International Journal of Scientific Research and Management (IJSRM)

||Volume||11||Issue||10||Pages||2938-2951||2023||
Website: https://ijsrm.net ISSN (e): 2321-3418
DOI: 10.18535/ijsrm/v11i10.el04

Best Practices of Instructional Leadership among Principals of

Primary and Secondary Schools in Male’, Maldives
Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem
Kulliyyah of Education, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Malaysia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the best practices of instructional leadership among principals of
primary and secondary schools in Male‘, Maldives, based on teachers‘ perceptions. The Principal
Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), developed by Hallinger and Murphy (1985) and
modified by Hallinger and Wang (2015), served as the instrument for data collection through a
questionnaire. A total of 392 teachers from schools in Male‘, Maldives, were surveyed and data were
analyzed using SPSS 26.0. The result of the study shows that all three dimensions of instructional
leadership—"defining the school mission" (mean 4.05), "managing the instructional program" (mean
3.94), and "developing a positive school learning climate" (mean 3.72)—have reached a high level in
practice. The study shows that the three best practices of principals in instructional leadership are to
effectively communicate the school's mission to members of the school community (dimension 'Defining
the School's Mission', mean 4.12), to clarify who is responsible for coordinating the curriculum across
grade levels (dimension 'Managing the Instructional Program', mean 4.29), and to encourage teachers to
use class time to teach and practice new skills and concepts (dimension 'Developing a Positive School
Climate', mean 4.10). It is hoped that this study will provide useful insights that will be effective in
improving the instructional leadership skills of principals to improve the academic performance of
students and create a world-class human capital that is comparably excellent.

Keywords: Principals‘ best practices, instructional leadership, teachers‘ perceptions

Introduction
The Maldives is an island nation consisting of unique archipelagic atolls in the Indian Ocean. Public
expenditure on education was estimated at 11.7% of GDP in 2016 (Maldives Ministry of Education, 2018).
However, reviews have shown that many students are far below proficiency in literacy skills, and many
students‘ performance in core subjects is at the basic education level (Ministry of Education, 2020). This is
because the quality of the school depends on the professional skills of the principal (Sukarmin & Sin, 2021).
The competent and skilled leadership role of the principal is important in raising student achievement and
improving school performance. His leadership role leads to school success and creates an effective school
climate. The positive engagement of principals would greatly contribute to the promotion of academic
achievement.
Review Of Literature
Leadership has a critical impact on the effectiveness of schools, which are always striving for improvement
and development. Schools need good leadership, and instructional leadership is a form of leadership that
every school leader must practice to achieve excellence in a school (Hassan et al., 2018). The main goal of
an instructional leader is to find ways and means to improve student learning (Ahmed, 2016). School leaders
should act as instructional leaders and must know the ways and means to create the necessary conditions for
organizational development. The following sections discuss the literature on instructional leadership
developed by Hallinger and Murphy (1985), which is a very important topic in school leadership.
Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) Framework
The conceptual framework of Hallinger and Murphy's (1985; see Figure 4), the Principal Instructional
Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), is the most commonly used framework in educational research for the
Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2938
principal's role in instructional management. It has been used and empirically tested by many researchers in
the context of instructional management and has the broadest practice in measuring principals‘ levels of
instructional management (Alig-Mielcarek, 2003). The Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale
(PIMRS) is a research instrument developed based on this model that is strong and stable and has become
one of the most widely used instruments in school leadership and management research (Robinson et al.,
2008). According to Alig-Mielcarek (2003), this instrument has been used many times over the past 30 years
in the study of school leaders' instructional leadership skills and is still relevant today.
Hallinger and Murphy (1985) developed the model of instructional management, which is divided into three
general dimensions that focus on teaching and learning by defining the school's mission, managing the
instructional program, and promoting a positive school learning climate using a combination of surveys and
administrative data.
Further, these three dimensions were broken down into ten functions or job descriptions for educational
leadership: (1) Frame the School Goals, (2) Communicate the School Goals, (3) Supervise & Evaluate
Instruction, (4) Coordinate the Curriculum, (5) Monitor Student Progress, (6) Protect Instructional Time, (7)
Promote Professional Development, (8) Maintain High Visibility, (9) Provide Incentives for Teachers, and
(10) Provide Incentives for Learning.

