The instructional leadership behaviour of high school principals: a New Ireland case study

Abstract

As schools and school systems undergo reform or restructuring in Papua New Guinea, school leadership - especially associated with the principals - is changing. What Papua New Guinea high schools need now are effective principals with a vision, who are equipped with leadership and organisational knowledge and skills including a knowledge of change and innovation, the ability to initiate, invent and adapt and a sense of direction, as well as the skill to motivate and provide appropriate leadership styles to meet the challenges and demands of the changing educational environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional leadership behaviour of five high school principals in the New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea. The main aim was to investigate whether these principals engage in actions consistent with instructional leadership. ... Analysis of the data revealed that the main problems associated with the unsatisfactory performance of tasks consistent with instructional leadership were mainly due to principals giving their administrative tasks a higher priority over their instructional leadership tasks. Data revealed that this was due to the inconsistencies arising from the demands placed on principals by the Provincial Secondary School Inspector and the lack of appropriate training and staff development opportunities provided for principals.