Characteristics of a good principal in Secondary schools [Archives:2005/864/Education]

archive
August 1 2005

Dr. Bashar Ghazi Askar
[email protected]

Every educational supervisor or instructor should have certain characteristics to enable him/ her to conduct his duties on a sound basis. For instance, asking a teacher to do something he considers unreasonable has its bad effect on his morale. Administrative experience, knowledge and abilities have their role in achievement of directive instructions. ON the other hand, materials, equipment and other factors enable the teacher to carry out the instruction perfectly.

Coordination is also an important factor in the school systems. In fact, coordination refers to the process of bringing related activities together. Coordination entails arrangement of activities to obtain a smooth flow of work. The larger the school, the greater is the need for coordination.

A professionally experienced or skilled teacher is what we need in our schools to make the educational process successful. Human relations is also important in the educational process. The success of any school depends on many factors including existence of highly qualified principals, experienced skilled teachers and elements of coordination and cooperation.

Secondary Schools with such elements are regarded successful. Arwa Secondary School for girls in the capital Secretariat is a case in point. One can observe that the school has a highly qualified principal with a strong personality in Abla Lutfia Hamza .

Leadership is always influenced by the personality of the principal. Besides, infrastructure facilities, teaching aids, laboratories, funds, well- trained staff, well- trained teachers contribute to the process of fruitful education.

The role of the principal is to work within certain prescribed codes. He/ She sets objectives for using available resources, and formulates plans for achieving the objectives, identifying the activities to be performed, organizeing the activities into groups, grouping the tasks into job and finally staffing the job with the available human resources.

The school principals also help in the interpretation and implementation of educational plans and policies at the state, local and school levels. They coordinate and monitor the services, the buildings, the equipment, the supplies, and any other item , necessary to the operation of a school system.

The final purpose of educational administration is to improve the teaching / learning process. The school master should collaborate with the classroom teachers, students and supervisors. The ideal principal ensures that every student is given adequate opportunity and motivation to learn. The principal should encourage extra-curricular activities such as games, sports, clubs, student's councils tc.

Management and human resources are the core of the whole educational process in performance of the school community activities. The school is responsible for developing the program that is uniquely suited to school's success. All elements the principal, the teacher, supervisor, administrators, community, as well as other relevant elements contribute in a stabilized and successful management.
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