The Leadership Development of Managers working in the Ministry of Education and Educational Districts in Kuwait

Appropriate leadership development for administrators in education is part of an on-going area of focus for many governments around the world. A sustainable supply of new leaders equipped to work in education effectively in a... [ view full abstract ]

Appropriate leadership development for administrators in education is part of an on-going area of focus for many governments around the world. A sustainable supply of new leaders equipped to work in education effectively in a rapidly changing environment driven by the competitive consequences of globalisation is certainly a key aim of the government in Kuwait. The managers at the centre of this study are responsible for drawing up educational policy which is intended to have a direct impact of school leaders and teaching and learning in schools. Thus the main purpose of this research was to explore the effectiveness of the leadership preparation and professional development of those responsible for leading the education system in Kuwait.

A survey was sent to 55 managers and had a response rate of 76%. This was followed up by interviewing a sample of 8 managers designed to obtain more depth of understanding of their perceptions of themselves as leaders and managers as well as their reflections on the effectiveness of their preparation for their current role.

The main findings were (i) surprisingly, the majority of the managers did not have any teaching qualifications or teaching experience; (ii) many found it difficult to distinguish clearly between the concepts of leading and managing; (iii) most did not attend any programmes designed to help them prepare for their role, regardless of whether they were provided by the MoE or the private sector (iv) no professional development programmes were available for these managers to attend which focussed on developing their comprehension of what leadership might mean; (v) there was considerable variation in the perceptions of the effectiveness of their own informal learning while in post.

The implications of this study for the sustainable development of well-prepared leaders are far reaching. More attention needs to be given to the range and availability of formal and informal learning opportunities which mangers need to understand more about their leadership role.