FACTORS PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN SCHOOLS

Abstract

The study, “Factors Promoting Excellence in Schools” took cognizance of the pressing problem that there was widespread deterioration of education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The stakeholders had many expectations from the secondary schools both in public (government) and private sectors. The parents also needed feedback and authentic information about the criteria of excellent schools. It was therefore considered imperative to identify factors that promoted excellence in schools on the basis of information obtained from review of global literature as well as the feedback provided by stakeholders in the form of their responses. The items included in the opinionnaires and interviews for principals, teachers, parents and students were mostly derived from the authentic sources that were studied. For the purpose of obtaining relevant information from participants items were mentioned under different categories such as school specific statements, school improvement strategies and the skills of effective principals. The population of the study included 247 principals/headmasters, 2964 teachers, 494 parents and more than 10,000 students of 10th class in total number of 247 boys’ high schools in Peshawar City including 27 schools in public (government) and 220 in private sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The sample included 30 principals, 60 teachers, 600 students of 10th class and 60 parents. The primary data were collected through opinionnaires administrated to principals/headmasters, teachers and students, while closed-ended interviews were held with purposively selected parents. The results of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar for 10th class of the sampled schools for the last 03 years (2008-10) were also made part of secondary data. The data received both quantitative and qualitative treatment. The quantitative analysis applied statistical measures to some of the aspects of the collected data. The data were analyzed with the help of tables and graphs and rendered meaningful with discussion and interpretation. The qualitative data were placed under different patterns and categories for discussion. The outcome of the study indicated that excellence was multi-dimensional phenomenon and, therefore, many factors collectively contributed to effectiveness of school. The most important factors included relevant curricula, devoted and well trained teachers, co- curricular activities, effective principals, collegiality of teachers and the needed infrastructure. The interventional role of principals also made difference in school effectiveness. They could intervene in matters of instructional supervision, efficient administration, promoting collegiality of teachers, and including them in decision-making processes. The positive school-community relationships were also instrumental in school effectiveness. The study found that excellent schools had effective classroom interaction, stakeholders’ consideration that it was better school for teaching-learning and both teachers and students were proud of the effectiveness of their schools. The recommendations of the study were a set of general and specific factors developed on the basis of review of literature and responses of subjects of different categories. They included a focus on within and out of school factors such as leadership skills of principals, qualified and devoted teachers, better school environment and infrastructure as well as effective school-home relationships. The study answered all the four research questions that were posed in the study.