School Leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
The 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education (amended in 2007) guides pre-primary to secondary education at the state level and also informs laws, regulations and rulebooks at the decentralised level of entities, (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska) as well as the Brčko District of BiH (a self-governing administrative unit). This Framework law also guides laws and regulations at the cantonal level the FBiH entity.
This framework law uses the term school director (direktor škole) to refer to the head of a school. As per Article 52, the school director is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school and for leading the pedagogical activities of the school.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education provides guidelines on the selection, appointment, duties and dismissal of the school principal. However, many of the current standards and guidelines are defined at the entity, district and cantonal level in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in alignment with the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education. There are twelve administrative units with their own ministry of education, education budgets, and education policies. The different education laws, many of which also contain information about school leaders, may be referenced below:
- Una-Sana Canton (Unsko-sanski Kanton): 2023 Primary Education Law, 2020 Secondary Education Law
- Posavina Canton (Posavski kanton): 2019 Primary Education Law, 2022 Secondary Education Law
- Tuzla Canton (Tuzlanski kanton): 2020 Primary Education Law, 2020 Secondary Education Law
- Zenica-Doboj Canton (Zeničko-dobojski kanton): 2018 Primary Education Law, 2017 Secondary Education Law No.9 .
- Bosnian-Podrinj Canton (Bosansko-podrinjski kanton): 2016 Primary Education Law, 2011 Secondary Education Law
- Central Bosnian Canton (Srednjobosanski kanton): 2001 Primary Education Law, 2017 Secondary Education Law
- Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (Hercegovačko-neretvanski kanton): 2004 Primary Education Law, 2000 Secondary Education Law)
- West Herzegovina Canton (Zapadno-hercegovački kanton): 2017 Primary Education Law, 2017 Secondary Education Law
- Sarajevo Canton: 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education
- Kanton 10: 2004 Elementary Education Law, 2004 Secondary Education Law
- Republika Srpska: 2022 Primary Education Law, 2023 Secondary Education Law
- Brcko District: 2020 Law on Education in the Primary and Secondary Schools
There is a need to develop a national set of competencies for school directors. For now, the West Herzegovina Canton has announced plans to develop professional standards describing principals’ knowledge requirements and responsibilities. The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton also uses a separate set of standards for directors of preschools, primary and secondary schools (hereforth referred to as the Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors).
Roles
Roles for principals are spelled out in the respective laws on primary and secondary education, as well as the associated rulebooks defined at the entity, district and cantonal levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Samples of a few cantons will be provided for each section.
Setting expectations/objectives: As per the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education the school principal is responsible for proposing and submitting the school’s annual work program, implementing decisions of professional bodies and the school board, proposing rulebooks on internal organization of the school; monitoring data entry for school administration; signing documents, and reporting to the relevant Ministry.
This role is also described in the documents at the cantonal level. As per the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde the director manages the work of the school; represents the schools and proposes a programme for the education work of the school. As per article 34 of the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education in Sarajevo, the school director is responsible for creating the draft of the annual work programme and for its implementation. Area two of the Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors focuses entirely on the school director’s responsibility in planning, organizing, and monitoring the work of the institution. The director organizes and operationally implemennts the adoption of the school development plan. They also create the organizational structure of the institution. The 2019 Primary Education Law of the Posavina Canton gives the Teachers’ Council the responsibility for the development of the Annual Work Programme, the school principal proposes it, and the School Board responsible for adopting it. The school principal also reports on the implementation of the programme.
Developing teaching and learning: As per Article 140 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde; the director is responsible for classes or other forms of direct educational work in accordance with the curriculum. As per Article 59 of the 2010 Law on Secondary Education in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, the director and the assistant director are responsible for the organisation and development of teaching and learning activities in the school. The 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton, asks school directors to take care of the implementation of the school’s curriculum.
The Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors stipulates that directors create conditions for improving teaching and learning, in accordance with educational and other student needs;. They also follow contemporary trends in the development of education and upbringing and constantly improves their own skills and those of their staff members.
