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
Federal government documents refer to the head teacher/principal as the head of schools. According to the 2016 National School-based Management Policy, ‘governance’ is about ‘empowering citizens to participate in processes of public decision-making that affect their lives. School governance has to do with the creation of policies and rules for the school and its members (staff, learners, and parents). In other words, it is about making decisions about how the school will be run’. School-based management committees are responsible for school governance. ‘School management’ on the other hand is ‘the actual day-to-day running of the school, such as managing the staff and planning the school curriculum. The head teacher/principal, along with the School Management Team, is responsible for school management’.
The Policy specifies that school-based management committees are concerned with school governance, whereas school authorities (i.e. head teachers/principals, assistant head teachers/vice principals and teachers) are responsible for the day-to-day activities of the schools (management) in line with federal and state guidelines.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The 2010 Professional Standards for Nigerian Teachers, published by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (an agency of the Federal Ministry of Education), outline all the competencies and skills required by a professional teacher to remain and grow in the profession. There are additionally developed and published Professional Standards on School Leadership, outlining the competencies and skills required for head teachers/principals across seven domains. In 2023, education stakeholders in Nigeria converged to develop the latest professional standards for school leaders, aiming to establish clear performance standards for school leaders in instructional leadership across different career stages, in addition to defining the essential knowledge and competencies needed for effective school leadership.
The professional standards comprise of five core domains which are: promoting school improvement and innovation and leading teaching and learning. Others are developing self and others, leading and managing the school and engaging and working with the community. These domains reflect the core values, including integrity and ethical leadership, instructional leadership, inclusive leadership, collaborative, innovative and visionary leadership.
The 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria, which applies to teachers and school leaders from pre-primary to upper secondary level, systematises the teacher and school leader competencies, with every competence matched with a particular position on the career path. The career path clearly depicts the roles expected of teachers and school leaders at each stage.
The 2016 National School-based Management Policy aims to decentralize the governance of basic education to the school/community level. It specifies the roles and responsibilities of the major stakeholders in the school governance system and empowers head teachers/principals. Each state has additionally established laws, policies, standards, and guidelines related to school management.
The African Framework of Standards and Competences for the Teaching Profession describe the professional knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, conduct, career path and other critical professional benchmarks expected of teachers and school leaders in member States of the African Union, including Nigeria.
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: According to the 2016 National School-based Management Policy, school-based management committees are mainly responsible for the school development planning process, which includes setting goals and targets for their schools and defining strategies for achieving these targets towards improving the learning outcomes of students. There is no mention of the head teacher/principal being the main responsible actor. The 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education states there must be a clear vision and mission statement relevant to national education goals and an updated school development plan to improve quality and standards.
Developing teaching and learning: According to the 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education, all school head efforts should be channelled towards improving the achievement of students in their care. Head teachers/principals are specifically responsible for supervising and monitoring lessons based on state and federal handbooks, through observation, documentation, and discussion.
This role is echoed in state policy, such as the 2019 Kaduna State Education Quality Assurance Policy, which states that all school administrators' and leaders efforts should be channelled towards improving student achievement.
Promoting collaboration: School heads are expected to engage and work with the community (and trained in this area), as stated in the 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria.
Supporting staff development: School heads/principals are responsible for ensuring that school heads/principals undertake regular capacity building on school safety, security and child safeguarding, as described in the 2021 National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools with its Implementing Guidelines. School heads are additionally responsible for ensuring that newly recruited or reposted staff undertake induction training on school safety, security and child safeguarding.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: All members of the teaching profession, including head teachers and principals, must adhere to the Teacher's Code of Conduct and their respective professional standards.
Others: The 1993 Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Act stipulates that it is the duty of the head of any educational institution to report to the Teachers Registration Council any breach of professional conducts and standards. Failure by a head of the educational institution to report breach of professional conduct and standards to the Council constitutes an offence under law. According to the 2021 National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools with its Implementing Guidelines, school heads are further responsible for ensuring that a detailed needs assessment for safety and violence-free learning is conducted annually and included in the school development plan. Several additional roles of school heads are outlined in the policy, including ensuring all persons entering school premises have the necessary clearance or permission; taking reasonable measures to safeguard students and staff upon the identification of any potential danger; ensuring the school playground is kept clean and free of dangerous objects; ensuring all staff, students and parents are properly enlightened about safety policies and rules; and ensuring that a clean, safe and hygienic environment is provided to students at all times.
