Introduction
Education leadership in high school involves a comprehensive outlook on the context, culture and environment that may change quickly. Nevertheless, Moi Girls Eldoret works in a complicated and dynamic environment that is affected by different elements of the context and culture. This critical analysis focuses on how these factors interact and influence the organization, the management, and instruction and learning processes. It explores the complexities and contradictions that Moi Girls Eldoret faces while trying to maintain its values and objectives in a diverse context.
Critical Analysis of The Key Concepts
Context
In educational leadership and management, two sources provide well-informed views. Bossert et al. (1982) and Hallinger (2018). According to Bossert et al.’s (1982) framework, the context significantly affects the role of a school administrator, while Hallinger’s (2018) model is more comprehensive and complex.
Bossert et al. (1982) proposed a Far West Lab model. The model defines context as district and community factors. In this case, the context of a district encompasses aspects like goals, size, structure, and rules of the school district organization. The community context includes variables like parents’ socioeconomic status, parental involvement, geographic location, and urban/ suburban/ rural location. However, these contextual factors influence the behaviour of principals, and the triumphant elites adapt their leadership practices to the demands, opportunities and limitations presented by their workplace. Bossert et al. (1982) developed the first framework that recognized the relevance of context. However, the framework needs to be revised regarding the number of contextual factors considered and the depth of exploration into how contextual factors affect leadership practices. Hallinger (2018) tries to solve these difficulties by giving a more complete and detailed context description.
Hallinger (2018) further widens the concept of context to imply institutional, community, socio-cultural, political, economic, and school improvement contexts. According to him, the level of centralization of the education system, national culture, socioeconomic development, and political structures determine how school leaders define their roles, behave, and how effective they can be. Hallinger’s (2018) framework also considers contextual factors and leaders’ aspects and resources to be a dynamic interplay.
The strong side of Hallinger’s approach (2018) is that it acknowledges the complexities and multifaceted context of the environment. He proves that what is viewed as leadership in one context is not necessarily leadership in another and that contextual factors often set the way for leadership practice. For example, the principal might be a traditional authoritarian in a high power-distance society. In contrast, in a low power-distance society, they might facilitate more collaborative relationships with their teachers (Hallinger, 2018). Nevertheless, one problem with Hallinger’s (2018) framework is the issue of operationalizing and empirically studying the relationship between multiple contextual factors that have strong correlations.
School Culture
School culture is one of the most popular issues in educational research and the improvement of schools. Here is a critical analysis of two influential sources that address this concept. Deal and Peterson’s (1999) book “Shaping School Culture: The Essence of Leadership” and Schoen and Teddlie’s (2008) article “A New Model of School Culture: A Response to a Call for Conceptual Clarity.”
Deal and Peterson (1999) defined school culture as the “unwritten rules and traditions, norms, and expectations that permeate everything” in the educational environment. Schoen and Teddlie (2008) propose a more comprehensive model, defining school culture as “shared basic assumptions and espoused beliefs” encompassing four dimensions: professional orientation, organizational structure, learning environment quality, and student-centred approach. Both sources emphasize the importance of the same set of ideas, values, and norms in forming school culture; however, Schoen and Teddlie’s (2008) approach is more nuanced and extensive because it distinguishes specific characteristics.
The significant advantage of Schoen and Teddlie’s (2008) model is that it is operational and multidimensional, making it possible to measure and analyze school culture. Nevertheless, the viewpoint of Deal and Peterson (1999) on the symbolic and intangible aspects of a school’s culture, for example, traditions and rituals, should be addressed, as they can significantly impact the experiences and shared beliefs of the school community. Both viewpoints are valuable, offering different insights, and their collective strength can contribute to a more holistic comprehension of this intricate and multifaceted concept.
Challenging Circumstances
The literature search revealed that the views on understanding the concept of challenging circumstances in educational settings differed. The central idea of these two main books based on this topic is provided by Harris and Jones (2019) and Berkovich (2018).
Harris and Jones (2019) adopt a relatively broad definition of challenging circumstances as “the situations that make it difficult to see schools perform well”. These challenges are high poverty levels, social exclusions, students’ mobility, and the diversity of students’ needs. Moreover, they expand their explanation to the school-level differences, including teacher turnover and resource allocation action. In contrast, Berkovich (2018) employed a more detailed student-centred orientation in which difficult circumstances were defined as “situations that adversely affect students’ educational performance and academic success” related to socioeconomic issues such as poverty status, social status, and student diversity. Notwithstanding, the issues hindering student achievement are calling for attention here.
The strength of this strategy, Harris and Jones (2019), is a proper comprehension of the multifaceted and complex factors that can give rise to different problems at different levels of schools. Nevertheless, this depth is likely to disarm the impact rather than to identify the fundamental causes of those challenges. From a narrower point of view of student-related factors, Berkovich’s (2018) study becomes more accurate, yet it runs the risk of not considering some school-related factors.
These approaches’ contrasting mentalities and concerns could ultimately result in distinct intervention strategies. The holistic view taken by Harris and Jones (2019), which emphasizes the focus on the students and the institution, implies the necessity of an effort that addresses both the student and the institution’s needs. On the one hand, Berkovich’s (2018) definition hints at the growth of student-centred initiatives such as performance, attitude, and behaviour. However, a holistic method combining both sides is necessary to take a closer look at such complex issues schools are faced with. To comprehend the situation in a complex way, both internal factors inside schools and the broad external influences of community, culture, and socioeconomics that affect students’ achievement and mobility should be considered.
