Exploring school principal leadership: A case study of upper secondary school in Northwestern Cambodia

Rany Sam; Morin Tieng; Hak Yoeng; Sarith Chiv; Sovannpitou Thay; Saorann Saing

doi:10.31893/multirev.2025311

Keywords:

school governance

educational reform

professional development

stakeholder engagement

Abstract

This study explores the leadership characteristics and roles of school principals in Cambodian high schools, particularly in relation to leadership aimed at improving underperforming institutions. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through semistructured interviews with 21 principals from six northwestern provinces of Cambodia. The objectives of the research were to identify the essential traits of effective leadership, examine the factors influencing the implementation of strategies, and provide actionable recommendations for enhancing leadership practices in low-performing schools. Findings reveal that visionary leadership, collaborative culture, and data-driven decision-making are critical for driving significant improvements in school outcomes. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of professional development and stakeholder engagement in fostering a positive school environment. Recommendations for policymakers include investing in formal leadership training, strengthening school governance, and increasing resource allocation to support school principals in their roles. This research contributes valuable insights into educational leadership in Cambodia, with potential implications for similar postconflict or developing regions.
References
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5. Bo, C. K. (2020). New generation schools in Cambodia: Innovative school governance for sustainable quality of 21st century learning and instruction. In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Research of Educational Administration and Management (ICREAM 2020) (pp. 511–513). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 526.
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9. Cambridge University. (2024). Cambridge school leader and teacher standards. https://www.Cambridgeinternational.org/Images/466466-cambridge-school-leader-standards.pdf
10. Chheang, S., Leksansern, A., Niramitchainont, P., Suriyamanee, N., & Phupan, S. (2023). A model for the development of transformational leadership attributes for Cambodian public high school principals in Phnom Penh city. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44(4), 1081–1090.
11. Chin, S. A. (2022). Impact of school principals’ leadership on teaching quality and students’ achievement: A case study of primary schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Doctoral thesis). Nagoya University.
12. Fullan, M. (2010). All systems go: The change imperative for whole system reform. Corwin Press.
13. Gill, C. H. D., & Berezina, E. (2021). School performance in three South East Asian countries: Lessons in leadership, decision-making and training. European Journal of Training and Development, 45(2), 136–148. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-01-2020-0014
14. Hang, C. N. (2017). The paths of education reform. Cambodia Education Review, 1(1), 5–31. http://cer.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2.The-paths-of-education-reform.pdf
15. Hang, C. N. (2024). Welcome remarks and report summarizing the results of the Education, Youth and Sports Congress; the Closing Ceremony of the Education, Youth and Sports Congress Academic year 2022-2023 and the direction of the academic year 2023-2024 at Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. https://moeys.gov.kh/en/education-congress/document-1202
16. Harris, A., & Chapman, C. (2002). Leadership in schools facing challenging circumstances. Management in Education, 16(1), 10–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/08920206020160010301
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18. Jones, A., & Nagel, M. C. (2022). School leadership in Cambodian schools. In V. McNamara & M. Hayden (Eds.), Education in Cambodia (pp. 1–20). Springer.
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20. Khy, P., & Bo, C. K. (2020). Effective school leadership and management in the primary education level in Cambodia. Cambodia Education Review, 1(1), 1–4. https://www.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Policy-Brief_Issue-1-202%E1%9F%A0EN.pdf
21. Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077
22. Lumban Gaol, N. T. (2023). School leadership in Indonesia: A systematic literature review. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51(4), 831–848. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211010811
