1. Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh;  s.sushmita2022@du.ac.bd
2. Institute of Education & Research, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh; marziadutta2385@gmail.com

* Correspondence: s.sushmita2022@du.ac.bd

Keywords: principal’s effectiveness, performance, teacher, gender orientation

1. INTRODUCTION

According to Kartas (2016), the school principal, who is also referred to as the Principal, is responsible for a variety of leadership and management responsibilities in order to maximise the performance of their school. According to Zheng et al. (2017), the Principal is responsible for ensuring that students receive a quality education by managing the instructional process (Ch. et al., 2018), creating a school climate that is conducive to learning (Robinson et al., 2008), and effectively implementing the curriculum by utilising a variety of resources (Khan et al., 2009) in order to improve the overall performance of the school or institution. Due to the fact that the Principal plays the most influential role in the improvement of schools, it is essential to have a general understanding of the qualities that are considered to be effective in teaching. According to Clifford et al. (2012), the effectiveness of a Principal is defined as the effect that is anticipated or intended to result from the work of the Principal. Jones et al. (2018) and Stronge et al. (2013) found that according to the findings of multiple studies, the effectiveness of Principal is a process that involves measuring the manner in which quality indicators are implemented by Principal in the school in order to improve the outcomes of the school. In the past, numerous studies have been carried out in order to determine which Principal are the most effective by utilising quality indicators in a variety of countries (Akram & Malik, 2021). Several models, including the New Leader Model (2012), the Pennsylvania Model (2014), the Wisconsin Framework of Principal Leadership (2018), the School Leader Impact Model (2015), and the Stronge et al. Model (2008), are being utilised in order to assess the effectiveness of Principal. These models are developed on the basis of quality indicators. According to these models, the quality standard-based framework is emphasised in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Principal in terms of improving student achievement (Jones et al., 2018). According to Karatas (2016), Shelton (2013), and Zheng et al. (2017), the majority of evaluations of Principal are formed on the basis of quality standards from around the world, particularly from the United States of America, China, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. However, in Bangladesh, the evaluation of Principal is not based on quality indicators that are recognised and proven, as is the case in a number of other countries. Some personal characteristics are included in the Performance Evaluation Report (PER) that is used in Bangladesh. This document is not valid and reliable, and it is used to evaluate the effectiveness of Principal and to make decisions about whether or not they should be promoted. It is of the utmost importance to make use of quality indicators that are based on research, which could serve as an additional lens for recognising effective Principal in Bangladesh. The researchers had previously developed a tool that was reliable and valid, and it was based on quality indicators of the Stronge et al. (2008) model. These quality indicators included instructional leadership, teacher evaluation, school climate, communication and community relations, and organisational management. The purpose of this tool was to recognise effective Principal (Akram & Malik, 2021). Malik and Akram (2020) had made a serious effort to fill that gap and also provided a valid and reliable tool based on important quality indicators of Principal (Akram&Malik,2021). Previous research had failed to employ quality indictors to recognise effective Principal in Bangladesh. However, Malik and Akram (2020) had made this effort. However, in Bangladesh, some studies used these indicators separately such as instructional leadership (Ch. et al., 2018), teacher evaluation, school climate and organisational management (Khan et al., 2009) that did not provide true picture of Principal’ effectiveness and also failed to compare their effectiveness based on quality indicators and their school performance through gender based and school location based. Akram and Malik (2021) and Malik and Akram (2020) conducted a study that utilised a valid and reliable tool that predicted and correlated with school performance. The purpose of the study was to identify effective Principal. In order to identify effective Principal by employing all important quality indicators and their school performance, which have not been compared before by taking these quality standards in Bangladesh, there is an urgent need to conduct a study that will make comparisons between gender-based and school location-based Principal. This study should be conducted in order to further strengthen the idea that effective Principal are essential for the achievement of their students or for the performance of their schools. With the help of these quality standards, the current study aimed to identify effective Principal based on gender and school location. Additionally, the study compared the performance of these Principal ‘ schools in order to fill a gap that was previously present in the existing body of literature.