Principal Leadership, Teacher Self-efficacy and Commitment to Students: Views from the Republic of Maldives

Abstract

Education plays a significant role in the people’s human capital augmentation and socio-economic well-being in the Republic of Maldives. The literacy rate of Maldives is very high, and the nation has equal access to primary and secondary education. But the participation rate slips down as it moves to higher secondary education and beyond. Education is a priority; as a result, a significant amount of the government’s budget goes to the education sector. Besides the government, parents and communities are ready and willing to spend massive volume on education. Despite all huge investments and achievements, the student’s academic performance, skills, and values are not meeting the stakeholders’ expectations. Poor academic performance discourages them from continuing the educational journey after completing the ordinary level (Grade 10). The Maldives has achieved the first-generation objective of providing universal access to primary education through the rapid enrollment expansion. Nevertheless, evidence from various sources shows that education quality in the Maldives is moderate and needs more fabulous transformation in the schools at all levels to address the industrial revolutions. School principals and teachers are the immediate groups capable of refining the education system backed by the government. The high-performance support of teachers as the spearhead of educational activities in the school is essential. Indeed positive self-efficacy is critical for teachers in approaching complex tasks and activities to improve students’ performance. Hence there is a need to concentrate and bring forward the prominent role of principal leadership, teacher self-efficacy and commitment to the students in public schools of Maldives. This paper aims to point out the pressing need for educational uplift and propose research issues in this area to enrich the present body of knowledge. Practical and theoretical implications within the education sector included.