Figure 1 : PIMRS Conceptual Framework (Hallinger & Murphy 1985)

Defining the School Mission
The first dimension of instructional leadership, defining the school mission, covers two functions of
principal job descriptions: (1) the formulation of school goals and (2) the communication of school goals.
This suggests that instructional leaders should have a clear picture of what the school's goals are. According
to Krug (1992), doing something without a clear mission is like starting a journey without a destination in
mind. You probably don't know when you'll arrive. The goals are related to the principal's ability to engage
personnel in order to ensure that the school has a clear mission, which is the academic achievement of the
students.
Defining a school mission is about communicating that vision to the staff and students in a way that creates
a shared sense of purpose that connects the many activities in the school's classes (Salleh, 2014). The role of
the principal in defining the mission is to frame school-wide goals and communicate those goals to the entire
school community on a unified basis (Hallinger & Murphy, 1985). In the formulation of school goals,
principals should work with parents and staff to find areas of weakness that need improvement within the
school and develop routine goals to address these areas (Hallinger & Murphy, 1985). Hence, defining and
communicating the school's mission or goal is part of the principal's job as an instructional leader. In
Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2939
addition, it is important for school leaders to have a vision of what the school should strive to accomplish,
and this is essential in setting broader goals for accountability and instructional development.
(1) Framing the School’s Goals
Framing the school‘s goal function refers to the principal's involvement in determining the areas to focus the
attention and resources of school staff during the school year. Goals should include data on past and current
student performance and staff responsibilities for achieving the goals (Hallinger & Wang, 2015). Staff and
parent input appear to be vital in setting school goals. A successful school should have a clearly defined
mission or set of goals that focus on student achievement. It is common sense that a clearly defined mission
is necessary for any venture that hopes to succeed
(2) Communicating School’s Goals
This practice is about how the principal communicates the school's major goals to all school communities,
especially staff, teachers, and students. Principals should ensure that staff understand the relevance of school
goals by discussing and reviewing them frequently throughout the school year, especially in the context of
decisions about instruction, curriculum, and budget (Hallinger & Wang, 2015). The school's mission should
be well articulated, widely shared, and supported by all teachers and staff (Salleh & Kamaruddin, 2020). It is
one of the most important duties of the principal as an instructional leader to communicate and clarify the
school goals (Salleh, 2013). All teachers and staff must understand the school goals in order to contribute to
the development of school performance and the achievement of the school mission. It is one of the hallmarks
of a good school when the entire school community has clear goals and high expectations.
Managing Instructional Programs
The second dimension of this approach is managing instructional programs. This involves working directly
with teachers on issues of curriculum and instruction (Hallinger & Murphy, 1985). This dimension includes
three functions: (1) supervising and evaluating instructions; (2) coordinating the curriculum; and (3)
monitoring student progress. "This dimension focuses on the principal's role in 'managing the technical core'
of the school" (Hallinger, 2011, p. 227). Supervision and evaluation of instruction, according to Hallinger
and Murphy (1985), include such actions as providing instructional assistance to teachers, monitoring
instruction, and aligning teaching and learning with school goals. Furthermore, they stressed that in
coordinating the curriculum, the principal is charged with providing opportunities for staff collaboration in
aligning the curriculum with standards and achievement tests. In addition, they specified that the function of
monitoring student achievement specifies the principal's use of test data for goal setting, assessing
curriculum, evaluating teaching and learning, and measuring growth towards school goals.
(1) supervising and evaluating instructions
Principals play an important role in monitoring and evaluating instruction to promote and improve the
quality of teaching (Salleh & Kamaruddin, 2020). One of the principal's primary responsibilities is to ensure
that the school's goals are put into practice by teachers and students (Hallinger & Wang, 2015). As an
instructional leader, the principal should supervise teachers to make sure and assist them in quality
instruction to facilitate effective learning for students. This includes matching the teachers' instructional
goals with those of the school, assisting teachers with instructional design, and monitoring what is
happening in the classroom. This observation can be done informally by walking through the classroom
(Hallinger & Murphy, 1985) and formally by classroom visits over an extended period of time. And after
this observation, it is very important for a school leader to offer constructive feedback or suggestions.
(2) coordinating the curriculum
A high degree of curricular coordination is a characteristic feature of instructionally effective institutions
(Hallinger & Wang, 2015). Curriculum objectives are closely linked to the school's subject matter and
performance tests. Furthermore, there appears to be a high degree of consistency in the curriculum series
across grade levels.
(3) monitoring student progress
Monitoring student progress is an important role of the principal in an instructionally effective school. Both
standardized and criterion-referenced tests are extensively used to identify the programmatic weaknesses
and vulnerabilities of students, assess the impact of changes to the school's instructional program, and assist

