Effectiveness of School Leadership and Management Development in Cameroon: A Guide for Educational Systems, Schools and School Leaders

This book considers a number of key epistemological, ontological and methodological questions exploring the effectiveness of school leadership and management development training programmes for school leaders in a range of settings and for a range of people. Consideration is also given to practical concerns associated with this topic, such as the importance of management and Leadership Development programmes supporting school leaders to become effective leaders supporting school effectiveness. Effectiveness of School Leadership and Management Development in Cameroon addresses key methodological issues including the rationale for adopting a qualitative mixed-methodology research approach with elements of literature and documental analysis; surveys; ethical considerations and challenges with sampling techniques in considering the impact that school leaders in Cameroon have on researchers’ findings; and the production of knowledge. In addressing such topics, it answers important questions about how reliability can be ensured, how rigour can be safeguarded and what impact documental analysis and school leaders’ views have on the validity and interpretation of research findings. This book is the first of its kind to combine practical leadership theories in developing leadership development frameworks reflections with clearly presented recommendations about how the approach can be used. It will be invaluable to academics, practitioners and other agencies wishing to adopt participatory research methods which place school leaders and their schools at the centre of this research. This book is also an essential read for academics and students with an interest in qualitative mixed methodologies on leadership development of school leaders, and will become a key text for school leadership research methods courses, given its concern with practical leadership models as well as more complex leadership development theories.

Dr Frederick Ebot Ashu is a Senior Analyst in the Forward Studies and Innovation Unit, at the Community Advice and Support Services (CAASS UK), where he advises policy makers and institutions on innovations in education governance, leadership and educational policy. Dr Ebot Ashu completed his EdD at the University of Birmingham. His academic interests embrace a number of inter related areas, linked by the overarching themes of how a Cameroonian leadership development process is implemented and what its contents might be; research into the job description of head teachers and current leadership development practices; and the global implications of effective management and leadership training programmes. Dr Ebot Ashu has also been awarded Commonwealth Professional Fellowships to support colleagues in Cameroon to provide a working prototype journal for supporting quality education through effective leadership and management.