Since 2002, UNESCO has published a global education monitoring report that tracks global progress toward the United Nations’ sustainable development goals for education. Each year, the report focuses on a particular aspect of education. In 2024, UNESCO examined school leadership, including the role of principals. The report drew on “a review of legislation and policies on selection, preparation and working conditions from 211 education systems” (UNESCO 2024). This article examines selected findings on school leadership, focusing on the role and impact of principals, the development and training of aspiring school leaders, selection and retention practices and models of shared leadership.
Role and responsibilities of school leaders
According to UNESCO, “a principal’s impact on student success ranks just below teachers’ influence among school-controlled factors” (2024), highlighting the need to understand and support principals in school communities. School leadership is recognized as complex and multidimensional. The report identifies four primary dimensions of effective school leadership.
The first dimension is establishing a clear vision for a learning community, one aligned with both the needs of the school community and the directives of education departments. The second involves supporting teaching and learning, including providing instructional leadership and facilitating professional development for teachers. However, from 2015 to 2022, the proportion of principals observing lessons declined from 81 to 77 per cent (UNESCO 2024), possibly due to the intensification of their responsibilities, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which added complex health regulations to already demanding roles (Hsieh et al. 2023; Wang, Pollock and Hauseman 2023).
The third dimension centres on fostering collaboration and teamwork among staff and with the wider school community. The fourth emphasizes principals as learners themselves, engaged in their own professional development and modelling a commitment to learning.
The report suggests that codifying standards and expectations for principals, including formal training, may support leadership development. However, it cautions that rigid standards can compromise autonomy and increase workloads. The report also highlights that countries vary widely in how they prepare and support school leaders, including disparities in access to professional resources.
School leader development, selection and conditions of practice
The UNESCO report provides a detailed examination of how school leaders are selected and supported. While being a trained teacher remains an essential qualification, other specialized skills are increasingly required. Countries differ greatly in preservice and ongoing education for principals. For example, the report shares that the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey found that only 60 per cent of lower secondary school principals held a postgraduate degree (UNESCO 2024).
Selection and recruitment practices are similarly diverse. Globally, 63 per cent of countries use competitive, fair and transparent hiring processes, but methods vary from open competitions to internal appointments. In some countries, including Brazil, Chile and Georgia, principal appointments may be political (UNESCO 2024). As well, once principals are hired, uncertainty about their employment status can be a source of stress, particularly if they do not have job security with respect to their positions. Finally, career growth for principals is not always apparent. The ability to change schools, move into system leadership or rotate into ministry-level jobs varies globally. Creating pathways to access other opportunities can help develop the skill sets of principals, providing incentive to continue to grow in their careers.
Importantly, the report calls for more inclusive leadership programming and pathways, noting that women and equity-deserving groups remain underrepresented in school leadership roles. At the same time, there is growing global concern about the well-being of principals, citing heavy workloads, teacher shortages and the pressure of government reforms. While there is no definitive global data on principal shortages, there is a growing fear that an increasing number of retirements or resignations of school leaders may occur.
Shared leadership
UNESCO advocates for leadership to be viewed as a shared endeavour distributed among assistant principals, teacher leaders, students and the broader school community. This approach not only provides mentorship opportunities and cultivates leadership skills but also strengthens collegiality and organizational culture.
Systems can strengthen school leadership at a structural level, ensuring that principals are equipped to foster inclusive, collaborative and responsive learning communities.”
Enhancing student leadership, in particular, promotes youth agency and strengthens students’ sense of belonging and contribution to the school. Additionally, fostering relationships with parents and community members can help schools become more culturally responsive and act as community hubs where socioeconomic barriers do not interfere with the ability of parents to participate in their school communities.
While hierarchical education structures may pose barriers to more egalitarian leadership models, UNESCO offers practical strategies to overcome these challenges. These include creating psychologically safe environments where teachers and assistant principals feel empowered to innovate and providing targeted professional development for teacher leaders and assistant principals to cultivate collaborative cultures.
Conclusion
The Global Education Monitoring Report 2024/5: Leadership in Education — Lead for Learning is a comprehensive and insightful resource. It outlines how systems can strengthen school leadership at a structural level, ensuring that principals are equipped to foster inclusive, collaborative and responsive learning communities. The report also provides valuable comparative insights into leadership practices around the world, along with thoughtful recommendations and recognition of persistent challenges including training, recruitment, retention and equity in leadership.
References
Hsieh, Y. T., J. Wilkinson, F. Longmuir, A. Heffernan, V. Fernandes, G. Variyan, N. Sum, L. Bristol and I. Oplatka. 2023. “School Leadership during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.” Leading & Managing 29 (2): 93–113.
UNESCO. 2024. Global Education Monitoring Report 2024/5: Leadership in Education – Lead for Learning. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391406.
Wang, F., K. Pollock and C. Hauseman. 2023. “Time Demands and Emotionally Draining Situations Amid Work Intensification of School Principals.” Educational Administration Quarterly 59 (1): 112–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X221132837.
Illustration by Mateusz Napieralski