Leadership Competencies Of The Kuwait Schools Principals

Abstract

The development of principals in Kuwait schools should be evidence-based. That means basing the whole process on strategies and tactics which have been proven to work. I chose this specific research because principals are extremely critical to a school’s success. Additionally, as a mother and a teacher, I believe that we should focus on evidence-based approaches if we are to provide a meaningful and holistic education to our young ones. Kuwaiti schools have complained about the weakness of their principals and it is time to solve the problem once and for all. The paper uses secondary analysis to interrogate these strategies and tactics. It lays out the data behind them and the effect they have on the development of principals. It uses basic data analysis to demonstrate the fact that leadership competencies developed using evidence-based strategies and tactics have a positive impact on the performance of the principals and the schools they lead. The development and preparation of school principals have to rest on programs driven by evidence-based strategies and tactics.

Introduction

Current evidence shows that performance-based development programs have a profound impact on how principals perform. They are necessarily focused on performance and growth. At the same time, the literature confirms that a principal’s organizational and leadership skills are much more impactful than their activities in the classroom. Therefore, relevant school administration authorities out to pay attention to the creation of proper development programs. The paper looks at several strategies, including the identification of high performers and the creation of alternative paths to office, and their effectiveness. The evidence shows that these evidence-based strategies have a real and measurable impact on the effectiveness of principals when it comes to school performance and growth.

Key words: development, principal, performance-based, improvement, leadership competencies, evidence-based

Methodology

I used three key characteristics to choose the sources. First, they had to be current. Teaching methodology continues to evolve and it is critical to base conclusions on the latest data. Focusing on recent sources increases the chances that one will have access to the most current data. Secondly, I only used relevant sources. I used key words to search for the sources in academic journals. Finally, I only used articles which promised exceptional accuracy. Focusing on academic, peer-reviewed journals helped me achieve this goal. I chose the sources based on currency, relevance, and accuracy.

Secondary analysis is extremely useful as a research tool because it allows one to take advantage of current, accurate, and relevant data in the field. At the same time, the Covid-19 pandemic has made the collection of primary data quite challenging. In this environment, relying on already existing literature makes it possible for one to come up with evidence-based conclusions and add to the already existing body of knowledge on the development of principals. 

The paper makes use of secondary analysis as the primary source of data. The secondary analysis involves the use of already existing literature to generate relevant conclusions and assertions. In this case, all of the sources reviewed came from academic journals. At the same time, all of the sources were current, relevant, and accurate. Evidence shows that the currency of a set of data has a direct and measurable impact on how useful it is a foundation for conclusions. At the same time, academic study insists on relevance for the conclusions to be valid. The data must directly answer the research question to ensure validity.

Literature review when deployed as a research methodology relies on a critical review process. For the methodology to produce results, it has to be executed using a specified and defined analytics process. In this case, the researcher designed the process with the research question in mind. All of the sources are based on primary data and they all focus on the development of principals and its impact on school performance. Literature review as a methodology also relies on the use of defined methods to select and review a source. It is valuable as a research strategy primarily because it allows the researcher to make use of a wide variety of available material on the subject. This, in turn, increases the chances that the conclusions will be relevant and can be generalized.

Literature Review

Identify and Engage High Performers

One of the most prominent barriers to the creation of effective principals is the selection criteria. At the moment, most school districts choose their principals from a pool of self-selected individuals who have specific administrative credentials (Liu, 2020). At the same time, these individuals typically have to go through the assistant principal’s office to get to the top one. The data suggests that many talented teachers tend to avoid the assistant principal’s position because it is too removed from actual schoolwork. The result is the creation of a shallow pool from which to pick principals.

At the same time, the evidence shows that most universities use outdated criteria when admitting teachers to higher education courses (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). Typically, they will rely on teachers’ grades during their undergraduate studies, marks on the admission tests, and recommendations from employers. Most times, the recommendations come after the individual has forwarded a request to his or her school district. This approach presents the same issues experienced with the phenomenon discussed in the previous paragraph. The criteria end up locking out teachers who are much more focused on helping students than they are on applying for positions.