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2940
in classroom assignments (Hallinger & Wang, 2015). The principal should meet with teachers and head
teachers to discuss relevant test data in a timely and helpful manner, interpret test results, and offer
constructive suggestions for improving student academic performance.
Promoting a Positive School Learning Climate
The third dimension of Hallinger and Murphy's (1985) framework is developing or promoting a positive
school learning climate, which encompasses five functions: (1) protecting instructional time; (2) promoting
professional development activities in school; (3) maintaining high visibility or always being in sight; (4)
providing incentives for teachers; and (5) providing incentives for learning.
The norms and attitudes of staff and students that influence learning in the school are referred to as the
positive school learning climate (Salleh & Hatta, 2018). According to Alig-Mielcarek (2003), the tasks of
the principal consist mainly of indirect activities that contribute to the creation of a positive learning
environment. Based on Salleh and Hatta (2018), supportive principals towards teachers and students lead to
a climate conducive to excellent academic performance. This dimension conforms to the notion that
successful schools create an ―academic press‖ through the development of high standards and expectations
as well as a culture that fosters and rewards continuous learning and improvement (Hallinger, 2011).
Hallinger and Murphy (1985) stated that the principals can enhance students' and teachers' confidence by
establishing a reward system that emphasizes academic performance and creative effort, over strong,
obvious standards shaping what the school foresees from students, out of the precise use of instructional
time, and via the selection and carrying out of high-quality staff development programs. Furthermore, Alig-
Mielcarek (2003) asserts that the main function of instructional leadership is to promote a positive school
learning climate through indirect activities.
(1) Protecting instructional time
Protecting instructional time means allocating learning time that provides teachers with blocks of
uninterrupted work time. If teachers are regularly interrupted by announcements, tardy students, and
demands from the office, improved classroom management and instructional abilities are not exploited to
their full potential (Hallinger & Wang, 2015). Therefore, the protection of teaching time is an important task
of the principals as instructional leaders in order to enable them to ensure that the teaching and learning
process runs well and that both teaching and learning processes take place in each classroom at certain times
(Salleh & Hatta, 2018). Principals who successfully adopt regulations that avoid disruptions to learning time
in the classroom have the ability to enhance allocated learning time and thus student accomplishment.
(2) Promoting professional development activities in school
Robinson et al. (2008) discovered that the principal's support and involvement in staff professional
development had the greatest impact on student learning outcomes. Principals can support and encourage
teachers and staff in their efforts to improve teaching and learning in accordance with the school's goals.
They can organize, provide, or inform teachers about appropriate staff development opportunities (Hallinger
& Wang, 2015). According to Salleh et al. (2018), professional development for teachers assists them in
connecting theory and practice and creating high-quality learning environments in their classrooms.
(3) Maintaining high visibility or always being in sight
The circumstances in which the principal is seen give an indication of his priorities for teachers and students.
Even if the principal has too much to do and time is beyond his or her control, he or she should prioritize
finding enough time to be there for students and teachers and to observe lessons and other extra activities.
This has the potential to improve student behavior and learning. Visibility on school grounds and in
classrooms improves the relationship between principals and students and between principals and teachers
(Hallinger & Wang, 2015).
(4) Providing incentives for teachers
It is important for principals to build a system that rewards and recognizes teachers for their efforts in order
to create a positive learning climate. According to Bear et al. (2015) and Hallinger and Wang (2015),
principals have few reward options to use with teachers. Principals' ability to motivate teachers is severely
limited by the uniform salary schedule and the tenure system (Salleh & Hatta, 2018). However, in schools,
money is only marginally more successful as an incentive than praise and recognition (Hallinger & Wang,
Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2941
2015). Meanwhile, an incentive does not mean that the principal should spend money on praise to encourage
teachers to teach effectively and perform their duties. Principals, on the other hand, can use a range of
formal and informal rewards to inspire teachers and develop a school culture based on trust, mutual respect,
and success, such as personally expressed appreciation, public recognition, and formal honors and awards.
(5) Providing incentives for learning
A positive school learning environment can be created by shaping a climate in which students place a high
priority on academic accomplishment. To create a successful climate, students must be provided with
numerous, visible chances to be rewarded and recognized for academic achievement and improvement
(Hallinger & Wang, 2015). The incentives do not have to be expensive, but students should have
opportunities to be honored for their achievements both in and out of the classroom. According to Harris and
Lowery (2002), the principal can be responsive to students, praise them, advocate for them, and create a safe
and secure learning environment. Principals who are responsive to children contribute to a positive learning
environment (Salleh & Hatta, 2018). According to Harris and Lowery (2002), principals who take the time
to recognize students' accomplishments help to establish a healthy school climate.
Materials And Methods
The Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), developed by Hallinger and Murphy (1985)
and modified by Hallinger and Wang (2015), was used as an instrument to collect data through a survey
questionnaire. A total of 392 teachers from primary and secondary schools in Male‘, Maldives, were
surveyed. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26. The
outcome of the study was determined using a 5-Likert scale: 1. almost never; 2. rarely; 3. sometimes; 4.
frequently; and 5. almost always (Hallinger & Murphy, 1985). Prior permission to conduct this study was
obtained from the Ministry of Education, Maldives (Creswell, 2012). The Cronbach's alpha for the
instruments showed an average value of 0.971, which is in the acceptable range (above 0.7) (Hair et al.,
2019).
The purpose of this study was to investigate the best practices of instructional leadership among principals
of schools in Male‘, Maldives according to teachers‘ perceptions. Specifically, the study will provide
answers to the following questions:
1. What are the Best Practices of Defining the School Mission by the Principals of schools in Male‘,
Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
2. What are the Best Practices of Managing the Instructional Program by the Principals of schools in
Male‘, Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
3. What are the Best Practices of Developing a Positive School Learning Climate by the Principals of
schools in Male‘, Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
4. What are the Best Practices of Instructional Leadership by the Principals of schools in Male‘,
Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
Findings
This section presents the findings of teachers' perceived instructional leadership practices by principals of
schools in Male‘, Maldives. The researcher used descriptive statistical techniques such as frequency count,
percentage distribution and mean to analyses the data collected from the respondents.
Table 1 Interpretation of Mean Score

