The Pillars of school: A case study of Middle leaders in four private secondary schools in Islamabad, Pakistan

• Main Author: Riaz, Saira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kulliyah of languages and management, international islamic university of malaysia, pagoh 2019
• Subjects: HM1106 Interpersonal relations. Social behavior; L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/105258/19/Research%20article.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/105258/; https://online.anyflip.com/uzgk/ptjw/mobile/index.html

This study unveils the roles, responsibilities and challenges faced by middle leaders in private secondary schools in Islamabad in Pakistan. The study focused on their contribution to schools in order to bring democratic changes in thinking, attitudes and behavior of school leadership system in a developing country. This was a qualitative case study. Semi structured interviews were used as research instruments. The data revealed that middle leaders work between senior management and teachers. Their role is multidimensional and multifunctional as teachers, mentors, monitors, administrators and managers. Their responsibilities were diversified in accordance to their roles: knowledgeability and capacity building of staff, developing collegiality by shared vision for social cohesion, using mediation and interpersonal skills for public satisfaction and creating a culture of collaborative learning communities. The study indicated middle managers’ perceptions of their diversity of roles within a hierarchal structure which resulted in multiple challenges: unrealistic expectations of senior management and parents, teachers lacking passion for teaching and external pressures from stake holders. Conclusions were drawn that middle leaders exerted effective leadership through their hard work, motivation, creativity, positivity, flexibility, commitment and timeless multitasking.