Dimensions of Principals’ Characteristics for Improving Efficiency of Schools

Abstract

The quality of education could be improved by promoting the internal efficiency of secondary schools, which largely depends on leadership skills of the principals. Principals today function as instructional leaders, who continuously struggle for promoting learning outcomes of pupils, understand curriculum content and instructional skills and motivate teachers to improve these skills by providing them professional and instructional support. Their instructional leaderships could be improved by knowledge of curriculum content and modern teaching methodologies, which promote the internal efficiency of schools. The principals benefit from each other in professional matters and promote collegiality among them. They interact with their colleagues to share knowledge and skills. The experienced principals are good mediators and conflict resolvers. They collaborate with parents and community for improving learning outcomes of students. Administrative competence is important in determining the performance of the best and worst schools. But it is hard to measure it directly. Years of administrative skills and planning are also relevant to competence, but are less likely to be available on any consistent basis and affect the internal efficiency of school. The education level of the principal must ensure that he is an excellent evaluator of the classroom and school objectives. He checks students’ work and gives feedback to teachers after classroom observations. Professional development of principals has an impact on the knowledge, skills and their dispositions. The professional development need of principal is somewhat different from those of teachers and is reflective of the four major categories of development: leadership skills, curriculum related (Instructional, supervision and evaluation) skills, human and financial resource management skills, and knowledge in using departmental rules and regulations. Effective supervision and good governance is affected by number of teachers in a school. Small number of teachers in school ensures close contact between principal and teachers, which makes monitoring and financial accountability more effective, resultantly promotes its efficiency.