Mean Score Level

1.00 – 2.33 Low

2.34 – 3.67 Average

3.68 – 5.00 High

Source: Landell (1997)

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2942
In this study, instructional leadership practices among school principals in Male‘, Maldives, were
categorized into three levels (Table 1), adopted from Landell (1997) based on teachers' agreement with
principals‘ practices in the instruments used in this study. The mean scores divide teachers' level of
agreement into three groups: "low" for scores between 1.00 and 2.33, "average" for scores between 2.34 and
3.67, and "high" for scores of 3.68 and above.
Based on teachers' evaluations of the tasks posed in the study, the classification of responses is as follows:
the responses "Almost never" and "Rarely" are classified as "disagreeing" with the assertions or believing
that principals do not follow these practices. On the other hand, the responses "Sometimes," "Frequently,"
and "Almost Always" are categorized as teachers "agreeing" with the allegations or believing that principals
follow these practices.
Research Question 1:
What are the Best Practices of Defining the School Mission by the Principals of schools in Male’,
Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
Within the "Defining the School Mission" dimension of instructional leadership practice, principals as
school leaders have the responsibility to formulate and communicate school goals. Table 2 shows in detail
the mean score, standard deviation, and level of implementation of each task involved in principals‘
practices on five tasks to define the school mission statement in primary and secondary schools in Male,
Maldives, as perceived by teachers.
Table 2 Practices of Defining the School Mission by the Principals of Schools in Male’, Maldives:
Perception of Teachers (N=392)

Level of Agreement
Disagree Agree

Level

Rank
Frequently
Sometimes

% Mean
Seldom

Always
Almost

Almost
Never

Std.
Dev
No Statements
1 Develop a focused set of N 7 26 81 122 156 91.6 4.01 High 4
annual school-wide goals
% 1.8 6.6 20.7 31.1 39.8 1.02
2 Use data on student N 6 21 73 119 173 93.1 4.1 High 2
performance when
developing the school‘s
% 1.5 5.4 18.6 30.4 44.1 0.99
academic goals
3 Develop goals that are N 6 21 80 141 144 93.1 4.01 High 4
easily understood and
used by teachers in the % 1.5 5.4 20.4 36 36.7 0.96
school
4 Communicate the N 7 25 52 138 170 91.8 4.12 High 1
school‘s mission
effectively to members
% 1.8 6.4 13.3 35.2 43.4 0.99
of the school community

5 Refer to the school‘s N 13 22 72 120 165 91.1 4.03 High 3

academic goals when
making curricular % 3.3 5.6 18.4 30.6 42.1 1.06
decisions with teachers

Average Mean & 92.1 4.05 High

Average Standard Deviation 0.87

The findings in Table 2 show that on average, 92.1% of the 392 respondents teachers agreed that the five
tasks of defining the school mission were practiced by Maldivian school principals at a high level, with an
average mean of 4.05 and a standard deviation of 0.87. Moreover, principals implemented all five tasks of
this dimension with "high" performance, with mean scores ranging from 4.01 and a Standard deviation of
1.02 to a mean of 4.12 and a Standard deviation of 0.99.

