The Structural Relationship Between Principal’s Instructional Leadership, Teacher Commitment and Teacher Self-Efficacy in Program Vokasional Menengah Atas (PVMA) in Malaysia

The academic achievement of students is influenced by the leadership capabilities of school administrators and the commitment and efficacy of teachers in their roles. However, within the Program Vokasional Menengah Atas (PVMA) context, there has been a concerning rise in students failing to meet minimum qualifications. This underscores the urgent need to assess the effectiveness of principals' instructional leadership as well as teachers’ commitment and self-efficacy. This study aims to identify the interrelationships between instructional leadership, teacher commitment, and self-efficacy, as well as how instructional leadership and teacher commitment impact teacher self-efficacy. The research utilized three questionnaires adapted from previous studies that had been validated through face, content, and construct validation. The sample consisted of 318 PVMA teachers, and the data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study directly address the research problem by demonstrating the significant impact of principals' instructional leadership on teachers' commitment and self-efficacy. Significant correlations were found between instructional leadership and teacher self-efficacy, instructional leadership and teacher commitment, and teacher commitment and self-efficacy. The study highlights the positive influence of instructional leadership and teacher commitment on enhancing teacherself-efficacy, emphasizing the pivotal role of principals in fostering a supportive environment that prevents student underachievement. It provides actionable insights for principals, teachers, and education stakeholders to prioritize instructional leadership, improve teacher commitment, and enhance overall effectiveness in educational outcomes. Future research could expand by incorporating additional variables influencing instructional leadership and diversifying the sample population to enrich understanding and applicability across diverse educational contexts.