Toni Popović

Principals’ Educational Leadership

The decentralisation of the educational system, as demonstrated by an increased autonomy of schools regarding the content and methods of teaching, is an ever-more present practice in developed countries. It is given significant consideration in South-East European countries following their abandonment of the socialist regime. Principals’ vocational training is often obligatory in these countries, although discrepancies are emphasised between education and modern-leadership requirements, as is the case with the importance of introducing principal licensure. Efficiency of leadership which attends to teachers’ needs is observed, and enables teachers to participate in decision-making. South-East European countries’ teachers are seen as participating less in school management compared to more developed countries, and as having less possibilities for the vocational development required for informed responses.