The characteristics of selected training programmes and leadership competencies for educational managers in the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

The present study evaluated the characteristics of selected training programmes and leadership competencies for educational managers in the Ministry of Education (MoE), in the Sultanate of Oman. The study addressed six important concerns towards: (a) exploring the educational managers’ perception of characteristics of training programmes in the MoE, (b) finding the all five-leadership competencies of educational managers in MoE, (c) examining if there are significant differences between educational managers’ in MoE Head-quarters (MoE HQ) and Regional General Directorates (RGD) with regard to the possession of leadership competencies, (d) understanding the training approaches adapted for training educational managers, (e) investigating the training programmes affects on educational managers and (f) examining the challenges faced by training programmers in MoE. Two hundred and ninety eight (298) educational managers of the MoE in the Sultanate of Oman participated in the study. Nine (9) participants were specifically selected for interview using the snowball sampling technique. A mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) approach using two research instruments Leadership Competency Model (1998) and the modified conceptual framework for the training programme characteristics and effectiveness developed by Jeeyon (2005) was applied. The quantitative data for the study was analysed through a confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) test, descriptive statistics, MANOVA and thematic analysis. The quantitative results of the study proved that the tested measurement model was adequate for the data. There were no significant differences in the competence levels between educational managers working in the Headquarter of MoE and those in the Educational Regional Directorates. The quantitative results also showed that the percentage of educational managers who attended training programmes during the financial years from 2010 to 2013 varied from 4.7% to 27.9%. The findings from the qualitative data analysis showed that the Directorate-General of Human Resource Development was undertaking intensive efforts in distributing training culture among MoE staff. All the characteristics of training programmes were available, but 78% of those interviewed were not satisfied with the training approaches and methods adopted by the trainers. The qualitative findings revealed that trainees were satisfied with the suitability and adequateness of training techniques, training aids and training resources. The training programmes in MoE had drawbacks such as ineffective needs analysis, a mismatch between training content and the implementation period, questionaire was the only tool used to evaluate the training programmes conducted at the end of the programme, unsuitability of infrastructure and lack of management support. Among its achievements, the study contributes to the body of knowledge by generating frameworks useful for measuring the characteristics and the effectiveness of training programmes and competence levels of educational managers.