23. Ly, R. (2020). Understanding the significance of instructional leadership and school principal's roles and responsibilities. Cambodian Education Forum. https://www.cefcambodia.com/2020/09/22/understanding-the-significance-of-instructional-leadership-and-school-principals-roles-and-responsibilities/. Accessed on March 20, 2025.
24. Meas, S., No, F., & Sok, S. (2023). Basic education in Cambodia. In L. P. Symaco & M. Hayden (Eds.), International handbook on education in South East Asia (pp. 1–20). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_50-1
25. Murphy, J., & Meyers, C. V. (2008). Turning around failing schools: Leadership lessons from the organizational sciences. Corwin Press.
26. No, F., & Sok, S. (2022). Primary education in Cambodia: In search of quality. In V. McNamara & M. Hayden (Eds.), Education in Cambodia (pp. 1–20). Springer.
27. OECD. (2009). Improving school leadership: The toolkit. OECD. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/improving-school-leadership_9789264083509-en
28. Om, S., Bo, C., Lay, S., Khy, P., & Souk, S. (2019). Toward effective school leadership and management practices in the primary education level in Cambodia: A review of selected cases. Cambodia Education Review, 3(1), 4–29. http://www.cer.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2.Toward-Effective-School-Leadership-and-Management-Practices-in-the-Primary-Education-Level-in-Cambodia-A-Review-of-Selected-Cases.pdf
29. Parr, G., & Sum, N. (2021). Educational leadership and COVID-19: ASEAN reflections on continuity, community and innovation. Monash University. https://www.lens.monash.edu/@education/2021/05/25/1383238/educational-leadership-and-covid-19-asean-reflections-on-continuity-community-and-innovation. Accessed on March 20, 2025.
30. Peck, C., Reitzug, U. C., & Miller, S. (2012). School turnaround fever: The paradoxes of a historical practice promoted as a new reform. Urban Education, 47(1), 8–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085912472511
31. Phnom Penh Post. (2023, January 4). New model education guidelines established. https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-model-education-guidelines-established
32. Phnom Penh Post. (2023). Kingdom’s education evolution: Ministry sets model school standards. https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kingdom-s-education-evolution-ministry-sets-model-school-standards. Accessed on March 20, 2025.
33. Sam, R., Tieng, M., Yoeng, H., Hour, R., & Sarith, C. (2024). Private supplementary tutoring in the Cambodian educational system: What matters for policies? In M. Alam (Ed.), Shadow education in Asia: Policies and practices (pp. 118–135). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
34. SEAMEO INNOTECH. (2014). Competency framework for Southeast Asian school heads. https://www.seameo-innotech.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Competency-Framework-for-Southeast-Asian-School-Heads-2014.pdf
35. Sek, R. (2023). The effectiveness of transformational leadership in improving staff performance of private primary schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Jurnal As-Salam, 7(1), 26–41. https://doi.org/10.37249/assalam.v7i1.554
36. Shoraku, A. (2009). Educational movement toward school-based management in East Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. UNESCO.
37. Sok, S., Mam, S., & Keo, S. (2020). Capacity building of secondary school principals: A case study of the School Leadership Upgrading Program (2019-2020) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). Cambodia Journal of Basic and Applied Research (CJBAR), 2(1), 152–172.
38. Stamm, L. (2009). Turnaround leadership for higher education. Journal of College and Character, 10(6), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2202/1940-1639.1687
39. Sylvia, A. (2022). Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)'s role in digitalization for vocational education development: A comparative analysis of Indonesia and Thailand (Doctoral thesis). Chulalongkorn University.
40. Thida, K. (2011). Exploring the implementation of school-based management in selected public schools in Cambodia: A multiple case study (Master’s thesis). De La Salle University.
41. Walker, A., & Hallinger, P. (2016). School leadership for learning and change: Progress of an Asian agenda. In G. Johnson & N. Dempster (Eds.), Leadership in diverse learning contexts (pp. 1–20). Springer.
42. Witziers, B., Bosker, R. J., & Krüger, M. L. (2003). Educational leadership and student achievement: The elusive search for an association. Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(3), 398–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X03253411