Additional roles are outlined in state policies, such as the head teacher being responsible for issuing the primary school leaving certificate in the 2019 Kaduna State Education Policy.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
The 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria, which applies to teachers and school leaders from pre-primary to senior secondary education level, provides a framework for the registration, licensing, qualifications, and career stages for all teachers and school leaders in the Nigerian education system. It was developed to serve as a guiding principle for the career growth of both teachers and school leaders in the country, comprising of 4-tier career paths (Beginner, Mentor, Proficient & Distinguished) for teachers (teacher track) and school leaders (leadership track), aiming to align with international best practices in the profession. The career path replaces the categorisation of teachers and school leaders based on qualification.
Teachers must possess a minimum qualification of a bachelor’s degree in education (B.Ed.) or a degree, with a postgraduate diploma in education or professional diploma in education as the required qualification for entering the leadership track. No teacher may enter the education system as a school leader. To be considered for appointment as a school leader, a teacher must have attained at least the Mentor or Distinguished teacher stage in the 4-tier career path for teachers, in addition to meeting the requirements for the leadership track before being appointed to lead a school. Teachers require a minimum of 4 years to advance from one stage to the next, while on the leadership track, leaders require a minimum of 3 years to progress from one stage to the other. School leaders must additionally register and obtain a leadership license from the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria and take a computer-based competency test on school leadership set by the Council. School leaders are only issued their licenses if they earn 50% or above in the competency test. Beginner school leaders are required to obtain a Certification in School Leadership and Management (completed in 3 years), accredited by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria before they can progress to the Proficient leader stage (see in-service training).
All teachers (including school leaders) must be legally recognized as teachers in Nigeria and be registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, fully trained and regulated, as described in the 1993 Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Act.
Appointment decision
The appointment of school leaders must be based on merit, with prior licensing from the Teachers Registration Council, as described in the 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria. Their deployment in schools must also consider their abilities depending on the school size and other administrative or environmental factors. School leaders are appointed by their relevant state authorities (Universal Basic Education Board, State Ministries, or State Teaching Service Commission). According to the 2014 National Education Policy, local education authorities are responsible for the appointment and promotion of all school staff within their area of jurisdiction.
In Kwara State, the State Universal Basic Education Board has incorporated written examinations and oral interviews as parts of the selection process into principalship. In Lagos State, school principal appointments are approved by the State Teaching Service Commission upon consideration of an oral interview, essay writing, and computer-based test. In Kaduna State, teachers are promoted to leadership positions based on merit and open vacancies, as described in the 2019 Kaduna State Education Policy. All vacant positions for head teachers and principals must be advertised internally and externally, with school vacancies advertised through relevant local channels (such as notices at the local government authorities, social media platforms, and state education board websites). The recruitment process must be transparent, open and formal, with a credible committee given the responsibility of screening applicants. All eligible candidates must be considered for promotion on the grounds of eligibility, merit, and vacancies. Promotion marks are given the following weighting: performance on the job/annual appraisal (50%), interview (30%) and exams (20%).
Employment equity measures
The 2021 National Policy on Gender in Education and its Implementation Guide aims to appoint those qualified into leadership positions without gender discrimination, with a policy objective to achieve gender balance in the appointment of head teachers in post-basic education by 2030. The policy additionally supports advocating for gender-responsive operations regarding equitable job recruitment, postings, reward systems, promotion and disciplinary measures, especially as they affect school leadership positions.
The 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria encourages gender balance in teacher recruitment, as well as the recruitment of qualified persons with disabilities to teacher positions, but not explicitly for school leadership positions.
Working conditions
Teachers and school leaders are considered part of the civil service and are entitled to continuity of employment in line with labour laws (as part of their job security). They are not subject to arbitrary termination of appointment. Contract types may vary by state. In Kaduna State, head teachers and principals are employed for 4 years, with their contracts renewable for another 4 years based on performance and merit, as described in the 2019 Kaduna State Education Policy.
The 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria aims to improve the status of teachers and school leaders, align the profession with global best practices, and make the profession more attractive to candidates to improve motivation and retention through both financial and non-financial incentives and conducive working environments.
Teachers (including heads) are paid in accordance with the civil service salary grade level, depending on the state, and placed on the teachers’ salary scale, which must be adopted by both federal and state governments, as stated in the 2014 National Teacher Education Policy. Head teachers may additionally receive several financial incentives, including a rural posting allowance of 30% of their basic salary when they are deployed in rural, hard-to-reach and crisis-prone areas; a special allowance of 30% of their basic salary when they lead special needs schools; and a special leadership allowance. The policy further aims to introduce a reward system for the performance of school leaders and teachers.
Official headship associations as mentioned in official government documents, include the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools and the Confederation of Head Teachers of Primary Schools.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria aims to improve the competences, performance and skills of school leaders and teachers, including initial preparation and continuous professional development, providing a detailed framework for their career paths. Training for both school leaders and teachers is coordinated by the teaching regulatory authorities at the central and state levels.
