LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL HEAD IN THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INTO SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

Abstract. Inclusive education at the present stage is one of the main priorities of the country's educational policy. This direction is enshrined in the documents of the United Nations and UNESCO, including the Salamanca Declaration of 1994, as well as in the principle of the UN Sustainable Development Goals "quality education - access to everything". Management carried out at the secondary school level is considered as the main mechanism for the implementation of inclusive education. The effective implementation of this pedagogical activity directly depends on the head of the school. In other words, his leadership in the context of the integration of inclusive education has a decisive impact on the formation of school culture, effective coordination of state policy, support for the professional development of the teaching staff, and active mobilization of parents and the community.

The article highlights the role of the school head in introducing inclusive education into secondary school practice. In this regard, the experience of inclusive education in the country is considered in comparison with international studies, including in Russia, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and England. In addition, the results of the discussion of the experience of Greece, China, the United Arab Emirates and Cameroon conducted during the study revealed the positive aspects of their managerial experience in inclusive education that can be implemented in Kazakh education. The study examined models of transformational leadership, values-based management, and leadership that leads to community engagement, discussed and compared their advantages and possible barriers to implementation.

The results of the comparative analysis showed the importance of the school head's activity as a leader of change and a transformational leader in the integration of inclusive education. In the practice of different countries, along with the responsibility of the head of the school for administrative work, he is characterized as a person who forms the culture of the school, develops the teaching staff, unites parents and society. The article proposes a structure based on the development of transformational leadership, systematic support for the professional potential of teachers, strengthening partnerships of the school community and the implementation of the principles of distributed leadership for the implementation of foreign experience in Kazakhstani schools.

According to the results of the study, the successful implementation of inclusive education is directly related to the leadership qualities of school leaders, who are not limited only to regulatory frameworks, but are open, valuable and adapted to the practice of inclusive education. Only such leaders will be able to create an inclusive school culture and create conditions for every student to receive high-quality and equally accessible education.