| Abstract [eng] |
Educational institutions strive to ensure the quality of their activities, as it directly influences the number of students enrolled, their academic performance, and their integration into society through education, culture, and values. It also significantly affects the well-being and performance of the institution's staff. In many cases, the future of the institution itself—whether reorganization, merger, or closure—depends on the level of quality achieved. Although not everything depends solely on the head of the educational institution—since educational quality is also shaped by external political, economic, and social factors (Trakšelys & Martišauskienė, 2016)—the leader plays a pivotal role in maintaining and enhancing institutional quality. To foster optimal community involvement in governance, the leader must effectively delegate responsibilities and clarify accountability, ensuring that each member of the community understands their specific roles. The Lithuanian education system is continuously challenged by reform processes. In recent years, several significant reforms have directly affected educational institutions, including the "Millennium Schools" Programme (MoES, 2023), the establishment of the National School Evaluation System (NQA, 2023), a new education financing model (MoES, 2022), the Inclusive Education Reform (MoES, 2023), and the renewal of general education curricula (NQA, 2022), among others. These reforms demand that school leaders possess a wide range of competencies to manage internal challenges effectively. In this context, the following scientific problem is formulated: Although ensuring quality is a priority within Lithuania’s education system, many institutions still face challenges, particularly in terms of leadership capacity and the ability to engage the school community in continuous improvement and change processes. A lack of focus on teacher leadership, community involvement, and effective governance may lead to declining quality and institutional instability. The main research question therefore arises: What is the role of the leader in ensuring the quality of an educational institution’s activities? Object of the research: The leader’s role in ensuring the quality of educational institution activities. Aim of the research: To reveal the role of the leader in ensuring the quality of an educational institution’s activities. Objectives of the research: • To present the main functions of an educational institution leader. • To describe the preconditions for effective leadership in an educational institution. • To outline the quality assurance processes within educational institutions. • To assess the significance of cooperation between the leader and other members of the educational community. Research methods: A literature review of scientific and methodological sources, as well as relevant legislation, was conducted to describe the main leadership functions, effective leadership preconditions, and quality assurance processes. A survey of educational institution staff was used to evaluate the importance of collaboration between the institution’s leader and the broader community in quality assurance. Research results: The activities of the examined educational institution were positively evaluated by the three surveyed groups—teachers, students, and parents/guardians. However, notable differences emerged in their experiences, particularly in terms of perceived inclusion in institutional processes and communication effectiveness. The research highlighted that strong leadership, effective communication, and a clearly communicated institutional vision are critical factors that influence community members’ motivation, trust in leadership, and active participation in institutional life. Teachers were found to be motivated professionals but reported feeling insufficiently included in strategic decision-making. Students often struggled to identify the institution’s vision and felt, like teachers, unequally involved in strategic processes. Additionally, boys reported feeling less heard compared to girls when expressing their opinions. Parents/guardians expressed trust in the institution’s administration but, similarly to teachers and students, expressed a desire for more opportunities to engage in strategic decision-making. These findings underscore the need to improve internal communication—particularly across gender lines—to enhance the involvement of all community members in institutional decision-making. Strengthening cooperation among all stakeholders is essential for ensuring the quality and resilience of educational institutions in the face of external changes. |