The first step in selecting the right high-performers is the creation of a system that focuses on the teacher’s commitment, innovativeness, and talent (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). For instance, it is critical to select teachers who use evidence-based practice to improve their teaching. These individuals will go out of their way to use technology and novel teaching practices to make himself or herself more effective as a teacher. It is also critical to find individuals who have proven that they can work with others because stakeholder management is a critical undertaking for any effective principal. Prospective candidates should also be capable of self-reflection and analysis. Someone with these qualities is more likely than not to become a good leader.

Going forward, it will be critical for states to seek to create networks and systems which not only identify these high performers but which also encourage them to be leaders (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). For instance, it will be prudent for them to work with universities when it comes to admissions criteria. These institutions of higher learning should know exactly what the school districts want in a leader and what it takes to create such a professional. Additionally, the states should provide financial, material, and spiritual support to those who have been selected. The principal’s office should attract the best performers, not push them away.

Recalibrate Preparation Programs

Current literature shows that preparation programs are largely not suited for their purpose and they need a serious redesign (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). It is critical to note that a redesign is different from a re-arrangement of courses. For instance, most university programs offer a single course on curriculum instruction. The course is often largely confined to theory and prospective principals do not get to practice their new skills in a controlled environment before they try to apply them at their new posts. These kinks in the design create a process that produces principals who are not truly ready for their job.

Experts also opine that the effective preparation of principals requires the existence of a working partnership between school districts and institutions of higher learning (Cansoy, 2019). School districts tend to have a continuing understanding of the practical demands of the education system while universities appreciate its academic features. Neither of these entities can adequately prepare principals on its own. Therefore, it is critical for them to work together to create programs that offer holistic training and development. The partnership should be real, continuing, and evidence-based. The goal should be to produce informed, innovative, and committed leaders.

There is also a need for the teachers and their school districts to take ownership of the programs which seek to prepare principals for their job. The current approach rests on the universities and their faculties having ownership over the curriculum (Rowland, 2017). More often than not, these academics will create the learning programs without consulting teachers or their school districts. The result is an environment in which neither the teachers nor their school districts have a professional stake in the development programs. Such an environment does not encourage commitment to programs and is not likely to produce successful principals. The prospective principals should have a stake in the development programs.

It is worth noting that standards do not guarantee quality. Therefore, school districts should avoid the temptation to impose themselves on universities and their faculties (Liu, 2020). School districts have to admit that some of their standards will be outdated or structurally unsound. They have to admit that some of them will be exposed to scrutiny if they are not based on solid evidence. Therefore, the goal is not to dictate to universities what they should teach. The objective is to create an environment in which the stakeholders can exchange information freely and effectively. True cooperation is not only prudent, but it is also necessary.

Emphasize Real-time Training

Most school districts and universities today require aspiring principals to engage in field exercises as a capstone project at the end of their training (Rintoul & Bishop, 2019). Instead of the process being a continuing element of the training, field practice becomes a one-off exercise. Such a system does not adequately test the principal. Additionally, it fails to provide enough time for the prospective leader to develop his or her own style by testing what works for him or her and what does not. The system spews out professionals who have not had the time nor space to practice what they have learned.

Experts assert that the fact that fieldwork requires extensive investment in time and resources means that negotiations have to be a fundamental element of the design process (Yeigh, 2019). Universities have to create a system through which they can assign and monitor tasks. They have to coordinate the creation of the systems with school districts which will provide the facilities in which the principals will work. It is worth noting that fieldwork involving principals is far more immersive and resource-intensive than fieldwork involving teachers. The differences create a demand for exquisite planning and program development.

