Examining and Improving the Educational Leadership and Management in the Saudi Public School System

Abstract

This study addresses the ongoing changes in Saudi Arabian education since the inception of modern advances that align with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic blueprint. Significant funding has been invested in education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to reforming the sector that has been ongoing for more than a decade. The Saudi government has implemented comprehensive and sweeping changes in various sectors, including education, as part of its efforts to change the way that Saudi Arabia progresses. Hence, the primary aim of this study is to examine the leadership and management practices demonstrated by school principals lead Saudi primary schools. The study fundamentally distinguishes between leadership and management strategies employed by school principals and examines the extent to which school stakeholders contribute as leaders or managers to the progress and development of their respective education communities. Thus, the study offers valuable insights and a comprehensive overview of educational leadership and management practices in Saudi primary schools. It sheds light on the perspectives of school principals regarding their roles as leaders and examines how they translate their understanding of leadership and management into practical outcomes. The study employs a qualitative case study approach, focusing on three primary schools located in the city of Jeddah. The research methodology deployed in this study planned to have three techniques for data collection, they were interviews, observation, and document analysis, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the researcher could not deploy the observations approach. As a result, this study amalgamated two modes of data collection. Firstly, the study draws on data obtained from including semi-structured interviews with three school principals, two teachers from each of the three selected schools and semi- structured interviews were conducted with two education supervisors associated with these institutions. Secondly, the final source of data were documents and key information guidelines. The study was theoretically framed by Fullan's Effective Leadership framework and Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions (Fullan, 2001; Hofstede, 2019). Fullan's framework provides a comprehensive model for effective leadership, focusing on strengthening a leader's capacity and influence within an organisation, while Hofstede's dimensions were employed to assess cultural aspects relevant to the study. Overall, the study yielded several key findings, whilst acknowledging that school leaders predominantly adhere to the guidelines established by the Ministry of Education. These guidelines serve as the primary framework guiding their policies and practices. A significant initial finding was the substantial influence of the ministry in shaping the practices and approaches employed by school leaders. Secondly, leaders primarily prioritise implementing the ministry's policies and guidelines, rather than placing a strong emphasis on the development of their own leadership as a distinct and separate domain. Thirdly, educational leadership is often perceived and approached as a subset of administrative practices in this context. Finally, the study highlighted some of the challenges encountered by school principals, including the absence of adequate training programs specifically designed for their professional development and the limited autonomy they possess in decision-making processes. The study closes with relevant recommendations to assist decision-makers, namely within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education, in enhancing educational leadership and management practices.