Teachers who wish to progress within the leadership track need to be trained in leadership before being appointed to lead a school through certain continuous professional development courses in their teaching career. Continuous professional development courses for Mentor or Distinguished teachers who wish to be appointed to school leadership positions include an introduction to leadership. The movement from one stage to the next requires leaders and teachers to earn a minimum number of credit hours while on their current stage and pass a standardized test for the next stage (4 years for teachers and 3 years for leaders).
Induction and in-service training
Federal authorities, states, local government authorities, and private school proprietors are required to develop appropriate strategies to provide continuous professional development programmes for all school leaders and teachers, including those in rural, remote and crisis-prone areas. The National Teachers' Institute, National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration and other training agencies/institutions, in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, must additionally develop standardised course modules and provide continuous professional development courses to all teachers and school leaders.
All newly appointed and promoted school leaders must undergo an induction program relevant to their level on the leadership track, as described in the 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria. This includes orientation briefings, meetings, workshops, and roundtables. Mentors and Distinguished leaders are required to support Beginner Leaders, assisting them in overcoming professional challenges, while employers and education authorities must do everything necessary to support Beginner leaders to succeed in leading and managing their institutions.
Beginner leaders must additionally obtain the mandatory Certification in School Leadership and Management within the first 3 years of their appointment. This is a postgraduate diploma, with a variety of flexible teaching, learning and assessment approaches designed by the training institutions and accredited by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. It consists of seven modules (the seven domains of the Professional Standards on School Leadership), with candidates required to earn a minimum of 90 credits to graduate successfully. The candidates must additionally undertake a research project on any aspect of school leadership. The qualification is also a requirement for progression to the Proficient leader stage.
Source: Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (2020). Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria.
Basic and senior secondary education leaders must obtain 60 credit hours of continuous professional development or an additional professional qualification acquired within the 4-year period. Both school leaders and teachers must be provided with opportunities for capacity building through workshops, seminars, and conferences at school-based, cluster-based, national and international levels periodically, based on needs assessment. Participation in such trainings must further be recognized and certificated. School leaders are responsible for documenting evidence of their continuous professional development credits and updating their data with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
Several additional federal policies support the in-service training of principals. The 2016 National School-based Management Policy aims for adequate arrangements to be made for the capacity development needs of all relevant stakeholders in the school-based management system (including head teachers and principals) by the responsible state authorities. According to the 2004 Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, the Universal Basic Education Commission supports the national capacity building for managers of basic education institutions. The 2014 National Education Policy similarly aims to regulate the in-service training program for head teachers and teachers to improve the quality of education at the primary and secondary levels. The policy states there will be mandatory continuous training before and after the period of service of all managers in the education system.
The 2018-22 Education for Change Ministerial Strategic Plan further aims to enhance the quality of head teachers, school supervisors and teachers in basic education schools through in-service training and professional development. There are specific objectives for the consistent training of 20,000 head teachers/facilitators annually on school record-keeping for the success of the school census exercise, in addition to training on school management (with 500 trainees per state). The 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education further aims to ensure that head teachers/principals who work with learners undertake appropriate child protection training.
Source: Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (2020). Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria.
At the state level, in-service training is supported by various state policy and strategy documents. In Kaduna State, leadership training for head teachers and principals is compulsory, as stated in the 2019 Kaduna State Education Policy. The 2019-29 Kaduna State Education Sector Strategic Plan further aims to train all head teachers on school record keeping, electronic collection, and data dissemination. Similarly, the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board conducted training on school record keeping, targeting head teachers.
The training of head teachers is also highlighted in the 2023-25 Adamawa Education Sector Strategy.
In Kano State, the 2009-18 Kano State Education Strategic Plan supports the systematic management training of head teachers in school management. The 2013-22 Jigawa State Education Sector Strategic Plan similarly aims to continuously train all school heads and principals on resource planning and school management in Jigawa State. In Lagos State, the state-wide induction program ‘Reimagining Leadership in the Management of Post-Primary School Education in Lagos State’ was offered to school leaders to help them develop leadership skills and improve their ability to influence change.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
All schools are required to establish a school-based management committee (SBMC) which actively supports and influences school improvement and ensures the participation of the communities in school decision making process, within the framework of the 2016 National School-based Management Policy and state school-based management policies. The government made the establishment of school-based management committees mandatory for all schools in 2007, with each state having an individual school-based management policy. School-based management committees should represent all stakeholders of the community, as stated in the 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education in Nigeria. They are comprised of 8-20 members, including elected representatives of the teaching force, student body, community, the principal/head teacher, and parents, with additional members specified at the state level (such as representatives of the Christian and Muslim community in Kaduna State). The 2014 National Teacher Education Policy similarly states that school-based management committees must be established in each primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary school.