Promoting collaboration: According to the Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors, school directors develop the culture of educational work, creating healthy and safe conditions for learning and child development. Area five of the standards focuses on cooperation with parents/guardians, the school board, and the local and broader community. Directors are expected to maintain constructive relations to help satisfy material, financial, and other needs of the institution. In addition to forming productive relationships with all of the school community, directors are asked to ensure that the institution regularly informs parents/guardians about its work, the results and progress of their children.
As per Article 96 of the 2024 Law on Primary Education of the Sarajevo Canton, the director is responsible for collaborating with parents, professional bodies, ministries and the local government.
Supporting staff development: Schools themselves, led by the principal, are responsible for planning professional development in their annual work plans. As per Article 140 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, the director is responsible for assignment of school employees to certain jobs and tasks, as well as the evaluation of their work. They also decide on the rights and obligations of employees in relation to their employment agreements with the school.
Area four of the Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors highlights the director’s role in monitoring and improving employee work. To do this, directors ensure equal opportunities for employees to participate in various forms of continuous professional development, based on their personal professional development plans. Directors also ensure the conditions needed for their employees to improve in accordance with the school’s annual professional development plan. Finally, directors develop professional cooperation and teamwork among their employees.
In Sarajevo, the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education highlights that the director is responsible for supporting staff development including improving their working conditions and providing professional training opportunities. The law also states the director is responsible for supporting the well-being of students and teachers. The teaching council, of which the director is the chairperson, is responsible for the proposal of the professional training program for teachers and professional associates.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: The Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers has prepared a Code of Ethics for all primary schools in the country. The different administrative units may also have their own code of ethics for teachers to follow, such as in the Republic Srpska or in Sarajevo. As per the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education the director can be dismissed if they do not perform their duties in an ethical manner.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
Pre-requisites may vary across cantons, entities and the Brcko Districk. Typically, they consist of a designated period of teaching practice such as five years in a teaching position and educational qualifications. A college degree or higher for primary education and at least a first-cycle university degree for secondary education is commonly required. In the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, as per the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, to qualify as a principal, one must have served as a teacher or a pedagogue in the same school for a period of at least five years after having completed higher education and required professional qualifications. In certain instances, such as in West Herzegovina Canton, candidates for becoming principals are additionally required to possess specific pedagogical training. As per article 109 of the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education in Sarajevo,the director of a primary school must have at least 8 years of work experience as a teacher or as a pedagogue. Five of those years must have been in a managerial position. The director is also required to have at least a university degree or at least completed the 1st cycle of the Bologna higher education process with 240 ECTS points; to have at least the professional title of mentor; and have a license/certificate for performing director duties issued by the Institute.
For the Una-Sana Canton, article 156 of 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton asks that school directors have higher education, meet the requirements for a teacher, and have at least five years of work experience. The Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law asks that principals meet the requirements for primary school teacher, have at least 5 years of work, is particularly distinguished by their work and ability to organize the educational work of the school and in pedagogical theory and practice, and have at least 6 degrees of professional qualification.
Appointment decision
The 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education requires school boards to play a key role in the appointment process of school principals. The selection, approval and appointment processes vary across cantonal jurisdictions. In general, the school board evaluates the candidates, chooses the candidate with the highest score, and submit the name to the relevant ministry for appointment.
As per Article 137 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, an example of the process may go as follows: school boards first publish a vacancy for the position of the school principal in the daily newspaper. The candidate would then need to submit a school development plan for the period for which they would be appointed. The director of the school is appointed by the school board but requires the prior expert opinion of the Ministry and the express approval of a representative of the Canton’s Government.
Details provided by the 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton state that the selection of the director of the public school is carried out by the school board and approved by the minister. If a director is not appointed in time, the school board may propose a candidate for the minister without competition to be the acting director. The selected candidate must be from the schools teachers and will perform the duty of acting director for up to two months until a director is appointed.
According to the Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law, when applying for the competition for the selection and appointment of the school principal, candidates must submit certified and signed statements that they are not members of a political party and are not related to any members of the school board. Applications are submitted to the Commission appointed by the government consisting of five members.