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Sam, R., Tieng, M., Yoeng, H., Chiv, S., Thay, S., & Saing, S. (2025). Exploring school principal leadership: A case study of upper secondary school in Northwestern Cambodia. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 8(10), 2025311. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2025311

[1] Adams, D., Yoon Mooi, A. N., & Muniandy, V. (2020). Principal leadership preparation toward high-performing school leadership in Malaysia. Asian Education and Development Studies, 9(4), 425–439. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-02-2018-0046

[2] ASEAN. (2022). Joint Statement of the Twelfth ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam. https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Joint-Statement-of-12th-ASED_12-October-5pm-clean.pdf

[3] Bartoletti, J., & Gail, C. (2013). Leadership matters: What the research says about the importance of principal leadership. National Association of Secondary School Principals. http://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/LeadershipMatters.pdf

[4] Bo, C. K. (2019). Why is school-based management (SBM) in Cambodia? Cambodia Education Review, 3(1), 1–3. http://cer.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/1.Why-is-School-based-Management-SBM-in-Cambodia.pdf

[5] Bo, C. K. (2020). New generation schools in Cambodia: Innovative school governance for sustainable quality of 21st century learning and instruction. In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Research of Educational Administration and Management (ICREAM 2020) (pp. 511–513). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 526.

[6] Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

[7] Cambodian Education Forum. (2023). Cambodia’s education system: New developments and persistent challenges. https://www.cefcambodia.com/2023/08/25/cambodias-education-system-new-developments-and-persistent-challenges/. Accessed on March 20, 2025.

[8] Cambodianess. (2023). Opinion: The impact of qualified teachers and school principals on education quality. https://www.cambodianess.com/article/opinion-the-impact-of-qualified-teachers-and-school-principals-on-education-quality. Accessed on March 20, 2025.

[9] Cambridge University. (2024). Cambridge school leader and teacher standards. https://www.Cambridgeinternational.org/Images/466466-cambridge-school-leader-standards.pdf

[10] Chheang, S., Leksansern, A., Niramitchainont, P., Suriyamanee, N., & Phupan, S. (2023). A model for the development of transformational leadership attributes for Cambodian public high school principals in Phnom Penh city. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44(4), 1081–1090.

[11] Chin, S. A. (2022). Impact of school principals’ leadership on teaching quality and students’ achievement: A case study of primary schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Doctoral thesis). Nagoya University.

[12] Fullan, M. (2010). All systems go: The change imperative for whole system reform. Corwin Press.

[13] Gill, C. H. D., & Berezina, E. (2021). School performance in three South East Asian countries: Lessons in leadership, decision-making and training. European Journal of Training and Development, 45(2), 136–148. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-01-2020-0014

[14] Hang, C. N. (2017). The paths of education reform. Cambodia Education Review, 1(1), 5–31. http://cer.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2.The-paths-of-education-reform.pdf

[15] Hang, C. N. (2024). Welcome remarks and report summarizing the results of the Education, Youth and Sports Congress; the Closing Ceremony of the Education, Youth and Sports Congress Academic year 2022-2023 and the direction of the academic year 2023-2024 at Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. https://moeys.gov.kh/en/education-congress/document-1202

[16] Harris, A., & Chapman, C. (2002). Leadership in schools facing challenging circumstances. Management in Education, 16(1), 10–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/08920206020160010301

[17] Hoy, W. K., & Miskel, C. E. (2013). Educational administration: Preparing school leaders for the 21st century (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

[18] Jones, A., & Nagel, M. C. (2022). School leadership in Cambodian schools. In V. McNamara & M. Hayden (Eds.), Education in Cambodia (pp. 1–20). Springer.

[19] Keng, S. (2009). Capacity building for secondary school principals: A case study of the School Leadership Upgrading Program (2019-2020) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Cambodian Journal of Business and Research, 4(2), 119–130. https://doi.org/10.61945/cjbar.2020.2.1.6

[20] Khy, P., & Bo, C. K. (2020). Effective school leadership and management in the primary education level in Cambodia. Cambodia Education Review, 1(1), 1–4. https://www.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Policy-Brief_Issue-1-202%E1%9F%A0EN.pdf

[21] Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077

[22] Lumban Gaol, N. T. (2023). School leadership in Indonesia: A systematic literature review. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51(4), 831–848. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211010811

[23] Ly, R. (2020). Understanding the significance of instructional leadership and school principal's roles and responsibilities. Cambodian Education Forum. https://www.cefcambodia.com/2020/09/22/understanding-the-significance-of-instructional-leadership-and-school-principals-roles-and-responsibilities/. Accessed on March 20, 2025.

