Head teachers’ professional management needs and concerns: Evidence from an educational district in Ghana

Abstract

The study explored the head teachers’ professional needs in school management. The qualitative study was underpinned by the interpretive philosophical thought. It employed a case study approach and collected data using interview guide. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select 15 head teachers and 6 circuit supervisors to participate in the exercise. The study revealed that the head teachers were not unaware of the managerial skills they needed to proficiently manage their schools. However, the participants seemed to have a need in executing staff personnel services, financial and business management and school-community relationship roles. The participants also had concerns with respect to lack of pre-headship training, lack of needs assessment prior to in-service training programmes, inadequate continuous professional development programmes and lack of authority to sanction staff. The head teachers and circuit supervisors, therefore, unanimously called for pre-headship and in-service training programmes respectively for aspiring and serving head teachers to equip them with the requisite competencies for headship duties. The participants believed that continuous professional development programmes have the capacity to update and upgrade head teachers’ knowledge and skills to enhance their professional growth and development.

Keywords: Head teachers, professional and management needs, issues and concerns, pre-headship training, continuous professional development.

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