In Sarajevo Canton, the school board selects and appoints principals as per article 109 of the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education through an open competition process. However, the prior consent of the local government of the Canton is required. The school board provides a proposal of the Minister and appointment by the Government from amongst a list of candidates who meets conditions of the competition. As per the 2010 Law on Secondary Education in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, a selection is made by the school board upon previous approval of the Ministry. In Tuzla Canton, additional criteria may be required such as a positive recommendation from an expert from the Pedagogical Institute, along with consent from the Ministry.
Employment equity measures
As per Article 36 of the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education, in all BiH schools, a principal of equal opportunities for all teachers and other employees is applied. Schools shall establish and carry out their own programs that support and promote different cultures, languages, and religions of its students and staff.
Working conditions
Principals of primary and secondary schools form part of collective agreements developed by their respective trade unions at the level of the Canton. The salary of primary and secondary school principals depends on their job complexity coefficients which are used to adjust their base salaries.
In Sarajevo Canton, according to the 2020 Collective Agreement for Preschool and Primary Education, the job complexity coefficient for school principals is 4.8, compared to a senior advisor teacher (4.1), advisor teacher (3.9), or teacher mentor (3.8). In Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, salary coefficients are different: 2.32 for primary school principals and 2.79 for secondary school principals. Salaries also include certain allowances such as a travel allowance or paid leave for attending professional development courses, overtime payment, and food and beverage benefits. The jurisdiction’s labor law specifies the rules determining actual salary amounts.
The work of employees is evaluated based on the Rulebook issued by the Minister of the concerned jurisdiction. The Rulebook includes a criteria that define the promotion and acquisition of special titles of educators and professional associates (Article 39). The 2016 Federal Labour Law determines the minimum wage protects the rights and obligations of workers. Article 100 of the Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law defines the rights of the school principal from the employment relationship.
As per Article 137 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, in the Goražde Canton, the school director is selected for a period of 4 years. A director can be reappointed for two consecutive terms only. Similarly, principals are appointed for 4 years and can be reappointed twice in one school in Sarajevo Canton as per Article 109 of the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education. The same is true for Zenica-Doboj canton and the Una-Sana Canton.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education states that school personnel including school headmasters, teachers, pedagogues, teachers of special needs shall be included in obligatory training programmes. The law does not distinguish between pre-service and in-service training.
According to the 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton, the director must obtain a certificate of qualification within the first year of his/her term. Training and certification is carried out by the ministry on the basis of the Ordinance on School Management Training. Those who do not receive a certificate in time must be dismissed.
In Herzegovina-Neretva, a program has been developed for principals, assistant principals, and teachers who meet the requirements for principalship. This programme is comprised of seven modules: 1) Legislation and administration; 2) Planning, programming, organizing and monitoring the work of the educational institution; 3) Teaching/learning; 4) Ensuring the quality of the institution's work; 5) Human resource management; 6) Cooperation of the director with parents, the school board and the local and wider community; 7) Management of financial and material resources of the school.
Induction and in-service training
As per the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education school personnel including school headmasters shall be included in obligatory training programmes. These continuous development programmes are implemented by the education authorities in the entity, canton and Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina following the principles and standards defined by this Law.
Continuous Professional Development activities may be designed by Pedagogical Institutes responsible and officially approved by the Ministry. Alternatively, it can be managed directly by the Cantonal Government such as in Tuzla Canton where they outline the rules and regulations governing the professional development of both teaching and non-teaching school staff. Educational institutions or schools may, on the basis of identified training needs of its educational staff, as well as at the proposal of teachers’ council, educators' council and teaching staff, propose professional development programs to the Pedagogical Institute, ultimately also to be validated and adopted by the Ministry.
Assessment and accountability measures of school principals: The evaluation of principals’ work includes supervision and evaluation of their performance of duties set by law, and it is carried out by the Ministry annually, or at most every two years.
