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 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 refers to the term “principal” مدير المدرسة (art.3) and highlights that positions responsible for school leadership, including the school principal and vice principal, fall within the category of “educational professions” and thereby are also described as “educational professionals”. Educational professionals, as defined by the law, also encompass teachers, auxiliary staff like supervisors, and resource specialists all integral to the educational process (art.5).
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) refers to the term “school managers”.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 is the main document outlining the roles and duties of school principals. In addition to that, the 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) refers to the Ministerial Resolution No. (560) which aims to establish specific standards and outline work conditions, including mandatory qualifications of school administration officials.
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 states that school leaders, including the principal and vice principal, are responsible for leading and overseeing school operations, guiding staff, and assisting them in supervision and school management processes (art.3).
Developing teaching and learning: The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 builds upon the guidelines outlined in the 1991 Civil Service Law No.19, particularly emphasizing the responsibilities of “educational professionals” in nurturing and educating young individuals. It outlines their duties which include imparting knowledge, fostering personal development, and adhering to educational policies and regulations. Additionally, the law highlights the responsibility of educational professionals to provide and improve educational services in accordance with established standards (art.33). While it does not explicitly mention school principals, the law already established that they are included in the category of “educational professionals” (art.5).
Promoting collaboration: The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 underscores the responsibilities of educational professionals in imparting values aligned with approved curricula, implementing planned activities to meet educational objectives, and fostering a conducive environment for collaboration among stakeholders.
Supporting staff development: The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 mentions that educational professionals benefit from training opportunities provided by the ministry in the educational, pedagogical, and specialized fields both scientifically and practically (art.33). However, it does not highlight the role of school principals in this process.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 mentions that educational professionals perform tasks and activities related to the completion of educational duties, maintain their ethics and elevate their values, and raise their social and moral standards (art.33).
Others: The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 states that school administrators teach, depending on their workload in school administration. The Minister decides the minimum number of classes based on school sizes (art.26).
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) requires school principals and vice principals to have a university degree, at least 5 years of teaching experience after obtaining their degree, completion of a school administration training course or two years of relevant administrative experience, a prior two-year employment history as a school deputy, and demonstrated leadership skills. The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 conditions for educational positions, include age requirements (minimum eighteen years old), educational qualifications, passing a competitive test, and holding at least a diploma from a Teacher's Institute, with exceptions for high school graduates in remote areas. Preference is given to those with educational training. Initially, technical positions are reserved for individuals with teaching experience, but exceptions can be made with relevant experience certificates. Appointments to specified categories and ranks are determined by executive regulations, outlining principles, rules, and conditions for subsequent experiences alongside academic qualifications (art.9-11).
Appointment decision
The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 mandates the management of recruitment procedures for educational professions in line with the Civil Service Law, Financial Law, and specific regulations (art.13). Appointments to the first group are made by the Prime Minister upon the minister's recommendation, while the second and third groups are appointed by the minister or their delegate, with accountability beginning from the start of work after the appointment decision (Article 13, 14). The 1991 Labor Law No.19 categorizes job classifications into Senior Management, Supervisory Jobs (Administrative - Specialized), and Executive Jobs groups, with distinct responsibilities and requirements, but it does not refer to school principals.
Employment equity measures
The 2001-2025 Strategic Vision for Communications and Information Technology in Support of Yemen's Integrated Development Plans prioritizes gender equality by aiming to narrow gaps between men and women in education, health, and participation in political, economic, and social activities. The vision emphasizes providing greater opportunities for women to take leadership roles, recognizing their importance in society alongside men.
The 1991 Civil Service Law No.19 permits the hiring of non-Yemenis only if there are no qualified Yemeni candidates available, with the ministry responsible for confirming this after a job announcement. The law mandates the creation of standardized contract templates for engagements with non-Yemenis and permits Boards of Directors in public and mixed sectors to establish conditions for contracts with non-Yemenis for temporary consultancy or technical services of economic importance, subject to ministry review (art.35-37).