It will be essential for school districts and universities to consider human resource management as a fundamental element of principal development (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). Working in the field is mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging. For university staff, fieldwork means being removed from the day-to-day operations at the facility and thus being liable to lose contact with one’s colleagues and department. The evidence shows that distance away from one’s faculty is not always good for one’s career and many professionals avoid fieldwork for this reason (Blaik Hourani & Litz, 2019). School districts and universities have to find ways to assure their workers that they will be taken care of.

Kuwaiti schools are slowly but surely recognizing the efficacy of investment in these programs and there is evidence that they are willing to invest in proper hands-on training (Raagas, 2021). Going forward, they have to recognize the value of funding such programs. Fieldwork requires entities to provide transport, train, and equip evaluators, and provide compensation for schools which creates room for prospective principals to practice. At the same time, schools need technical and financial support to create systems that will allow them to accommodate the principals effectively. Leadership is a critical element of success when it comes to creating and running effective field programs.

Licensure and Performance

Current evidence asserts that tying licensure to performance will have a positive impact on the quality of instructors who attain and maintain leadership positions (Hollands, Pan, & Escueta, 2019). The suggestion is that there should exist texts for initial licensure. These licenses would be based on evaluations of theoretical and practical knowledge. Any subsequent professional licenses would be tied to the instructor’s ability to improve the performance of his or her students over time. The evaluation body should be independent and the process should be evidence-based at all times. Justice and fairness will be critical if the authorities are to create a system that connects licensure to performance.

Therein lies one of the challenges states and agencies face as they try to tie licenses to performance. The system requires massive investment time, resources, and political will. The states and agencies must be willing to invest time and money in creating an evidence-based system (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). The design will rest on the meticulous collection and analysis of accurate, current, and relevant data. Teachers’ unions are also politically and socially powerful and the members will have to buy into the system for it to succeed. Such a system demands the wholehearted commitment of the relevant authorities.

The design and implementation of such a system are also complicated by the fact that education stakeholders have to deal with significant variables which are beyond their control (Gurr, Drysdale, & Goode, 2020). For example, a differential in socio-economic status will have an impact on the quality and quantity of education available to students. Since not all students have the same access to facilities, it would be illogical to expect all principals to perform on the same curve. There also exist cultural differences which have a real impact on education priorities and practices. The resulting socio-political environment presents policymakers with a myriad of challenges.

Competence-Based Promotions

It might also be prudent to create alternative pathways to leadership with the goal being to promote accomplished teachers. The literature shows that accomplished teachers inspire their students and peers regardless of their position (Willis et al., 2021). At the same time, there is ample evidence that leadership is the second most critical factor in the success of any curriculum. It makes sense to create a system that allows accomplished teachers to find a way into leadership positions. Such systems would reward competence and real-world experience in the same way the larger system awards academic and administrative qualifications. Accomplished teachers would get larger platforms from which to make a difference.

In accordance with this thinking, some experts suggest that it does make sense to try and bring in accomplished professionals from other fields. The evidence suggests that leaders who excel in business and the military, for example, tend to be quite effective even when they switch careers (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). However, many of them will not have the time or inclination to follow the formal principal-selection process. Many are put off by the fact that they have to work as teachers for years before they are eligible for a leadership position. Competence-based selection and development can help bring these talented people to schools in the country.

That said, stakeholders should know that alternative paths to promotion will not, on their own, be able to attract talented leaders to low-performing schools (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). Even the most dedicated teachers have to believe that there are paths to success. Therefore, it is essential for education stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment to such teachers. These stakeholders should be willing to invest in facilities and personnel. They must be willing to create an environment that supports progress instead of retarding it. Alternative paths to promotion address micro-issues but they will not work as intended if stakeholders do not demonstrably and effectively address macro-issues.

Creating Local-level Leadership Academies

Current data suggests that the creation of leadership academies at the local level has the capacity to generate effective leaders for middle-tier schools (Grootenboer & Larkin, 2019). Teachers continue to complain that schools which perform poorly are likely to remain mired in poor performance because they do not attract accomplished professionals. At the same time, they lack the capacity to build their own leaders. Local-level academies will help train and develop leaders who understand the local conditions and challenges. These academies will allow middle-tier schools to focus on their core business in the knowledge that they have access to well-trained and motivated leaders.