The methods and criteria for evaluation of principals’ performance are adopted by the Minister according to the respective rulebook, and they may also depend on professional supervision of the Pedagogical Institute and opinion of the school board. As per Article 141 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, the work of the director is evalauted by the Pedagogical Institute and then by the Ministry as well.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
According to the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education each school is required to have a school board responsible for setting and implementing school policies, managing school activities, and ensuring efficient use of resources. The Board members include elected representatives of the school staff, local community, and parents, are chosen based on principles of equal representation. The board's composition should reflect the demographic mix of students, parents, staff, and the local community, based on the 1991 Bosnia and Herzegovina census.
As per Article 61 of the 2010 Law on Secondary Education in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, the school board of directors can have from 5 to 13 members, elected from among the high school workers, founders and parents of students. The election procedure, the number of members and the way of working are determined by school rules. However, principals, assistant principals and union leaders cannot be members of the School Board of any school in the Canton.
The 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education and the 2012 Rules on the Selection, Appointment, and Method of Working of the School and Supervisory Boards of Primary Schools in the Canton of Sarajevo regulate the issues of election, appointment and working methods of school and supervisory boards. The number of members of a school board is described in the school’s founding act and depends on the school level and the size of the school. Members consist of representatives of the Ministry, the municipality, parents of school students, and school workers. Candidates for school board members from the ranks of parents or workers are obliged to provide in writing the majority support of the school's parent council, or the majority support of workers.
School boards in Sarajevo are responsible for the adoption of school rules; the adoption of the school's annual work program for the current school year and a report on the implementation of the annual work program for the previous school year; the adoption of the financial plan and adoption of the annual calculation; the adoption of a general act on the internal organization and systematization of workplaces, and other general acts in accordance with the relevant regulations; and the adoption of its work program and report on its work, which it submits to the founder through the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton. The school board also appoints the director and deputy directorvvvv, and is in charge of announcing the competitions for teaching positions.
In the Una-Sana Canton, the roles and regulations of school boards are outlined in article 155 of the 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton. According to this law, each school has a school board responsible for determining the implementation of school policy, general management, and efficient use of personnel and material resources. Similar to Sarajevo, school board adopts the annual work plan and financial plan. They also publish the annoucements for competitions for teaching positions and appoints the teachers and directors. The composition of the school board must reflect the population which it represents. In principal, this is done in accordance with the 1991 census in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Members are appointed for four years. One member is appointed from among the founders, two from the school staff, one from the parents, and one from the local community. The school director can not be a member of the school board.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 2007 Law on Agency for pre-school, primary and secondary education led to the creation of a specialized agency for developing Standards and Assessment of Education for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. The duties of the director of this agency are described in this law. Firstly, it is responsible for setting knowledge standards and evaluating the outcomes achieved. Secondly, it approves a common core curriculum for primary and secondary education, publishing it in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Additionally, the agency offers advice, interpretations, and recommendations to relevant educational authorities within its jurisdiction. It also establishes and maintains information and reporting systems for its areas of responsibility. Furthermore, the agency conducts research and publishes its findings, fosters international relationships with similar bodies and organizations, and develops guidelines for teacher and associate training program implementation.
3.3. Parents
As per Article 53 of the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education; parents have the right and schools the obligation, to establish a parents' council. The members are appointed by the parents of the students in the particular school as per general school acts. The roles of the parents' council include promoting the interest of the school and community; representation in and communication with the school board; encouraging engagement of parents in school activities; information sharing and nominating representatives to the school board. Guidelines for the development of parent councils are also available.
The Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law defines the parent council as “consisting of democratically elected representatives of parents in front of each class who jointly act in the primary school in the field of achieving direct cooperation with the school authorities, the local and wider community, domestic and foreign governmental and non-governmental organizations, all with the aim of improving the effectiveness of the school's work.” Article 119 of the 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education describes the roles and responsibilities of the council of parents in Sarajevo. According to this law, the parents' council is a body that is elected for the current school year, and it is made up of one representative of the parents of students from each department, who is elected at the first parents' meeting.
3.4. Students
Article 54 of the 2003 Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education students are allowed to form student councils. Their role includes enhancing the school's community presence, representing student views to the school board, motivating student involvement in school activities, and providing feedback to the school board on matters concerning school operations and management.