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2943
The results of the study show that the best practice for defining the school mission according to the
perceptions of respondents was the fourth task "communicate the school‘s mission effectively to members of
the school community", with a mean of 4.12, a standard deviation of 0.99, and an agreement of 91.8%
among the 392 respondents. The practice of "using data on student performance when developing the
school's academic goals" had the second highest score with a mean of 4.12 and a standard deviation of 0.99,
and 93.1% of the 392 faculty who responded agreed with this statement. "Refer to the school's academic
goals when making curriculum decisions with teachers" ranked third with a mean of 4.03, a standard
deviation of 1.06, and 91.1% agreement among the 392 respondents".
As shown in Table 2, the practices "Develop a targeted set of annual schoolwide goals" and "Develop goals
that can be easily understood and used by teachers in the school" each received a "high" rating and ranked
fourth, where both practices received a mean score of 4.01, a standard deviation of 1.02 and 0.96, and were
supported by 91.6% and 93.1% of the 392 respondents, respectively.
Research Question 2:
What are the Best Practices of Managing the Instructional Program by the Principals of schools in
Male’, Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
Under the "Managing the Instructional Program" dimension of instructional leadership practice, principals
have the responsibility to monitor and evaluate instruction, coordinate the curriculum, and monitor student
progress. Table 3 shows in detail the mean, standard deviation, and degree of implementation of each task
performed in the practice of school principals in relation to seven tasks to manage the instructional program
in primary and secondary schools in Male, Maldives, as perceived by teachers.
The data showed on average 89.7% of the 392 respondents teachers agreed that managing the instructional
program tasks was practiced by Maldivian school principals at a high level with an average mean of 3.94
and a standard deviation of 0.84. Moreover, principals implemented six tasks out of the seven tasks with
"high" performance, and only one achieved "average", with mean scores of 4.29 and a stretched variance of
0.95 to a mean of 3.53 and a stretched variance of 1.24.
The result shows that the best practice of managing the instructional program by the principals of schools in
Male‘, Maldives, according to the perceptions of respondents, was the eighth task "make clear who is
responsible for coordinating the curriculum across grade levels (e.g., the principal, vice principal, or teacher-
leaders)" of the instructional leadership, with a "high" rank and a mean score of 4.29 and a Standard
deviation of 0.95 and support from 93.4% of respondents.
"Draw upon the results of school-wide testing when making curricular decisions" was the second most
important practice, receiving a "high" ranking with a mean of 4.08, a standard deviation of 0.91, and support
from 94.9% of the 392 respondents. "Use tests and other performance measures to assess progress towards
school goals" was ranked third, receiving a "high" rank with a mean of 4.07, a standard deviation of 0.97,
and support from 93.4% of the 392 respondents.
Table 3 Practices of Managing the Instructional Program by the Principals of Schools in Male’,
Maldives: Perception of Teachers (N=392)

Level of Agreement
Disagree Agree
Rank
Level
Almost Never

% Mea
Frequently
Sometimes
Seldom

Always
Almost

n
Std.
Dev.
No Statements
6 Ensure that the classroom N 14 19 67 160 132 91.6 3.96 High 4
priorities of teachers are
consistent with the goals
and direction of the school % 3.6 4.8 17.1 40.8 33.7 1.01
7 Review student work N 16 27 82 140 127 89 3.85 High 5
products when evaluating

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2944
 classroom instruction % 4.1 6.9 20.9 35.7 32.4 1.08
8 Make clear who is N 7 19 35 122 209 93.4 4.29 High 1
responsible for
coordinating the
curriculum across grade
levels (e.g., the principal, % 1.8 4.8 8.9 31.1 53.3 0.95
vice principal, or teacher-
leaders)

9 Draw upon the results of N 5 15 72 153 147 94.9 4.08 High 2

school-wide testing when
making curricular % 1.3 3.8 18.4 39 37.5
decisions
0.91
10 Participate actively in the N 23 28 76 132 133 87.0 3.83 High 6
review of curricular
materials % 5.9 7.1 19.4 33.7 33.9 1.15
11 Meet individually with N 35 48 82 130 97 78.8 3.53 Avera 7
teachers to discuss student ge
progress % 8.9 12.2 20.9 33.2 24.7 1.24
12 Use tests and other N 7 19 72 134 160 93.4 4.07 High 3
performance measure to
assess progress toward % 1.8 4.8 18.4 34.2 40.8 0.97
school goals
Average Mean & 89.7 3.94 High
Average Standard Deviation 0.84

Table 3 shows that with a mean of 3.96, a standard deviation of 1.01, and the support of 91.6% of the 392
respondents, the practice of "ensuring that the classroom priorities of teachers are consistent with the
school's goals and direction of the school" practice of principals received the fourth highest score and a
"high" rating. The fifth highest practice, "Reviewing student work products when evaluating classroom
instruction," received a mean score of 3.85, a standard deviation of 1.08, and the support of 89.0% of the
392 respondents, resulting in a "high" rating.
The practice of "participating actively in the review of curriculum materials" was ranked sixth overall and
rated "high" by respondents, with a mean of 3.83, a standard deviation of 1.15, and support from 87.0% of
the 392 respondents. The practice of "meeting individually with teachers to discuss student progress" was
rated the lowest, coming in seventh with an "average" rating and a mean of 3.53, as well as a standard
deviation of 1.24 and the support of 78.8% of respondents.
Research Question 3:
What are the Best Practices of Developing a Positive School Learning Climate by the Principals of
schools in Male’, Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
Protecting instructional time, maintaining high visibility, providing incentives for teachers, promoting
professional development, and providing incentives for learning are principal responsibilities in the
dimension of developing a positive school learning climate through instructional leadership practice. Table 4
shows the mean, standard deviation, and level of implementation of each task carried out in the practice of
principals in relation to the ten tasks to develop a positive school learning climate in primary and secondary
schools in Male, Maldives, as perceived by teachers.
The results in Table 4 show that on average, 84.5% of the 392 teachers surveyed felt that the ten tasks in the
dimension of 'developing a positive school learning climate' were implemented in average to a high standard
by Maldivian school principals, with an average mean of 3.72 and a standard deviation of 0.92. In addition,
principals implemented five out of ten tasks with "high" performance, ranging from a mean of 4.10 and a
standard deviation of 0.99 to a mean of 3.75 and a standard deviation of 1.13. In addition, principals
implemented the remaining five out of ten tasks with "average" performance from the respondents'
perspective, with scores ranging from a mean of 3.66 and a Standard deviation of 1.09 to a mean of 3.27 and
a Standard deviation of 1.25.

