School Principals' Views of the Effects of Training Programs on Their Job Performance / Amel S. Al-Shaman

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of training programs on the job performance of school principals according to their own assessment. It covers ninety skills, distributed among seven subjects.
The sample of respondents was composed of school principals in the city of Tabuk. Among the principals of boys' schools, 33 respondents were from primary, 12 from 'intermediate, and 8 from secondary schools. The principals of girls' schools included 35 from primary, 19 from intermediate and 12 from secondary schools. The most important findings of the study are the following:
1- The majority of respondents did not take training courses before being' appointed as principals. The majority of those who received training during the course of their work received only one course.
2- The majority of respondents stated that among the factors that motivated them to enroll was the desire to expand their knowledge of administration, whereas job incentives were a second factor. Avoiding the hardships of work was not a motivation for enrollment. The most important recommendations arising from the study are:
1- Training programs to prepare schools principals before and during their service should be re-evaluated so as to reflect the goals and strategies of the programs as well as the needs of the recipients.
2- The priorities of training needs and the principals' views should be taken into consideration in the course of planning the training programs, and not only the opinions of experts.
3- Enrolment in a course in school administration, and completion of that course, should be among the basic conditions for the appointment of school principals.