The 2024 Law on Primary and Secondary Education in Sarajevo defines the student council as “made up of representatives of students from each department of the school, except for students of the I, II, and III grades of elementary school.” Article 77 provides further details, stating that the role of the council is to promote the interests and values of the school in the community where the school is located, present student views to the teachers’ council, encourage student engagement in school work, and inform the school board of its views. As per the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, the exact composition and procedures for the functioning of the student council is decided by the general acts of the school. The Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law describes the Student Council as consisting of directly elected representatives of departmental communities who work together in the primary school in the field of achieving direct cooperation with school bodies, local and wider community, domestic and foreign governmental and non-governmental organizations, all with the aim of improving the effectiveness of school work.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
Across cantons, entities and districts there is wide variation in school principal’s autonomy to hire teachers. In the West Herzegovina Canton, the school board must seek approval from the Ministry before announcing a competition for hiring. In the Tuzla Canton, it is the Ministry itself that suggests the competition for hiring. However, in the Sarajevo Canton, the school principal has the authority to propose job vacancies directly, with the consent of the Ministry of Education and the School council's decision. They are also the ones who conclude employment contracts.
One of the main functions of a school principal is to proposed a financial plan for the school. According to the 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton, school directors inform the school board about financial affairs. In Sarajevo canton, school principals also have responsibility for preparing school budgets, which must be approved by the school board and ministry; however, there are no guidelines on how to prepare these. As per Article 140 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, the director submits half-yearly reports on the execution of the approved school budgets. As per area six of the Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors, directors are expected to effectively manage financial resources. The Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law expects principals to propose the framework financial plan and monitor its implementation.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The evaluation of principals’ work includes supervision and evaluation of their performance of duties set by law, and it is carried out by the Ministry, and carried out annually, or at most every two years. The methods and criteria for evaluation of principals’ performance are adopted by the Minister according to the respective rulebook, and they may also depend on professional supervision of the Pedagogical Institute and opinion of the school board. The Ministry has the prerogative to dismiss the school leadership (principal, acting principal or assistant principal) if, in consultation with the municipality it considers that they are not fulfilling their duties.
According to the 2012 Rules on the Selection, Appointment, and Method of Working of the School and Supervisory Boards of Primary Schools in the Canton of Sarajevo, the school board also shares responsibility in directing, controlling, and evaluating the work of the director.
Article 141 of The work of the school director is evaluated by the Pedagogical Institute. A closer regulation on the assessment of the work of the school director is adopted by the Ministry at the proposal of the Pedagogical Institute. (2) If the work of the school principal after the end of the mandate, and after the assignment to the jobs of teachers or pedagogues, is assessed as particularly successful, he acquires a higher professional title.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
As per Article 140 of the 2011 Law on Secondary Education of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton of Goražde, the director is responsible for the evaluation of the work of teachers. Principals conduct internal evaluation of teachers' and professional associates work at least once per year. Principal appoints team of 5-15 members for school self-evaluation, which is conducted according to the methodology prescribed by the Pedagogical Institute. Teachers’ work can also be monitored by school council(s), pedagogues, or assistant principals. The principal (themself or through an employment recruitment committee of their choosing) has the final authority for the appointment of teachers as well as their deployment within school and often also for deployments to other schools. These processes are similar for teaching and non-teaching staff. In Sarajevo and Tuzla the respective Trade Unions are consulted regarding recruitment procedures.
The 2004 Law on Primary and Genderal Secondary Education of Una-Sana Canton asks school directors to evaluate the work of the school staff and report to the Ministry and the Pedagogical Institute in case of non-fulfillment of obligations. According to the Herzegovina-Neretva Standards for School Directors, the director systematically monitors and evaluates the work of employees, motivates them and rewards them for the results achieved. The Zenica-Doboj 2018 Primary Education Law also explicitly asks principals to “evaluate the work of teachers, professional associates and associates in the school.”
This profile was reviewed by Lamija Spahić, Researcher (proMENTE social research).