Research also shows that increasing the principal’s capacity to influence the schools for which they work is a team effort and not an individual one (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). The best results are realized by leadership teams that bring together as many stakeholders as possible. As mentioned, teaching is a social undertaking and it is not possible for any single entity to enjoy a monopoly of knowledge. Therefore, it makes sense to create teams that involve both teachers and academics. The result should be an entity that makes use of multiple approaches to solve the same problems. A team-based approach should aid in the creation of a comprehensive leadership development program.

There is also ample evidence that the current academy format is not effective when it comes to building leaders who can help schools improve their performance (Corcoran, 2017). Many times, the participants have access to disjointed “one-day specials.” These are seminars and workshops which last a weekend, at most, and tend to focus on specific elements of leadership. Experts suggest that the best approach is to create a curriculum stocked with sequenced courses which help prospective leaders to build up their skills in an organized manner. An ordered and targeted approach should generate leaders who can affect their student’s performance.

The country has already joined its peers in declaring education a human right so it is only right that most of the investment in the sector flows to the schools which are yet to meet expectations. These are the schools which need the most help. They need leaders whose training is geared towards improving performance. It is these schools that will benefit the most from having principals who have gone through comprehensive training programs. Focusing investment on these schools that perform poorly is not only evidence-based, it is also ethical and in line with the nation’s values.

It is also essential for the academies to be judged based on their performance. Intensive training is expensive and many school management bodies struggle with budgets (Murphy, 2019). They have to assign finite resources to almost infinite demands. For this reason, any wastage directly results in the loss of value somewhere else. A non-functioning academy, for example, takes money away from a training program at another academy. It makes sense to conduct performance reviews of these academies since the leaders are also required to perform. The goal should be to retain and invest in a limited number of high-functioning academies.

The Creation of Positive Organizational Cultures

Perhaps the most critical impact of the strategies enumerated in the paper is that they attract and develop individuals who know the importance of doing the right thing in the right way. The training is focused on performance improvement and the strategies provide multiple paths to leadership positions (Hutton, 2017). It is more than likely that the training and development programs will attract committed individuals with vision. As mentioned, accomplished teachers already inspire others at their levels. The strategies will ensure that these conscientious leaders rise to the top and then create the right environment for progress.

One of the leading causes of teacher burnout and apathy is poor leadership; a problem these strategies are meant to address (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). A focus on administrative qualifications often generates a working environment in which the teachers’ interests are either ignored or neglected. Principals who go through regular programs tend to forget that teachers are human beings and should be key partners in learning. The strategies espoused in this paper have been proven to create leaders who pay attention to their teachers. The extensive fieldwork is particularly useful in getting the prospective leaders to understand the people who will work under them.

In addition to appreciating the role teachers play in achieving learning goals, principals who go through the advanced programs will have an evidence-based view of leadership (Shaked & Schechter, 2018). They will have undergone education that incorporates academic know-how and practical application of the learned theories. These are individuals who will appreciate the need for a comprehensive understanding of a specific environment and strategic planning based on the said evidence-based understanding. They will be able to communicate the feasibility of success since they will be able to see the big picture. This visualization of success should attract and retain motivated and talented teachers.

Principals who graduate from properly-run academies will also have an understanding of the school administration’s strategic direction (Shaked & Schechter, 2020). Since the schools have a true partnership with the universities and academies, the curriculum will reflect their priorities. When principals go through the course, they will gain an understanding of the underlying philosophy and motivation. They will appreciate the values on which the education system is based and the connection between the performance metrics and their strategic goals. Principals whose decisions and actions are based on reality are more likely than not to motivate their staff.

