ikhlaque Senior Lecturer Speech and Language Pathology, Riphah International University, Pakistan Author
Dr Noor Ul Ain Khan Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, University of Chakwal, Pakistan Author
Masood Omerzai Iqra National University, Peshawar, Pakistan Author
Dr Shams-ur Rahman Assistant Professor IBMS, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63056/

Keywords:

School leadership , teacher perceptions , leadership behavior , primary education , southern Pakistan , educational effectiveness.

Abstract

School leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping the effectiveness and development of educational institutions, especially within complex and evolving educational systems. The current study examines perceptions of primary school teachers in the northern region of Pakistan regarding the leadership behaviors of their principals. The study was conducted at two (2) levels: the implementation level (actually takes place) and the desirable level (what ideally should occur). Based on updated statistical analyses, findings reveal that while teachers generally perceive principals as effectively fulfilling their leadership roles with mean scores for implementation ranging between “often” and “always” a statistically significant difference exists between implementation and desirable levels in 27 out of 28 leadership dimensions. Only the perception of the principal's attention to the school's image and reputation showed no significant discrepancy. These results underscore a consistent gap between current leadership practices and teachers’ expectations, suggesting a need for targeted professional development to align school leadership more closely with the evolving demands of educational quality and systemic improvement.