Abstract
There is a strong consensus in the literature about the key role of school leadership
for the improvement and promotion of students’ learning outcomes in secondary
schools. British Council Pakistan conducted a study to identify the situation of
school leadership practices in Pakistan between 2015 and 2016. This situational
analysis involved selected government secondary schools in Islamabad, Punjab,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh and
Balochistan. The study aimed at documenting good practices, lessons learnt and
challenges concerning school leadership practices. The purpose of the study was to
help inform policies and practice on school leadership; and add to existing body of
knowledge around school leadership. Both qualitative and quantitative methods
were used for data collection. In-depth, one-to-one interviews with 15 preselected
headteachers were conducted using interview guide in line with qualitative case
study method. To enrich data collection, an online questionnaire was also
developed and distributed to around 2600 teachers and headteachers through BC
schools network. The findings from the case studies reflected that there are positive
aspects of school leaders. These aspects appear to be similar across the country; for
example having a strong moral commitment to inculcate patriotism and good
citizenship values among students; distributing day to day administrative tasks
among school teachers to encourage teamwork; improving school physical
environment; and having a clear focus on co-curricular activities. However, at the
same time, it was found that headteachers had a limited focus on academic
development. This might lead to oversight towards emphasis on teacher
collaboration for professional learning, curriculum enrichment activities and
promoting conducive learning environment for students. There is a clear rationale
to unfold and identify challenges and the underlying factors hindering headteachers
academic leadership. Based on results, it is therefore recommended to conduct
further research. The series of proposed research pieces are expected to contribute
and help develop a holistic understanding of academic leadership, which is essential
for improving learning outcomes for all students and ultimately enabling them for a
successful life; both in personal and professional careers.