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2945
The best practice of developing a positive school learning climate by the principals of schools in Male‘,
Maldives, according to the perceptions of respondents, was the thirteenth task, "encourage teachers to use
instructional time for teaching and practicing new skills and concepts," which was practiced by principals at
a ‗high‘ level with a mean score of 4.10 and a Standard deviation of 0.99, and it was supported by 92.6% of
the 392 respondents.
With a 'high' rank, a mean of 4.04, a standard deviation of 1.04, and 89.8% of respondents‘ agreement, the
principals' practice of "attending and participating in extra- and co-curricular activities" was the second-
highest practice in this dimension. With a 'high' rank, a mean score of 3.83, a standard deviation of 1.10, and
an agreement level of 87.5% among the respondents, "recognizing superior student achievement or
improvement by seeing in the office the students with their work" was the third highest practice of the
principals in this dimension.
In addition, the results in Table 4 show that the practice of principals "contacting parents to communicate
improved or exemplary student performance or contributions" received the fourth highest score and was
rated "high" with a mean of 3.81, a standard deviation of 1.11, and support from 87.0% of the 392
respondents. With a mean score of 3.75, a standard deviation of 1.13, and support from 85.5% of the 392
respondents, the principals‘ implementation of the task of "Schedule time to share ideas or information from
in-service activities" ranked fifth and received a "high" rating.
Table 4 Practices of Developing a Positive School Learning Climate by the Principals of Schools in
Male’, Maldives: Perception of Teachers (N=392)

Level of Agreement
Disagree Agree

Level

Rank
Frequently

% Mean
Sometimes
Seldom

Always
Almost

Almost
Never

Std.
Dev.
No Statements
13 Encourage teachers to use N 10 19 57 140 166 92.6 4.1 High 1
instructional time for
teaching and practicing
new skills and concepts % 2.6 4.8 14.5 35.7 42.3 0.99

14 Take time to talk N 33 42 81 121 115 80.9 3.62 Average 7

informally with students
and teachers during recess % 8.4 10.7 20.7 30.9 29.3 1.24
and breaks
15 Attend, participate in N 8 32 61 128 163 89.8 4.04 High 2
extra- and co-curricular
activities % 2 8.2 15.6 32.7 41.6 1.04

16 Compliment teachers N 28 54 98 100 112 79.1 3.55 Average 9

privately for their efforts
or performance % 7.1 13.8 25 25.5 28.6 1.24

17 Acknowledge teachers‘ N 47 53 114 105 73 74.5 3.27 Average 10

exceptional performance
by writing memos for their % 12 13.5 29.1 26.8 18.6 1.25
personnel files

18 Create professional growth N 27 38 92 144 91 83.4 3.6 Average 8

opportunities for teachers
as a reward for special % 6.9 9.7 23.5 36.7 23.2 1.15
contributions to the school
19 Lead or attend teacher in- N 17 41 94 145 95 85.2 3.66 Average 6
service activities
concerned with instruction % 4.3 10.5 24 37 24.2 1.09

20 Set aside time at faculty N 22 35 75 147 113 85.5 3.75 High 5

meetings for teachers to
share ideas or information
from in-service activities % 5.6 8.9 19.1 37.5 28.8 1.13

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 21 Recognize superior student N 20 29 70 152 121 87.5 3.83 High 3
achievement or
improvement by seeing in
the office the students with % 5.1 7.4 17.9 38.8 30.9 1.1
their work
22 Contact parents to N 19 32 75 146 120 87 3.81 High 4
communicate improved or
exemplary student % 4.8 8.2 19.1 37.2 30.6 1.11
performance or
contributions
Average Mean & 84.5 3.72 High
Average Standard Deviation 0.92

