Linking principal task effectiveness to student achievement in secondary schools in the Maldives

ABSTRACT

Little is known about the relations between principals’ effectiveness in specific leadership tasks and student achievement. The purpose of this study is to explore principal task effectiveness, as perceived by principals themselves and their senior management teams (SMTs), and to explore the associations between perceived principal task effectiveness and student achievement. This study employed an exploratory quantitative design using surveys to collect principal and SMT ratings of principal task effectiveness. In addition, grades from secondary school exit examination in Mathematics and English as a Second Language (ESL) were collected from all public secondary schools in the Maldives. An exploratory factor analysis was used to explore principal task dimensions. Hierarchical regressions were used to examine the predictive ability of principal task effectiveness and certain principal characteristics on student achievement. The analysis revealed five leadership task dimensions: School Management, Instructional Management, Teacher Quality, External Relations, and Program Development and Evaluation. The Teacher Quality dimension positively predicted student achievement in ESL. This research highlights the importance of principal task effectiveness and its link to student achievement. The findings have implications for principals’ preparation and professional learning.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

W. Fikuree

W. Fikuree is currently a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Education and Social Work, the University of Auckland. She completed her Masters of Education (Leadership and Policy Change) at Monash University, Australia. Waseema worked as a lecturer in the Faculty of Education, The Maldives National University. Her research interests include leadership development, school improvement, and the link between leadership effectiveness and student achievement in K-12 schools.

F. Meyer

Dr F. Meyer is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. Her research is concerned with school leadership, leadership induction/mentoring and interpersonal leadership practices. The immediate focus of her research is the analysis, assessment, and development of leadership practices that foster school improvement and interpersonal behaviors that promote relational trust.

D. Le Fevre

Dr D. Le Fevre is an Associate Professor and the head of graduate programs in educational leadership at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She leads large-scale research projects investigating effective leadership, organizational, and professional learning practices for change and improvement. Deidre brings knowledge and skills in understanding organizational change, the development of professional capability, and effective leadership to her work teaching, researching and consulting with leaders across a range of sectors and organizations.

M. Alansari

Dr M. Alansari is a Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, and an Honorary Academic at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education and Social Work. His research interests include the classroom climate, student and teacher self-beliefs, and academic motivation and learning.