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Stronge et al. (2008) listed instructional leadership, teacher evaluation, school climate, communication and community relations, and organisational management as Principal qualities. Instructional leadership focused on shared goals (Malik & Akram, 2020), staff collaboration, teacher learning opportunities (Brown, 2016), data collection and analysis (Ch et al., 2018), and effective use of resources to improve student achievement. Some studies found that female Principal were better at instructional leadership and student achievement (Akram et al., 2018). School climate is stakeholders’ views of Principal ‘ kindness and sympathy (Nichols, 2019; Rapti, 2013). Teacher evaluations are essential to assess teachers’ performance and help them grow professionally (Akram & Zepeda, 2015). Different studies showed that effective headteachers improved student achievement when evaluating teachers based on quality indicators (Akram, 2019). Effective Principal also manage organisational structure, time, space, and resources, operate activities, and use data to improve school performance (Khan et al., 2009). Various studies have shown the importance of effective Principal having quality organisational management for school performance, and female Principal were found to be better at managing organisations and achieving student success. Keyton (2011) defined communication as an exchange of information and meanings, and Principal build community relationships by involving stakeholders (Watson, 2019). Many studies have shown that Principal ‘ community relations and communication skills improve organisation performance, and female Principal are better at it than male ones. The research used these indicators to evaluate Principal effectiveness and compared them by gender and school location due to their importance.  School performance is how well teachers, students, and schools meet long-term and short-term educational goals. Efficiency and effectiveness help schools meet goals faster and cheaper (Habib, 2010). Reviewing the School Reforms Roadmap Model, Bangladesh (2016), Louisiana Model (2016), and School Manual Model, Bangladesh (2004), five factors—teacher presence, school cleanliness, student presence, student achievement, and facility functioning—measured school performance. Physically present teachers affect student achievement (Garrison, 2007). School attendance is crucial to student success (Hufford, 2014). Functionality and provision of school facilities improve student achievement (Kaur, 2016). The school’s classrooms, corridors, toilets, lawn, playground, and surroundings must be clean and hygienic (Chief Minister School Reform, 2016). Environment and school improvement require school cleanliness (Kausar et al., 2017). Student achievement is meeting test-measurable goals (Nyagosia, 2011).  Some studies have shown the importance of Principal ‘ effectiveness for school success and compared gender and school location-based differences. Kochan et al. (2000) examined gender-based Principal skills perceptions. Results showed female Principal were more effective than male ones. Waters et al. (2003) found a significant relationship between leadership and student achievement, highlighting the importance of effective Principal in school success. Hallinger and Heck (2004) found that leadership affects school effectiveness. Cotton (2003) listed five effective Principal factors: student learning, interaction and relationships, school culture, instruction, and accountability, which boost student achievement. Principal develop goals and expectations, ensure a supportive and orderly environment, coordinate, and evaluate instruction and curriculum to improve student achievement, according to Robinson et al. (2008). Principal skills like instructional management, internal and external relations, organisational management, and administration predicted and correlated with school performance, according to Grissom and Loeb (2011). Tatlah and Iqbal (2012) found that female Principal had better leadership and school effectiveness than male Principal. Day and Sammons (2013) found that Principal who develop a shared vision and strategic plan, lead teaching and learning, manage the organisation, establish healthy relations and professional community, hold accountability, and strengthen community improve school success. Another study found that urban Principal were more effective than rural Principal, while female Principal were more effective than male Principal (Ibrahim & Al-Taneiji, 2013). Salfi et al. (2014) found that female Principal perform better with better annual school results by involving all teachers in decision-making, showing respect, and boosting staff confidence. The study also found that urban Principal had better leadership and school effectiveness than rural ones. Ontai-Machado (2016) taught positive school climate, structured activity prioritisation, shared leadership, and data analysis to improve performance. School performance was predicted and correlated with leader effectiveness. Aziz et al. (2017) found that male Principal were more effective at leadership than female Principal in Bangladesh. Another study found that Principal direct participation and visibility, instruction organisation, internal environment and external relations, and planning correlated with student outcomes (Zhenget al., 2017).Malik and Akram (2020) used global Principal quality indicators to determine Principal effectiveness and found that effective Principal produced better results than ineffective ones. Multiple studies show that effective Principal are most important for school success. Several studies found that quality indicators predicted and correlated Principal effectiveness with school performance. Multiple studies also found that female teachers rated their Principal more effective than male teachers and that female schools performed better than male schools, while urban teachers rated their Principal more effective and had better school results, supporting the idea that effective Principal produce better results. In Bangladesh, previous studies have not compared Principal ‘ effectiveness and school performance by gender or location using these quality performance standards, which is needed to fill the literature gap.  Principal were evaluated using Akram and Malik (2021) five quality indicators: instructional leadership, teacher evaluation, school climate, communication and community relations, and organisational management. School performance was measured by teacher presence, school cleanliness, student presence, student achievement, and facility functioning. The framework assumed that Principal ‘ effectiveness and school performance would be compared to understand how important they are for school outcomes.