[24] Meas, S., No, F., & Sok, S. (2023). Basic education in Cambodia. In L. P. Symaco & M. Hayden (Eds.), International handbook on education in South East Asia (pp. 1–20). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_50-1

[25] Murphy, J., & Meyers, C. V. (2008). Turning around failing schools: Leadership lessons from the organizational sciences. Corwin Press.

[26] No, F., & Sok, S. (2022). Primary education in Cambodia: In search of quality. In V. McNamara & M. Hayden (Eds.), Education in Cambodia (pp. 1–20). Springer.

[27] OECD. (2009). Improving school leadership: The toolkit. OECD. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/improving-school-leadership_9789264083509-en

[28] Om, S., Bo, C., Lay, S., Khy, P., & Souk, S. (2019). Toward effective school leadership and management practices in the primary education level in Cambodia: A review of selected cases. Cambodia Education Review, 3(1), 4–29. http://www.cer.dopomoeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2.Toward-Effective-School-Leadership-and-Management-Practices-in-the-Primary-Education-Level-in-Cambodia-A-Review-of-Selected-Cases.pdf

[29] Parr, G., & Sum, N. (2021). Educational leadership and COVID-19: ASEAN reflections on continuity, community and innovation. Monash University. https://www.lens.monash.edu/@education/2021/05/25/1383238/educational-leadership-and-covid-19-asean-reflections-on-continuity-community-and-innovation. Accessed on March 20, 2025.

[30] Peck, C., Reitzug, U. C., & Miller, S. (2012). School turnaround fever: The paradoxes of a historical practice promoted as a new reform. Urban Education, 47(1), 8–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085912472511

[31] Phnom Penh Post. (2023, January 4). New model education guidelines established. https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-model-education-guidelines-established

[32] Phnom Penh Post. (2023). Kingdom’s education evolution: Ministry sets model school standards. https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kingdom-s-education-evolution-ministry-sets-model-school-standards. Accessed on March 20, 2025.

[33] Sam, R., Tieng, M., Yoeng, H., Hour, R., & Sarith, C. (2024). Private supplementary tutoring in the Cambodian educational system: What matters for policies? In M. Alam (Ed.), Shadow education in Asia: Policies and practices (pp. 118–135). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.

[34] SEAMEO INNOTECH. (2014). Competency framework for Southeast Asian school heads. https://www.seameo-innotech.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Competency-Framework-for-Southeast-Asian-School-Heads-2014.pdf

[35] Sek, R. (2023). The effectiveness of transformational leadership in improving staff performance of private primary schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Jurnal As-Salam, 7(1), 26–41. https://doi.org/10.37249/assalam.v7i1.554

[36] Shoraku, A. (2009). Educational movement toward school-based management in East Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. UNESCO.

[37] Sok, S., Mam, S., & Keo, S. (2020). Capacity building of secondary school principals: A case study of the School Leadership Upgrading Program (2019-2020) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). Cambodia Journal of Basic and Applied Research (CJBAR), 2(1), 152–172.

[38] Stamm, L. (2009). Turnaround leadership for higher education. Journal of College and Character, 10(6), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2202/1940-1639.1687

[39] Sylvia, A. (2022). Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)'s role in digitalization for vocational education development: A comparative analysis of Indonesia and Thailand (Doctoral thesis). Chulalongkorn University.

[40] Thida, K. (2011). Exploring the implementation of school-based management in selected public schools in Cambodia: A multiple case study (Master’s thesis). De La Salle University.

[41] Walker, A., & Hallinger, P. (2016). School leadership for learning and change: Progress of an Asian agenda. In G. Johnson & N. Dempster (Eds.), Leadership in diverse learning contexts (pp. 1–20). Springer.

[42] Witziers, B., Bosker, R. J., & Krüger, M. L. (2003). Educational leadership and student achievement: The elusive search for an association. Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(3), 398–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X03253411

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References

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