Identifying the Dimensions, Components, and Indicators of Professional Competencies of Iraqi Secondary School Principals
Keywords:
Professional Competencies, Principals, Secondary SchoolsAbstract
The objective of this study was to identify the dimensions, components, and indicators of professional competencies of Iraqi secondary school principals. This applied qualitative study employed thematic content analysis. Data were collected through systematic review of relevant literature and semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 theoretical and practical experts, selected through purposive sampling until saturation was reached. All interviews were transcribed and coded through iterative stages of qualitative content analysis, supported by the Maxqda software. Instrument validity was ensured through content validation, and reliability was confirmed through coder agreement. The analysis identified five overarching dimensions of professional competencies: personal, managerial, scientific and specialized, supervision and control, and social. The personal dimension included communication, emotional, and transformational components. The managerial dimension comprised analysis and planning components. The scientific and specialized dimension included educational, technological, and supportive components. The supervision and control dimension encompassed organizational and feedback-related components, while the social dimension consisted of interactive and emotional components. Each dimension was associated with specific measurable indicators, forming a comprehensive framework for assessing principals’ competencies. The findings reveal that the professional competencies of secondary school principals constitute a multidimensional construct integrating personal, managerial, scientific, supervisory, and social skill sets. The resulting framework provides a structured foundation for designing professional development programs, enhancing evaluation systems for school leaders, and improving educational management and student learning outcomes in secondary schools.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Saad Thamer Hamad Albadrani (Author); Ashraf Alsadat Hosseini Mirsafi; Soudabeh Azodolmolki (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