Figure 01: Conceptual Framework

3. MATERIAL AND METHODS

It was a comparative study that used survey method to collect the data.

3.1 Population and Sample

From Dhaka division, all secondary school teachers (SSTs) of male and female public high schools were the population who were being taught of 10th class for 2020-2022 session. Initially, simple random technique was employed and Dhaka was selected. Secondly, all teachers of the public high schools (N=1026) were chosen as a sample of present study. Among them, male teachers were 570, while female teachers were 456 and location-wise, urban school teachers were 218, while rural school teachers were 808.

3.2 Instrumentation

The study used two tools for data collection in overall. First, the researchers used Principal Effectiveness Questionnaire (PEQ) developed by Akram and Malik (2021) to evaluate Principal’ effectiveness. All 83 items of the tool were grouped into five domains: instructional leadership, teacher evaluation, school climate, organizational management, and Communication and community relation. The response scales (ineffective, less effective, moderately effective, effective, or very effective) were ranged from the lowest to the highest level of quality indicators. To ensure reliability and validity, pilot testing were employed on 50 SSTs to obtain feedback and expert opinion were also received from five university professors of relevant field, and then item were modified accordingly. PEQ revealed the highest level of reliability (α=0.88) by employing the Cronbach Alpha. Secondly, five factors: teacher presence, school cleanliness, student presence, student achievement and functioning of facilities were taken to measure school performance.

3.3 Data Collection

All public high schools of Dhaka division were visited by the researchers to get permission from Principal and distributed the PEQ among SSTs to get the data. In Dhaka, data was collected from 570 male and 456 female SSTs (N=1026). Data of school performance for the factors: presence of teachers, functioning of facilities, student presence and cleanliness of school were gathered through MEAs visit reports and student achievement scores were through Dhaka annual results of 10th grade for 2020-2022 session. After that, all the data of school performance were summed up which was available in percent form and further used mean score of all the factors as overall score of school performance.

3.4 Data Analysis

A quantitative approach (comparative research) was employed in the present study. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. Analysis of data is being provided in the following.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 01: Gender based comparison of principle effectiveness factors.

T-test for independent sample was performed to compare male and female teachers’ perceptions of their Principal’ effectiveness and female teachers’ rated their Principal significantly more effective than male teachers’ rated in implementing instructional leadership, t(1024)=4.174, p=.000, school climate, t(1024)=4.452, p=0.000, teacher evaluation, t(1024)=3.080, p=0.002, organizational management, t(1024)=3.169, p=0.002, and communication and community relation, t(1024)=2.415, p=.016. Further, in overall, female teachers’ rated their Principal significantly more effective than male teachers’ rated in demonstrating Principal effectiveness, t(1024)=3.803, p=0.000. It is concluded, therefore, male and female teachers perceive their Principal’ effectiveness differently.

Table 02: Gender Based Comparison of School Performance

T-test for independent sample was employed and female high schools’ performance were found significantly better as compared to male high schools’ performance on factors: teacher presence, t(1024)=14.94, p=.000, student presence, t(1024)=2.29, p=0.022, functioning of facilities, t(1024)=3.27, p=0.001, school cleanliness, t(1024)=6.01, p=0.000, and student achievement, t(1024)=17.11, p=.000. In overall, female high schools’ performance were found significantly better than male high schools’ performance, t(1024)=13.43, p=0.000.

Table 03: School Location Based Comparison of Principal’ Effectiveness Factors

Table 3 showed that urban teachers’ rated their Principal more effective as compared to rural teachers’ rated in implementing the instructional leadership, t(1024)=0.146, p=0.002, school climate, t(1024)=0.350, p=0.032, teacher evaluation, t(1024)=1.135, p=0.041, and organizational management, t(1024)=0.151, p=0.000, and communication and community relations, t(1024)=1.289, p=.040. Further, in overall, urban teachers’ rated their Principal more effective than rural Principal’ rated, t(1024)=0.153, p=0.003.