The implementation of the task "leading or participating in in-service training for teachers involved in
teaching" was rated as "average" and received the sixth highest mean score of 3.66, a standard deviation of
1.09, and the support of 85.2% of the 392 respondents. With a mean score of 3.62, a standard deviation of
1.24, and support from 80.9% of respondents, the seventh school leadership practice, "Making time for
informal conversations with students and teachers during playtime and breaks," was rated "average."
The eighth practice, "Create professional development opportunities for teachers as a reward for special
contributions to the school"," was rated "average" by respondents with a mean of 3.60, a standard deviation
of 1.15, and the support of 83.4% of the 392 respondents.
The ninth principal's practice for developing a positive school learning climate of instructional leadership,
"Compliment teachers privately for their efforts or performance," was rated "average" by respondents with a
mean of 3.55, a standard deviation of 1.24, and the support of 79.1% of the 392 respondents. The last and
lowest rated item was "acknowledging teachers' exceptional performance by writing memos for their
personnel files"," which was supported by 74.5% of the 392 respondents and ranked tenth with an "average"
rating, a mean of 3.27, and a standard deviation of 1.25.
Research Question 4:
What are the Best Practices of Instructional Leadership by the Principals of schools in Male’,
Maldives as perceived by Teachers?
Based on the perceptions of 392 teachers, Table 5 shows how principals generally practice three dimensions
of instructional leadership in Maldivian schools. It's important to note that 88.77% of the respondents to this
study felt that principals had "high" levels of practice in all three dimensions of instructional leadership. The
average mean across the board was 3.9063, while the standard deviation was 0.82102 on average.
Table 5 Practices of Instructional Leadership by the Principals of Schools in Male’, Maldives:
Perception of Teachers (N=392)

No Dimensions Av. Ag% Std. Mean Level Rank

Dev.

1 Defining the school mission 92.1 0.87 4.05 High 1

2 Managing the instructional 89.7 0.84 3.94 High 2

program
3 Developing a positive 84.5 0.92 3.72 High 3
school learning climate
Average Mean & 88.77 0.82102 3.9063 High
Average Standard Deviation

The results of the study show that the best practiced and implemented dimension out of the three dimensions
of instructional leadership among principals in Male‘, Maldives, as perceived by the respondents, was the
first one, defining the school mission dimension, which achieved the highest mean score of 4.05 and a

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2947
standard deviation of 0.87 compared to the other two dimensions of instructional leadership practice of
principals. Furthermore, 92.1% of the 392 teachers surveyed agreed with this result and received a high
rating for this practice.
The second-best dimension was the dimension of managing the instructional program, with a mean of 3.94
and a standard deviation of 0.84 at the "high" level and agreement from 392 teachers surveyed. The lowest
and third-best dimension was the dimension of developing a positive school learning climate, with a mean of
3.72, a standard deviation of 0.92, and an agreement of 84.5% among the 392 teachers surveyed.
Discussions
According to the teachers, all three characteristics reached a high level of practiced instructional leadership
among principals in Male', Maldives, with a mean of 3.9063 and a standard deviation of 0.82102. In the
teachers‘ view, the best practice of instructional leadership among principals in Male', Maldives, was
achieved in the dimension of "defining the school mission", the second dimension was "managing the
instructional program", and the third dimension was "developing a positive school learning climate."
The study shows that the top three best practices of primary and secondary school principals in Male‘,
Maldives, in defining the school's mission in terms of instructional leadership were ―communicate the
school‘s mission effectively to members of the school community,‖ and this finding was in line with Salleh
and Mitul (2021), followed by "use data on student performance when developing the school‘s academic
goals,‖ and in third place, ―refer to the school‘s academic goals when making curriculum decisions with
teachers.‖ Nevertheless, Salleh (2013) found the "use data on student performance when developing the
school‘s academic goals" task to be the highest with a mean of 4.26, and fourth in Salleh (2014) and
Tshering (2022). Moreover, the ―communicate the school‘s mission effectively to members of the school
community‖ task was the second highest in Salleh (2013, 2014); Salleh and Kamaruddin (2020); and
Tshering (2022). Furthermore, Salleh and Mitul (2021); Tshering (2022) found the third practice to be
―referring to the school‘s academic goals when making curriculum decisions with teachers‖ and as the
fourth practice in Salleh (2013); Salleh and Kamaruddin (2020); Salleh and Mitul (2021); and the fifth
practice in Salleh (2014).
According to the results, the three best practices of primary and secondary school principals in Male‘,
Maldives, in managing the instructional program dimension of instructional leadership were ―make clear
who is responsible for coordinating the curriculum across grade levels (e.g., the principal, vice principal, or
teacher-leaders),‖ followed by "draw upon the results of school-wide testing when making curricular
decisions,‖ and these two findings were in line with Tshering (2022), and in third place, ―use tests and other
performance measures to assess progress towards school goals‖, where Tshering (2022) found this practice
as fifth.
The results show that the three most effective practices of primary and secondary school principals in Male',
Maldives, in developing a positive school learning climate were "encourage teachers to use instructional
time for teaching and practicing new skills and concepts," "attend and participate in extra- and co-curricular
activities," and "recognize superior student achievement or improvement by seeing in the office the students
with their work.‖
This study shows that teachers feel that principals in Male‘, Maldives, schools are practicing instructional
leadership at a high level. According to the study, the best practice of the principal in the dimension of
defining the school's mission is to communicate the school's mission statement to the members of the school
community effectively. Sarok and Jihet (2012) show that the principal communicating the school's vision
and goals has a significant relationship with teacher engagement. It is very important for the development of
a school or any other organization that all stakeholders know its goal, objective, or mission. Because there is
no doubt that if you know the goal to be achieved, it can be achieved. A clearly defined vision, mission, and
goals are important to improve the academic performance of the school (Ahmed, 2016). Hence, the most
important goal of a school is to improve student outcomes. It is encouraging that Maldivian principals
demonstrate the important characteristic of using data on student performance when developing the school‘s
academic goals. This is because knowing how students have performed in previous exams, analyzing student
results, and formulating school-based educational goals that focus on areas where students are struggling can