Snapshot of Organisation
Moi Girls’ High School Eldoret (2022) is a national girls’ boarding secondary school following the 8-4-4 education system in Kenya. The school has a rich legacy that has existed for a long time, and not only Kenyans but also people from the international community have been served by it. Currently, the school has 1,500 enrolled students, which implies that it is one of the leading national institutions in the country. Students are the most diversified in the school. They are from different tribes and regions in Kenya. The school has a dedicated staff of more than 75 teachers and 70 non-teachers who contribute to the running of programs and other activities in the school.
However, the high academic performance of the school suggests that the school’s instructional programs are of high quality. The school’s consistent ranking among top schools in national examinations, including 2022 KCSE results, where it was beaten to 12th position, and the previous year, where it was in 11th position, clearly shows the school’s commitment to academic excellence. It seems the school’s main objective is to maintain its reputation as one that provides excellent education and great facilities. The school has remained the quality symbol it was from its beginning, providing the students with a favourable learning environment and access to quality learning and teaching resources. The school is in Eldoret, a town in the upper Rift Valley Plateaus, historically referred to as the white highlands during the colonial era. The school’s origins were intrinsically linked to the European settler community, which was the dominant one in the region at that time.
Moi Girls’ High School (2015) is a Christian non-denominational school with a strong ethical background that explains not only its roots but also its values. Moreover, the school has been a key contributor to the development of Kenyan unity through admitting students from different cultural traditions after independence. The school’s alumni have found themselves in numerous positions across the globe, some even holding important positions. They carry the school name with them as a reminder of where their journey started.
Analysis of The School’s Cultural And/or Contextual Factors
Moi Girls High School Eldoret has a deeply rooted culture that is associated with both the country’s colonial history and the post-colonial quest for independence. It was the first school that was set up in 1923 by the White Highlands Europeans, an area that was solely reserved for white citizens to serve only white girls whose parents were either British, Dutch or Afrikaner. This policy of purposely moving the children to boarding schools in order to exclude them from their families at an early age represents a segregationist view that was widespread during the colonial era when education was reserved for white settlers.
This was the period when Kenyan national identity was undergoing a tremendous shift from being a protectorate to an independent nation. In the process of the transition, different families had to leave their homes to other places, while the school was now open to girl children from different backgrounds. Not only did the school’s outlook change along with the student population, but the transition also gave the effect of being one nation. It was a sense of both national unison and civic duty.
Alumni who served in different roles in different parts of the world and have very fond memories of their alma mater prove the school’s cultural impact, which will linger for years to come. This transnational network of ex-students shows all people that the school is capable of forming leaders who have managed to be active and make the world a better place. The Christian non-denominational way of life that Moi Girls’ High School Eldoret adheres to as part of its culture is yet another essential aspect of its cultural identity. Despite the fact that the school attracts students of many faith backgrounds, it continues to be Christian-rooted and, therefore, is probably guided by Christian principles, which in turn give it a set of values and ethics. This religious orientation may affect the way the school views morality and character education, and it may even be the basis of a community with shared values among the students.
However, the school’s establishment in Eldoret, a city that occupies the Rift Valley, the valley that is rich in fertility, has played a big role in the development of the school. It must be noted, too, that the area was the “White Highlands” during the colonial period, thus making it easier to understand the school’s initial status quo, which was characterized by discrimination. Contrary to this, the transformation of the school into a national institution is a reflection of the social-political change happening in post-independence Kenya, where education opportunities were opened to a wide spectrum of the population.
The school’s endeavour to preserve the quality of its facilities and offer students and teachers excellent teaching and learning opportunities is another contextual factor that has affected the school’s identity. As the Kenyan government has had support, Moi Girls’ Eldoret has been able to preserve the reputation of the school for academic excellence; the school is regularly in the top ranks of the national examinations. As well the school’s student population’s diversity and the staff that are dedicated to the staff create a lively and energetic cultural setting. The school, which has students coming from different regions of Kenya and the globe, thus creates a platform for diversity where commonalities are also observed and celebrated.
Evaluation of the Organization’s Current Situation
Moi Girls Eldoret is a high school that operates in a dynamic, multifaceted and complex environment that is defined by both the culture and the frameworks in which leadership, teaching and learning processes occur. There is no doubt that Moi Girls has a good track record of demonstrating its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. However, the awards should also indicate that there are tensions and challenges for the leadership of the organization.
Moi Girls High School is encountering a major challenge when it comes to dealing with its multicultural staff and fostering a strong community in which everyone is respected and supported, regardless of their cultural background. For leaders to be respected and emulated, they should be culturally competent, good communicators, and united both within and outside the cultures. A dedicated effort is required to achieve this, and a skilled leader should be involved. Another point is that it has a very important part, which is that it puts the focus on the people who are in the leadership roles in the school, the teachers and students who should adopt the innovation-driven, excellence-seeking and reality check approach. The central goal of keeping the school’s reputation for excellence is to search for the right balance between creativity and innovation while at the same time improving the academic competence and honour of teachers and students.
Moreover, Moi Girls Eldoret will also give staff a way to advance and develop in their careers. Therefore, resources should be used very cautiously. Besides that, the expectations of staff should also be taken into consideration. Firstly, creating a favourable atmosphere by availing adequate chances for the employees to improve themselves in their area of professionalism while aligning the talent development strategies with the organizational objectives is essential in keeping the top employees and making staff commitment. The management of Moi Girls is confronted with complex circumstances while trying to create an atmosphere that inspires staff engagement and production and, at the same time, steers the organization towards the attainment of the bigger organizational goals. To possess complete knowledge of the staff motivation aspects and what the organization can do to enrich each of them requires a very high understanding of the organization’s sensitivity and leadership capabilities.
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