Table 04: School Location Based Comparison of School Performance Factors

Table 4 showed that urban schools’ performance were found significantly better as compared to rural schools’ performance on the factors: teacher presence, t(1024)=0.86, p=.003, student presence, t(1024)=2.76, p=0.006, functioning of facilities, t(1024)=1.97, p=0.049, school cleanliness, t(1024)=5.18, p=0.000, and student achievement, t(1024)=0.18, p=.043. Further, in overall, urban schools’ performance were significantly better than rural schools’ performance, t(1024)=2.22, p=0.026.

4.2. DISCUSSION

The intention of present study was to compare Principal’ effectiveness and their school performance through gender based and school location based. The study revealed that female teachers’ rated their Principal significantly more effective than male teachers’ rated, while urban teachers’ rated their Principal more effective as compared to rural teachers’ rated. The study also revealed that performance of female high schools were better than performance of male high schools, while the performance of urban high schools were better as compared to the rural high schools which further strengthen the idea that effective Principal were being produced better results as compared to lower ineffective Principal in their schools. There are some following studies which results are consistent with this study. Kochan et al. (2000) revealed similar results that female Principal were better in effectiveness with better school results as compared to male Principal. Waters et al. (2003) study confirmed the importance of effective Principal in their school success. Robinson et al. (2008) revealed same findings that Principal having essential qualities contribute in student achievement. Grissom and Loeb (2011) identified quality standards of Principal that predicted and correlated with school performance. Tatlah and Iqbal (2012) found that female Principal were more effective with better student results. Ibrahim and Al-Taneiji (2013) were found same results that female Principal were better in leadership and school effectiveness than male Principal, while urban Principal were better in leadership and school effectiveness. Salfi et al. (2014) provided leadership practices and revealed that female leadership practices were better having better school effectiveness than male leadership practices, while urban Principal were better in leadership qualities and school effectiveness than rural Principal which are consistent with the presentstudy. Most important study conducted by Malik and Akram (2020) revealed that Principal’ effectiveness measured on quality standards correlated and predicted school performance. The results based on PEQ provided evidence of the prior findings that Principal’ effectiveness measured on quality indicators can predict and correlate with school performance. In the present study, female teachers’ rated their Principal more effective and their school performance were also found better as compared to male teachers’ rated, while urban teachers’ rated their Principal more effective and school performance of their schools were also found better than rural teachers’ rated. The results based on PEQ were consistent with various studies that further also proved the hypothetical affirmation as a means of findings that effectual Principal can produce better annual results of schools, maximize the school performance and run the school effectively through exercising all important quality indicators in their schools rather than low or ineffective Principal.

5. CONCLUSION

The current research investigated the effectiveness of Principal by evaluating them based on quality indicators and school performance. Additionally, the study compared both of these variables by analysing them from the perspective of gender and school location. Based on the findings of the study, it was found that female teachers rated their Principal as more effective than male teachers rated, and that urban teachers rated their Principal as more effective than rural teachers rated. The findings of the study also showed that the performance of female high school students was superior to that of male high school students, and that the performance of urban high schools was superior to the performance of rural high schools. According to the findings of the study, effective Principal, in comparison to low or ineffective Principal, are producing better annual results for their schools. These effective Principal were identified through important quality indicators. While the Performance Evaluation Report (PER) is being used to evaluate Principal in Bangladesh, it is important to note that these documents are not valid or reliable. It is of the utmost importance that the school implement quality indicators in order to determine which schools have effective Principal. A new lens that can be used to identify effective Principal is provided by PEQ, which is based on the work of Akram and Malik (2021). This lens has the potential to be used in public schools as an alternative to PER. The effectiveness and school performance of female Principal were found to be higher than those of male Principal; additional research could be conducted to investigate the reasons behind the lower effectiveness and school performance of male Principal. In a similar vein, urban Principal demonstrated higher levels of effectiveness and school performance. On the other hand, rural Principal need to concentrate on improving their effectiveness by utilising quality indicators and school performance.

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