It is worth noting that the effects enumerated above are only possible in situations where the authorities have truly invested in the advanced development. The design of a stakeholder-led curriculum will not be effective in achieving strategic goals if it is not accompanied by the proper execution of field programs (Cohen-Vogel, Little, 7 Fierro, 2019). In the same way, the school administrations will not be able to get the leaders they need without being creative when it comes to paths to promotion. All of these aspects have to come together for the development to have the desired effect. When the factors are all present, education stakeholders are almost guaranteed an increase in the quality of education children receive.

Resource Allocation

Principals who have gone through a proper development course will have a nuanced appreciation of strategic goals which should help them to allocate resources in the right manner (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). Administration-focused leaders tend to create spreading bureaucracies. The growth is not evidence-based but driven by the need for the existing system to function. Principals who undergo proper development will know where resources would have the most impact. They are also more likely than their peers to cut wastage. The result should be a collection of schools that use an evidence-based approach to allocate scarce resources.

The focus on performance and performance management will also allow these principals to allocate resources to programs that might not produce immediate results but that set the stage for future success (Robinson & Gray, 2019). For instance, teacher improvement and empowerment is a long-term project. Principals who are not properly trained to appreciate this fact will not be inclined to invest in teacher development programs. The lack of investment will result in a lack of growth which will, in turn, result in missed objectives. Poor training drives principals to fail to invest in the correct programs.

At the same time, the evidence shows that well-trained principals are quite good at conducting proper evaluations and that has a direct impact on their ability to husband resources (Buske & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, 2019). As mentioned, one of the main issues in school management today is wastage. Quite often, administrations invest resources in programs that do not produce a result. Bureaucratic inertia results in many programs remaining online when they should have been terminated. Well-trained principals are able to apply performance metrics to these programs and decide which ones are working and which are not. These principals reduce wastage of resources and ensure that funds go where they have the most impact.

Activity Prioritization

An evidence-based approach to principal development also produces professionals who know what activities produce the most lasting impact (Steele, Steiner, & Hamilton, 2021). For instance, there is ample evidence that principals who spend a significant amount of time on direct student instruction and classroom management do not have that much of an impact on performance. Instead, focusing on organizational duties has been proven to have a positive and lasting impact on performers. While principals are still teachers, they are also leaders. Proper training teaches them which leadership functions to focus on if they want to affect performance.

Properly-trained principals understand that teachers need resources more than they need supervision (Riley & Meredith, 2017). They need empowerment more than they need constant evaluation. They appreciate the HR value of creating and maintaining open communication channels between the various stakeholders in the sector. They will spend more time and energy on inspiring their teachers than on trying to drive them towards abstract goals. These principals will be able to use their training to point their teachers in the right direction, equip them properly, and then allow them to thrive. The result should be an improvement in performance across the board.

Since the principals will have gone through development programs that focus on their capabilities, they will be more likely than their peers to create an environment in which teachers are judged on the right metrics (Tzeni et al., 2019). Administrative-minded principals will tend to focus on bureaucratic functions and will insist on teachers having qualifications that have little bearing on student performance. Properly-trained principals, on their part, will appreciate the fact that teachers are unique individuals and they will follow different paths to leadership (Greatbatch & Tate, 2018). They will not straitjacket their teachers but will instead allow them to thrive.

It is worth noting that by focusing on these key areas, these principals also increase their staff’s effectiveness through inspiration. Evidence shows that employees and subordinates copy more than they listen (Gurr, 2017). They are more likely to adopt behavior presented by the leader than they are to listen to his or her words. At the same time, integrity is grounded in leaders’ willingness to match their words with their actions. When leaders focus on politics, they inspire a system that also focuses on politics. The same happens when these same leaders focus on self-reflection and employee development. Doing the right thing in the right manner provides a blueprint for followers and members of staff to follow.

Stakeholder Management

A proper development process will produce principals who have the capacity to identify and classify stakeholders in their sector (Neumerski et al., 2018). They recognize the fact that strategic success rests on productive relationships between the various players. Jurisdiction-level coordination and support are at the center of any success in the long term. Principals who appreciate this reality will set aside time and resources to create an evidence-based understanding of the relevant stakeholders. He or she will know who they are, what they do, what their interests are, and what role they play in ensuring the school’s success.

