چکیده (انگلیسی):

Scholars and practitioners agree that instructional leadership (IL) can be one of the
most useful tools for creating an effective teaching and learning environment. This
paper investigates the instructional leadership practices engaged in by heads of
secondary schools to enhance classroom instruction and students learning,
particularly the way they manage the school instructional programme. Two
objectives guided the study: to explore the informants’ understanding on the concept
of IL; and to examine the role played by heads of schools (HoSs) in managing the
instructional programme to enhance teachers’ classroom instruction and students’
learning. It draws on the qualitative data generated from interviews, focus group
discussions, and observations. The informants for this study were HoSs, senior
academic masters/mistresses (SAMs), teachers and students. The study findings
confirm that HoSs, SAMs, teachers and students were not familiar with the concept
of IL. On the other hand, the instructional programme was not effectively managed
as heads of departments were not involved in curriculum coordination, syllabi were
not covered on time, and HoSs did not undertake classroom observations or engage
in review of curriculum materials. The paper, however, concludes that without an
effective management of the instructional programme in favour of promoting
teachers’ classroom instruction and students’ learning, efforts to that effect are
doomed to fail.