According to the 2016 National School-based Management Policy, there should be a reasonable gender balance in the composition of school-based management committees, with at least 40% of female representation. In secondary schools, students particularly in higher classes should also be represented as a strategy for developing their capacity in decision-making processes.
The roles and responsibilities of the school-based management committee include effective participation in the school development planning process, networking with other stakeholders, resource mobilization for school improvement, providing support and motivation for teachers and students, and having oversight on fund allocations. According to the 2014 National Education Policy, school-based management committees are responsible for the management of schools.
The 2021 National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools with its Implementing Guidelines additionally provides for the establishment of a school safety monitoring committee in each school, comprised of the safety focal point officer, guidance counsellors, a senior boarding house master/mistress and a representative of learners.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education in Nigeria refers to several middle leaders in the school system, including school senior staff (e.g. senior teachers), as well as subject and departmental heads with various leadership responsibilities.
The teacher career path track also distinguishes between Mentor, Proficient and Distinguished teachers as they move up the career ladder.
3.3. Parents
Schools are additionally expected to establish parent-teacher associations, as outlined in the 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education. Parent-teacher associations are involved in various school activities, including school monitoring and the development and implementation of the school development plan.
At the federal level, there is also the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria.
State policies also emphasize the establishment of parent-teacher associations in each school. In Kaduna State, the 2019 Kaduna State Education Quality Assurance Policy and 2019 Kaduna State Education Quality Assurance Policy require every school to establish a parent-teacher association.
3.4. Students
All schools are required to establish a Learners’ Representative Council, which represents learner’s interests and concerns, and gives students the opportunity to express themselves, as outlined in the 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education. Students at the secondary level are also represented in the school-based management committee of each school.
4. Governance
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria is an agency of the Federal Ministry of Education, established by the 1993 Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Act to regulate and control the teaching profession (including head teachers) at all education levels, and across both public and private sectors.
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
According to the 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria, school leaders shall have the autonomy to make decisions about their schools in line with existing policies. Decision-making in the school must be inclusive and participatory, with some decisions decentralized to involve teachers.
Teachers are appointed, posted and disciplined at the local level by state universal education boards, as defined in the 2014 National Education Policy. All educational and political authorities who make appointments and placements in the education sector must be guided by the 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria.
The 2014 National Education Policy provides the curriculum and courses for each education level, with decisions on courses not made by head teachers.
According to the 2016 National School-based Management Policy, school-based management committees are primarily responsible for the utilisation of school funds, including budget planning, ensuring effective utilization of school resources, and reporting back to the larger community on the utilisation of funds for school development. Funds should be used for a variety of priority needs, such as minor repairs, provision of portable water, repair of damaged furniture, and support to vulnerable or marginalized children. It is mandatory for all schools to manage the available funds efficiently.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The 2020 Policy on the Career Path for the Teaching Profession in Nigeria aims to ensure the periodic assessment of the competencies and performance of school leaders, to determine their required levels of attainment of the Professional Standards and the Teacher's Code of Ethics. The 2016 National School-based Management Policy similarly refers to the monitoring and evaluation of school leadership.
The 2016 National Education Quality Assurance Handbook for Basic and Secondary Education includes a provision on the effectiveness of leadership and management, aiming to empower leaders at all management levels (and particularly principals/head teachers and senior teams) to be held more accountable for the progress of the school. Areas of assessment include the effective utilization of human and material resources to improve learning outcomes, the establishment of clear priorities and targets in the school development plan, the extent to which leaders promote the well-being of learners and prevent and respond to incidences of violence/harassment/abuse, and how well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination is tackled. The lead evaluator should additionally arrange at least one joint lesson observation with the principal/head teacher and senior teachers to evaluate their leadership style and ensure they are evaluating teaching/learning accurately.
The 2022 Policy on the Performance Management System for the Federal Public Service aims to be used as a tool for appraising civil service employees performance, complementing the Annual Performance Evaluation Report, the performance appraisal tool used in the public service. It also provides the framework for continuous tracking of employees' performance, for developing and improving their capacities to perform on their jobs, and for motivating them for increased productivity.
Principals/head teachers are responsible for ensuring that school-self evaluation is carried out at least once per term and that the school evaluation form is filled once a year. Head teachers are also ranked by four tiers according to the Professional Standards for School Leadership. The standards specifies domains at four performance levels: beginner, proficient, mentor, and distinguished.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
Standardized teaching practice assessment forms and procedures are developed for head teachers and supervisors to evaluate teaching at the school, as defined in the 2014 National Teacher Education Policy.