The development will also have the effect of imparting stakeholder management skills on the principals (Gurr et al., 2019). For instance, such principals will have effective communication skills. The strategies discussed in this paper should produce principals who are active listeners and effective orators. These individuals will tend to have the skills and temperament to not only listen to stakeholders but also demonstrate that they take the relationships seriously. At the same time, the development provides them with the skills they need to communicate their vision and priorities to these stakeholders. The result is the creation of a system that treats stakeholders as strategic partners.

Possible Negative Effects

Experts assert that one of the primary dangers of creating alternative paths to leadership and developing good teachers into great leaders is that it robs the classrooms of excellent talent (Espinoza & Cardichon, 2017). As the evidence shows, principals are the most effective when they focus on organizational duties. Their contribution to class performance through instruction diminishes as they become consumed with leadership duties. Middle-tier and poorly performing schools will usually have a shortage of good teachers and taking these away might worsen the situation (Liu, 2020). Classrooms will be bereft of talented and effective teachers if a replacement program does not exist.

Findings

The literature found that development programs which deploy evidence-based strategies tend to be the most effective when it comes to the improvement of performance. All 25 studies contained evidence regarding the use of data-based strategies. At the same time, 17 out of 30 studies asserted that performance-based principal development programs had more of an impact than programs based on other metrics. At the same time, the data proves that a principal’s leadership activities are much more important than their classroom activities when it comes to student performance.

Fig. 1

The figure demonstrates the interaction between the professional development of principals and student achievement. There is a slight but measurable correlation between the two variables. 

(Greatbatch & Tate, 2018)

Fig. 2

The figure explains the primary barriers teachers face as they seen professional development as leaders. It demonstrates the need for alternative paths to leadership as explained in the paper. 

(OECD, n.d)

Fig. 3

The figure depicts the affinity of principals to various development programs. It shows that formal programs attracted the least number of candidates. The rate of return was also much lower for formal programs. 

(OECD, n.d)

Fig. 4

The figure explains the effect of various elements of professional development on competency. 

(OECD, n.d)

Discussion

The development of leadership competencies for principals has a real impact on student development and it should rest on evidence-based strategies. The data demonstrates that the selection and training of high achievers and the creation of alternative paths to leadership are essential if a development program is to be effective. At the same time, there is ample evidence that collaboration between stakeholders and the creation of academies to feed middle-tier schools are critical to the development of relevant leadership competencies.

The literature has also demonstrated that the development of competencies in the right manner has a real and measurable impact on how schools perform. The evidence-based programs create principals who appreciate the value of cooperation and proper resource allocation. The leaders coming out of the programs are also competent educators and understand the essential nature of a positive organizational culture. In essence, the development of these leadership competencies can be felt in the classroom and the school system at large.

Research Ethics

This paper adheres to research ethics in all regards. First and foremost, it exhibits academic integrity. Every piece of information taken from secondary sources has been properly cited. At the same time, all of the work published here is original. There is zero plagiarism in the paper. The researcher also upheld research ethics by using data that is available for peer review.

Conclusion

It is not only possible to create evidence-based strategies for the development of leadership competencies in school principals, it is also prudent. These collaborative endeavors based on an appreciation of reality allow jurisdictions to develop alternative paths to leadership and imbue the right people with the right training. The result is the development of leadership competencies which enable principals to create enabling organizational cultures and attract talented teachers to middle- and lower-tier schools. the paper recommends the adoption of evidence-based development programs. Teachers in Kuwait should have a system which allows them multiple paths to leadership, makes it possible for them to conduct actual fieldwork and which focuses on leadership competencies. Kuwait’s Ministry of Education should create regional academies and foster a symbiotic relationship between schools, these academies, and universities which offer development course. The recommendations will enable graduating principals to have a real, continuing, and measurable impact on student performance.

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