Leadership Efficacy and Administrative Competence of School Heads in International Schools

Abstract

The study focused on the four dimensions of administrators’ leadership efficacy and the six domains of their administrative competence. A descriptive research design was utilized, with the study focusing on school administrators in Saudi Arabia and involving two groups of respondents: 190 teachers and 80 school administrators, determined using probability sampling. The study employed a survey questionnaire as the main instrument for data gathering, and statistical tools such as frequency, weighted mean, Chi-square, and T-test were applied. Based on the findings, most school administrators were middle-aged, male, married, held master’s degrees, had moderate-length service, and actively participated in seminars and training. The school administrators’ leadership efficacy was highly evident, while their administrative competence across the six domains was considered moderate. There was no significant relationship found in the school heads' leadership efficacy based on their profile variables, except for age in relation to administrators’ leadership efficacy for action and self-motivation. Similarly, there was no significant relationship found between administrators’ manifestations of administrative competence and their profile variables, except for age in relation to the administrative competence domains of equity and cultural responsiveness, and civil status in relation to the domain of meaningful engagement of families and communities. The findings also indicated no significant difference between the two groups of respondents regarding school heads' leadership efficacy and administrative competence. School administrators in international schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia face various challenges, with education at all levels in the country guided by the Islamic code of ethics.