THE INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN

Abstract

The current study aimed to analyse the influence of school principals’ qualifications and experience on the relationship between transformational leadership and quality management in the Sultanate of Oman. The study adopted a quantitative descriptive approach. The study population consisted of 911 school principals from three governorates in Oman during the 2023 academic year, from which a simple random sample of 468 principals was selected. To achieve the study objectives, a questionnaire was used as the primary data collection tool. Data were analysed using SPSS and AMOS software. To assess the validity and reliability of the data, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted. The results revealed statistically significant positive correlations at the 0.01 level between transformational leadership values and school quality management. The findings also indicated gender-based differences in certain paths: male principals showed a slight advantage, while female principals outperformed in the dimension of intellectual stimulation. Structural equation modelling showed that academic qualifications and years of experience acted as mediating variables that enhanced the relationship between transformational leadership and performance quality, with stronger effects observed among doctoral degree holders and those with extensive experience. The study recommended developing advanced training programs for school principals focused on transformational leadership and quality management skills, as well as enhancing administrative and professional support to improve their competence and promote excellence within the educational work environment.