Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/20670
Title: Effective leadership as a model for schools in 21st century Malta
Authors: Debono, David
Keywords: Education, Primary -- Malta
Education, Secondary -- Malta
School management teams -- Malta
Educational leadership -- Malta
Issue Date: 2015
Publisher: University of Malta. Faculty of Education
Citation: Debono, D. (2015). Effective leadership as a model for schools in 21st century Malta. Malta Review for Educational Research, 9(2), 189-208.
Abstract: This paper aims to investigate a model of leadership for Maltese schools in the light of recent changes in the educational system. Effective leadership in the Maltese educational system is urgently needed. It is argued that leadership needs to be taken seriously if we want the reforms to bear fruition. This research explores whether forms of distributed leadership can render the system more effective. Furthermore, it aims to explore the roles played by members of the Senior Management Team in primary and secondary schools and what their views are about leadership. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted and the study was carried out in one particular college in Malta. Methods of data collection used were questionnaires and one-to-one semi-structured interviews. This research established that an effective leader is one who prioritises, knows what is going on in the classrooms and who listens to staff concerns. Various tasks that are not related to curriculum work are a huge burden on the SMT and while student learning is the main concern of the school SMT, this study confirms that there is very little time to monitor curricular and pedagogical work. Teachers express concern about the size of large secondary schools and they prefer working in small schools which would allow for more direct contact with members of the SMT. It also emerged that stronger external support from the education authorities is necessary to address discipline and absenteeism in schools. The main recommendations emanating from this research are that teachers should be crucial decision-makers, paper-work and bureaucratic tasks should be reduced, and a middle-manager for time-tables and schedules should be introduced. Moreover, given that the reforms have brought about the introduction of College Principals this should not imply that the role of the heads of school should be undervalued.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/20670
ISSN: 17269725
Appears in Collections:MRER, Volume 9, Issue 2
MRER, Volume 9, Issue 2

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