Understanding Principal Preparation in the Gulf States: Qualitative Insights from Oman and Kuwait

• In Event: Educational Improvement, Governance and Integration: Leadership, Inclusion, and Education–Industry Alignment in Comparative Perspective

Proposal

Heightened demands for accountability and quality in education have placed increasing pressure on school systems to demonstrate improvement in student outcomes. Leadership is widely acknowledged as the most significant school-level factor influencing student achievement and school effectiveness (Hallinger & Heck, 1998). This recognition has fueled the development of educational leadership as a specialized field of practice and research, challenging earlier assumptions that teaching qualifications and classroom experience were sufficient for principalship (Bush, 2012; McCarthy, 2015). Leadership preparation for school principals is crucial as it directly impacts student outcomes. Effective instructional leadership skills, such as setting high expectations and establishing a positive school climate, are essential for fostering school improvement and enhancing student achievement in today's accountability culture (Pinder, 2017). Moreover, growing complexity in school systems and rising societal expectations of educational leaders have further underscored the need for systematic preparation and continuous professional development for school leaders throughout their careers (Lumby, 2014).

While international research on leadership preparation has grown substantially, principal preparation in the Arab world remains under-researched (Hammad & Hallinger, 2017; Karami-Akkary & Hammad, 2019). This is despite increasing awareness of the importance of leadership preparation and the proliferation of leadership programs offered by universities across the region (Al-Dabbagh & Assaad, 2010). Recent research has drawn attention to weaknesses in the Arab educational leadership knowledge base, with calls for more empirical studies investigating how school principals acquire and develop leadership skills (Hammad & Al-Harthi, 2021: Hammad et al., 2022). This is particularly important for countries like Oman and Kuwait, where solid scholarly evidence on principal preparation remains scarce (Hammad & Hallinger, 2017). This gap is problematic in the current context of ongoing educational reforms in both countries (Hammad et al., 2025). Hence, the present study seeks to address this gap by exploring how government school principals in Oman and Kuwait perceive their leadership preparation. The investigation was guided by the following research questions:
1. What learning experiences have Omani and Kuwaiti school principals found most influential in preparing them for principalship?
2. Which support systems have most strongly contributed to their preparation?
3. What improvements do they recommend for better aligning leadership preparation with their needs and expectations?

To address these research questions, the study employed a qualitative design, collecting data through semi-structured, individual interviews with government school principals in Oman and Kuwait. The Omani sample comprised 12 principals (8 female, 4 male), while the Kuwaiti sample included 14 principals (10 female, 4 male) representing primary, middle, and secondary school levels. Data were analyzed inductively using a thematic approach (Clarke & Braun, 2014).

Comparative data analysis revealed that despite contextual differences between the two countries, notable similarities emerged. Principals in both contexts relied heavily on experiential learning, career progression, and self-directed initiatives to develop their leadership skills, while formal training opportunities were generally perceived to be limited, optional, or overly theoretical in nature. In both contexts, family encouragement, supervisory mentorship, and peer networks emerged as critical support systems shaping principals’ leadership identity. At the same time, the data highlighted key differences between the two contexts. For example, while Omani principals stressed the importance of practice-based training and digital leadership, their Kuwaiti counterparts pointed to systemic rigidity, limited support, and a lack of advanced academic pathways. This study discusses the implications of the findings and offers recommendations to improve leadership preparation programs, both in Oman and Kuwait and across the wider Arab region. The findings are also expected to contribute to the global knowledge base on principal preparation and development.

Authors

• Waheed Hammad, College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University

• ayeshah Alazmi, Kuwait university