Exploring Perceptions of Effective School Leadership and Its Challenges in Morocco
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v5i3.7408Keywords:
Leadership Challenges, Morocco, School Leadership, School PrincipalsAbstract
This qualitative study explores how public school principals perceive effective leadership and the challenges they encounter in Morocco’s Oriental Region. Twenty eight principals participated in an online qualitative survey, and their responses were analyzed following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase process of thematic analysis. Findings indicate that participants perceive their roles as involving a balance between administrative management and leadership. Successful school leadership is described as involving a set of attributes including effective communication, collaboration, shared decision-making, ethical and professional integrity, offering guidance, and role modeling. Participants also stress that successful leadership requires patience and composure. School leaders’ efforts, however, might be hindered by the various challenges that reflect the demanding nature of leadership within this context. Key challenges that are highlighted involve managing relationships and collaboration, engaging stakeholders, work overload, dealing with unqualified or difficult staff, and enforcing regulations. These findings highlight the contextual complexity of school leadership in the Moroccan context and suggest the need for professional development programs that emphasize communication, relationship-building, stakeholder engagement, and contextual understanding.
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