Working conditions
The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 mandates a one-year probationary period for newly appointed educational professionals (art.10). It also guarantees rights and benefits, including salaries and allowances specified in the attached job conditions table and additional incentives based on Civil Service Law rules. It outlines various allowances for educational professionals, including general allowances such as graduation, representation, transportation, and cost of living allowances, as well as specific allowances regulated by executive regulations, such as encouragement, special, rural, housing, annual travel, and risk allowances (art.36). It specifies that in cases where an educational professional's illness cannot be treated domestically, the state covers the treatment costs according to regulations outlined in the executive regulations (art.37).
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) requires school principals to either complete a training course in school administration or have two years of relevant administrative experience. Furthermore, the plan highlights its commitment to enhancing the capacity of school principals by providing targeted training in school administration and emergency preparedness. Notably, the plan had set targets, aiming to increase the number of trained school principals from zero in 2015 to 8,370 by 2021, representing 53% of all principals.
Induction and in-service training
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) emphasizes on-the-job training opportunities for school principals and other education managers and stakeholders. It underscores the importance of management training aligned with the reference framework for school development outlined in the TEP. These trainings specifically target the management of education during emergencies, prioritizing the safety and security of learners and educators, and include monitoring of school security measures.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) refers to school councils, parent councils, and student committees.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 specifies that school administrators also serve as teachers. For example, in smaller schools with fewer than six classrooms, the School Supervisor (مشرف المدرسة) handles both teaching and administrative duties, while the Academic Supervisor plays a key role in educational planning and coordination. Other roles include the Educational Supervisor (المشرف التربوي), Social Supervisor (المشرف الاجتماعي), Health Supervisor (المشرف الصحي), and Administrative Supervisor (المشرف الإداري), each supporting the school principal in various aspects of school management alongside their teaching responsibilities. Additionally, the law distinguishes between teachers in general teaching positions, who teach assigned subjects for a grade, and teachers in specialized teaching positions, who teach prescribed subjects across grades, overseeing related curricular and extracurricular activities.
3.3. Parents
The 2020 COVID-19 Ministry of Education national response plan refers to the Father-Mother Council (FMC) and states that they are key implementation partners “FMCs, parents and caregivers are involved in their children’s education (safety net provision against benchmarks)”.
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) highlights the role and composition of FMCsas outlined in the 2009 Bylaw of Father and Mother Councils (FMCs) No.262. These councils are integral to the School Development Program (SDP), aiming for comprehensive school improvement through decentralization and increased community involvement. FMCs foster communication between schools and communities, encourage community participation in financing and evaluating educational activities, and address various educational and social issues. They have authority over teacher absenteeism and contribute to problem-solving and student care. With the addition of Mothers'-only Councils and Parents' Councils, there's a notable increase in women's participation. The TEP emphasizes that FMCs should lead community engagement efforts, involving other community actors as needed, to ensure effective and coordinated support for education services.
3.4. Students
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) refers to student committees.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) indicates that district administration and school development team representatives collaborate with local council authorities to enhance school development by providing operational budgets for schools. In districts without support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), administrators are tasked with securing funding for schools' operational costs in coordination with local councils. Additionally, the 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 assigns educational professionals the responsibility of delivering educational services, monitoring, guiding, and improving service quality in alignment with educational policies and regulations, although it doesn't explicitly mention the term ‘’school principals’’ in this context.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The 2014 National Assessment Report on Education for All mentions the lack of available inspectors and supervisors for educational management.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
The 2019-2022 Transitional Education Sector Plan (TEP) highlights that school principals and deputies play a supervisory role in accordance with school regulations, including guiding and supporting teachers and evaluating their performance through various methods such as classroom visits and written feedback.
Similarly, the 1998 Teacher and Educational Professions Law No.37 stipulates that educational professionals engage in ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the educational and pedagogical process. Their aim is to guide it towards attaining both general and specific objectives, with a focus on correction, performance improvement, and the introduction of innovative methods. Additionally, the law emphasizes the continuous evaluation of curricula and the interaction among all components of the educational and pedagogical process. This assessment is conducted to determine the extent to which both general and specific objectives are met, allowing for the identification and addressing of weaknesses while reinforcing strengths.
