INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE: A STUDY AT THE SECONDARY EDUCATION LEVEL

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the impact of instruction leadership styles on academic performance of students at secondary level, District Swabi. A quantitative research design was employed and data were collected from 156 principals and teachers using a closed-ended questionnaire. The study results established that instructional leadership styles positively affect students' academic achievement. The study has contributed to identifying a key area in secondary education, namely instructional leadership, which seems to enhance students' educational outcomes. For effective instructional leadership, since it can develop a context that facilitates improvements in academic performance of students, effective school leadership is needed by policymakers and educators. The study suggests that principals who would like to be effective in with tradition notions of instructional leadership may improve the process of improving students' academic performance by creating a supportive learning environment, engaging teachers in developing professional learning community, and improving students' academic performance. The contribution of the study is relevant to the advancement of educational policy and practice. This research establishes that principals in their role for school improvement to focus on developing their instructional leadership practices and students' academic performance provide the basis for any new policy direction. In addition, the results also highlight the importance of principals engaged in leadership development programs and other initiatives that provide support for instructional leadership at secondary level.