PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS: INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES AND THE KAZAKH CONTEXT

Abstract

In an era of constant change and rising expectations for educational quality, the demand for professionally trained, resilient, and adaptable school leaders is growing. This study aims to identify and analyze the current needs of school principals and their deputies regarding the content and formats of professional development programs. The article is grounded in a review of both international and Kazakhstani literature, which confirms that the success of educational reforms largely depends on the quality of leadership preparation and continuous professional support. Additionally, the study analyzes survey data from 131 school leaders across various regions of Kazakhstan, allowing for the identification of priority areas for professional growth.

Respondents identified key competencies such as strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, decision-making under uncertainty, innovation leadership, and effective communication. The analysis of open-ended responses revealed a strong demand for context-sensitive, practice-oriented, and modular training programs that integrate theory with real-world leadership challenges. School leaders emphasized the importance of incorporating teamwork, mentoring, case analysis, data-driven decision-making, and strategic planning into professional development. The study also identified significant barriers to innovation, including insufficient infrastructure, staff shortages, and a lack of motivation.

The article highlights examples of successful practices related to digital transformation, student project-based learning, inclusion, and the development of a research-oriented school culture. These findings serve as a foundation for recommendations on modernizing professional development programs for school administrators. Such programs should be embedded in a comprehensive policy framework aimed at cultivating effective and forward-thinking educational leadership.