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2948
improve their performance. And principals' third most common practice on this dimension, considering the
school's educational goals when making curriculum decisions in meetings with teachers, can make teachers
feel more comfortable with their teaching. Teachers consider these goals when preparing lessons and
teaching, which increases and improves student achievement. Moffitt (2007) also noted that creating a vision
and setting high expectations help teachers deliver good instruction that leads to better student achievement.
Hence, a clearly defined vision, mission, and goals are important to improve the school's academic
performance.
In the second dimension, instructional program management, the study found that the most important
practice of principals was to clarify who was responsible for coordinating the curriculum across grade levels.
This indicates the extent to which principals are aware of the importance of everyone knowing their
responsibilities. If everyone knows their responsibilities and carries out their roles and responsibilities, it
will not be difficult to achieve success. When teachers understand their principal‘s vision, they are likely to
be committed to achieving it (Dupont, 2009). The second practice of this dimension, using test scores for the
entire school when making decisions about curriculum, is critical. This makes it easier for all stakeholders to
focus, set goals, and work towards improving outcomes. The third best practice in this dimension, using tests
and other performance measures to assess progress towards school goals, is a task that is very relevant to
past practice and can be practiced simultaneously. This is because tests and other performance measures are
used to measure progress, speed, and achievement of school goals. Therefore, the work to achieve these
goals will be further strengthened and accelerated. Student achievement will continue to improve.
This study shows that in the third dimension of instructional leadership, making the school a good learning
environment, the most important practice of school leaders is to encourage and pave the way for teachers to
use class time to teach and practice new skills and concepts. There is no doubt that teachers' motivation,
commitment, and performance will improve if they are encouraged to do these things. Consequently, the
educational level of the students will also improve.
The second-best practice of principals in this dimension is participation in extracurricular and co-curricular
activities. The participation of school leaders in such initiatives will lead to the whole school community,
i.e., students, parents, teachers, and staff, working together with more courage and determination to achieve
the common goals. In addition, Dupont (2009) concludes that the principals should create a team-oriented
and encouraging school climate in order to improve student achievement.
The third practice of principals is to meet with students in the office to celebrate their achievements or
progress. The principals do this very well because it encourages the students and increases their motivation
to do better. Recognizing student achievements lets them know that school leadership recognizes their
efforts and is proud of their accomplishments. This fosters pride in students and motivates them to continue
to work hard. Satisfied students are more likely to be engaged in class and have a positive attitude towards
learning. Walker (2016) also pointed out the importance of school leaders working with their teachers and
other stakeholders and sharing accountability to improve school culture and student success. As a leader, a
principal has the responsibility to ensure that his or her staff or students know how much he or she cares for
them. When the principal celebrates even small successes, they help those they lead to see their outstanding
achievements. This recognition makes them feel valued and shows them that their contributions are
welcome and desired.
Conclusion
The findings show that, as school leaders, the principals of primary and secondary schools in Male‘,
Maldives, have exercised a high level of instructional leadership functions. The instructional leadership
practices demonstrated by the school leaders in this study are considered very important in promoting a
positive learning environment in the schools. This will have a positive impact on teacher performance,
improving teaching and learning practices, improving school culture, and enhancing students‘ academic
achievement.
The study's findings are significant, particularly because every school has a principal who serves as an
instructional leader and is a key figure in ensuring that the school is excellent in terms of academics and
services, as well as quality and standards for producing useful and productive graduates for the country and

Mohamed Shujau Abdul Raheem, IJSRM Volume 11 Issue 10 October 2023 EL-2023-2949
the global community. They would also understand how much time it takes for a principal to perform the
tasks required to be an excellent instructional leader. In addition, school leaders learn about the qualities and
behaviors a teacher must possess to improve teaching and learning in their schools. It is hoped that this study
will provide useful insights that will effectively support the process of developing the instructional
leadership skills of principals in primary and secondary schools in the Maldives, which in turn will assist in
improving the academic performance of students and produce excellent students who are considered first-
class human capital nationally and internationally.
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