An Analysis of Discretionary Approaches of High School Heads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

This research is focused on the analysis of discretionary approaches of high school heads. Discretion is the exercise of judgment, power to do things or to decide when and how to implement for the improvement of individual performance as well as educational institutions efficiency and effectiveness. The study investigated the discretionary: managerial, instructional leadership, disciplinary, conflict mediating, and public dealing approaches of high school heads. The tools of the study were questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Sampling was made by using „Census sampling‟ and „Simple random sampling‟. The pilot study of the research instruments were carried out on content and construct validity. The reliability of the research tools was tested on „Factor analyses‟ and „Cronbach‟s alpha‟. In this study, the data were triangulated by explanatory sequential design of a „Mixed method approach‟ including quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data were collected from 192 heads and 265 working teachers and similarly the qualitative data were collected from 12 District Education Management Personnel and 29 heads of institutions. The quantitative data were analysed on frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and one sample t-test. The qualitative data were analyzed on the suggested method of Mile and Huberman. The key findings of the study indicate that heads make decisions on the basis of observations, plan syllabus for the whole academic year, struggle to achieve long term and short term targets, inform staff about their responsibilities, provide feedback to the staff on the spot, take initiative for controlling the weak areas of discipline, provide guidance to the learners on self-discipline, resolve conflicts through mutual dealing and discussion but there are heads who are inefficient in supervising effective school management, improving instructional strategies, managing school control, carrying out interpersonal relationship with the parents and the community, working for the improvement of the staff and the learners‟ performance, caring for equality and justice with the staff, appreciating the staff efforts and their hard work, utilizing staff potential according to their talent, cooperating with the parents and the community and sharing with them in decision making. The study concludes that heads are efficient in making decisions, achieving desired targets, planning syllabus, providing feedback to the staff but they are found inefficient in organizing school management, improving instructional techniques, managing school discipline, caring for equality and motivation of the staff, making cooperation and interpersonal relationship with the parents and the community. It is recommended that heads may exercise their discretionary powers and approaches willfully: for the effective supervision of schools in order to improve the instructional strategies, managing school control, working for the staff and the learners‟ effective performance, caring for equality and justice with the staff and establishing interpersonal relationship with the parents and the community.