School leaders' practices and their influence on teachers' performance during the Lebanese economic crisis

Abstract

The entire world has been dealing with strange events, problems, and situations. Unfortunately, the state of education is quickly impacted by external events. The way education is delivered, and schools are run has changed as a result of these instances. Because of the political, health, and economic crises, Lebanon has been going through a very difficult time, which has made the educational sector more and more unstable. The financial status of most Lebanese families has been impacted by the Lebanese pound's loss of more than 90% of its value without a rise in wages. As a result, many people, particularly teachers, have made the decision to look for better employment possibilities in Lebanon or overseas. The leadership philosophies that school principals can employ in times of crisis were the focus of this thesis. Burnout among teachers is a result of Lebanon's ongoing difficulties, which could have a negative impact on learning environments and education. In times of crisis, Lebanon's Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) offers relatively little assistance to schools. At the same time, the majority of Lebanon's schools don't have an emergency plan in place for peculiar circumstances. As a result, it is the responsibility of the school's leader to lead the entire institution and ensure that students continue to receive an excellent education despite all obstacles. To determine the leadership stances taken by Lebanese school principals in times of crisis and their connection to teachers' work satisfaction, a mixed-methods approach was used. Research around this area is gaining more and more importance recently due to the elevating number of crises worldwide and not only in Lebanon. Face-to-face interviews with school principals served as the initial source of the data. Four school principals were subjected to semi-structured interviews. Additionally, surveys were distributed to 174 teachers who worked in these schools. Results from interviews and surveys first illuminated the reasons why some teachers continue to work in the classroom despite the meager pay, followed by insights into how principals' leadership philosophies and crisis management strategies affect teachers' job satisfaction. Additionally, the principals of the schools have expressed their worries about preventing teacher burnout and maintaining teacher satisfaction. While being researched, the thesis was limited in one important way. Four school principals from four separate schools made up the research's sampling, which was quite limited because many principals declined to participate out of concern that the interviews may be utilized as a means of evaluation. Despite these drawbacks, the study has produced useful information and made a few recommendations for principals of schools, educational leaders, and decision-makers in the field of education who are dedicated to preserving a high standard of instruction and a supportive learning environment for teachers in the face of potential crises.