LEADING FROM WITHIN: INTRAPERSONAL SELF-LEADERSHIP PRACTICES AMONG SCHOOL LEADERS IN ZIMBABWEAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Sumayah EBRAHIM — 2026-10-15

This study explored intrapersonal self-leadership practices in school management within public high schools in Bindura District, Zimbabwe, against the backdrop of persistent educational challenges such as limited resources, declining staff morale, ineffective leadership preparation, and increasing organisational pressures. Guided by Manz’s self-leadership theory and Bass’s transformational leadership theory, the study sought to examine how principals and heads of departments (HODs) regulate themselves through practices of self-discipline, ethical accountability, reflection, and intrinsic motivation to enhance school management. An interpretivist qualitative case study design was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with twelve participants comprising four principals and eight HODs selected purposively from four public high schools. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-step framework. The findings revealed that intrapersonal self-leadership was enacted through integrity and accountability, planning and time management, self-awareness and self-reflection, and self-motivation. These practices enabled school leaders to sustain professionalism, regulate behaviour, manage institutional demands, and maintain organisational stability despite challenging working conditions. However, the findings also revealed tensions associated with emotional labour, excessive accountability, and leadership fatigue within resource-constrained contexts. The study contributes to scholarship by extending self-leadership theory within educational leadership contexts in the Global South and by conceptualising self-leadership as a contextually shaped process of ethical self-regulation and reflective discipline. The study recommends institutionalising self-leadership development programmes, strengthening reflective leadership cultures, enhancing organisational support, and integrating self-leadership competencies into leadership policy frameworks. The study concludes that self-leadership is a foundational requirement for sustainable and effective school management in contemporary educational contexts.

MEASURING EFFICIENCY IN AZERBAIJAN'S HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM THROUGH STATISTICAL AND COMPOSITE INDEX APPROACHES

Ayten AGHAYEVA — 2026-10-15

This article examines the assessment of economic efficiency in Azerbaijan's higher education system within the context of modern education policy and management. The efficient use of resources by higher education institutions and the effectiveness of achieved results directly impact the country's economic development. In this framework, multidimensional statistical methods and composite index approaches are applied to measure higher education system efficiency. These approaches enable comprehensive evaluation of educational institutions' internal and external performance by integrating various indicators into a unified system. The application of these methods in Azerbaijan is important for formulating development strategies in the education sector and for optimal resource allocation. The main purpose of the article is to examine the relationship between higher education institutions' resource use and outcomes on a scientific basis, analyze existing methodologies, and present an evaluation model appropriate to the local context. This research will serve as a useful tool in the decision-making process for both education policymakers and administrators.

International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation (IJSEIro)

LEADING FROM WITHIN: INTRAPERSONAL SELF-LEADERSHIP PRACTICES AMONG SCHOOL LEADERS IN ZIMBABWEAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

MEASURING EFFICIENCY IN AZERBAIJAN'S HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM THROUGH STATISTICAL AND COMPOSITE INDEX APPROACHES