Empowerment of school administrators to enhance educational administration and drive high-performance outcomes in Thai primary schools
Keywords:
Empowerment, School Administrators , Educational AdministrationAbstract
This study examined how empowering school administrators can enhance educational administration and promote high-performance outcomes in Thai primary schools. A mixed-methods design was used, involving 419 teachers from 13 primary schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission, interviews with 13 educational administrators and principals, and a focus group discussion with 11 experts in educational administration. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified five empowerment components: strategic policy and administrative management; organizational climate and environment; competency enhancement and professional development; confidence building, trust, and motivation; and evaluation efficiency and feedback. Factor loadings ranged from 0.303 to 0.820, supporting the construct validity of these dimensions. Qualitative findings showed that these components align with key dimensions of high-performance administration, including organizational leadership, planning and strategy, stakeholder support, data-driven decision-making, human resource management, and feedback and outcomes. The results indicated that empowered administrators are better able to set strategic direction, build collaborative school cultures, develop personnel capacity, foster trust and motivation, and use evaluation data for continuous improvement. The proposed framework offers practical guidance for policymakers and school leaders seeking to strengthen administration and achieve sustainable high-performance outcomes in Thai primary schools.
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