Journal of Educational Sciences > Volume 8, No. 2, 1996

The Principal's Role in Teacher Professional Development / Fahad Ibrahim Al-Habeeb

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of school principals' toward teachers' professional development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To achieve this purpose a questionnaire was administered to the total population of this research which consisted of 112 principals of elementary. intermediate and secondary schools. Statistical treatment of the data consisted of means, ranks, percentages. T-test and analysis of variance. Findings of the study insured the role of the principals toward teachers' professional development and indicated the areas that teachers need in their professional development as follows:
- teaching and school curriculum
- human relations
- administration and organization of the teaching process
- teachers' development through the principals' tasks
- educational goals
Based on the findings of the study. the researcher provided some suggestions that can improve education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in general and the relations between teachers and the principals in particular.