The Relationship between the School Administrators’Leadership in the 21st Century, and the Effectiveness of Islamic PrivateSchools A case Study in Songkhla Province

Abstract

The objectives of this Mixed methods research were) to examine the leadership qualities of school administrators in the 21^st century, which impact the effectiveness of Islamic Privateschools in Songkhla province,) to investigate the effectiveness of school management in the 21st century among the schools’ administrators, ) to explore the correlation between the leadership qualities of the school administrators and the schools’ effectiveness , and 4) to identify suggestions and guidelines for developing the leadership of the school administrators which impact the schools’ effectiveness of Islamic Privateschools in Songkhla province. The sample group consisted of 163 school administrators and teachers from Islamic Privateschools in Songkhla province. A questionnaire on perceptions of leadership qualities among school administrators in the 21^st century and their impact on the effectiveness of Islamic Privateschools in Songkhla province, and the interview form were used as research instruments. The data was analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, variance analysis, and multiple regression analysis.

The research findings revealed that 1) leadership qualities of school administrators in the 21^st   century of Islamic Privateschools in Songkhla province were generally rated at a high level. The highest-rated aspect was adaptability, followed by creativity, and teamwork, while the lowest-rated aspect is visionary leadership, 2) the level of schools’ effectiveness was also rated overall at a high level. The highest-rated aspects were the satisfaction with teachers’ performances, problem-solving abilities within the school, adaptability to the school's environment, and being able to develop students’ positive attitude.  The lowest-rated aspect was the ability to produce students with high academic performance, 3) the correlation between the leadership qualities of the school administrators and the schools’ effectiveness, specifically Islamic Privateschools in Songkhla province, showed a significantly high positive correlation (r= .886**) at the .01 level of statistical significance, and 4) the suggestions and guidelines for the development of leadership qualities of school administrators were as follow: 1) in the aspect of vision, administrators should have a good vision for the schools and their personnel like encouraging the participation of staff and allowed them to express their opinions in shaping and developing the school's vision and having a vision for utilizing technology in management to achieve the maximum benefits.
2) Regarding flexibility, good administrators should provide opportunities to listen to the feedback of staff or subordinates, accept the diversity of colleagues, not be rigid in adhering to their own opinions, listen more to those around them, use participatory processes in goal-setting and problem-solving without clinging to their own ideas. They should be flexible in management processes, considering the appropriateness for the context of teachers, students, parents, and all stakeholders. 3) In terms of creative thinking, administrators should be willing to adapt or change traditional ideas to keep up with the times, ensuring that educational management is responsive to rapid changes. They should introduce new innovations for students and teachers to experiment with, bringing in leadership techniques and new processes to the school. This served as an example for teachers and stimulates and supports various creative ideas that arise from those around them. 4) Concerning teamwork, it was recommended that administrators should set an example in teamwork, accept diverse opinions, and merge good ideas into the work process without being strictly attached to their own thoughts, and promote a positive working atmosphere. Additionally, it was crucial to support and promote teamwork, as well as strengthen team cohesion by providing motivation to teachers appropriately.