Instructional Leadership of Program Vokasional Menengah Atas (PVMA) Principals in Malaysia

Abstrak

This study investigates the practice of instructional leadership among principals in schools implementing Program Vokasional Menengah Atas (PVMA), focusing on their roles in defining school missions, managing instructional programs, and developing positive school climates. Despite the acknowledged importance of instructional leadership, principals often confront challenges in balancing administrative responsibilities with direct classroom engagement. The research objectives center on assessing the level of instructional leadership practices among PVMA school principals, using a quantitative approach with a survey method administered to 324 PVMA teachers across Malaysia. The survey instrument, adapted from Thien (2020), comprised 50 items measuring principals' instructional leadership behaviors on a five-point Likert scale. Analysis of the data through descriptive statistics, particularly mean scores, reveals that principals in PVMA schools exhibit robust instructional leadership across all dimensions, notably in defining school missions, managing instructional programs, and developing positive school climates. Future research directions should explore innovative strategies to enhance instructional leadership effectiveness amid administrative demands, while also investigating its broader impacts on teacher satisfaction and student outcomes in diverse educational settings. This study concludes by emphasizing the pivotal role of instructional leadership in shaping school effectiveness and student success within vocational education contexts.