The Principal's Level of Instructional Leadership Practice: A Survey Study in Secondary Schools Around the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur

HRMARS - The findings of the study indicate that the implementation of instructional leadership by secondary school principals in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur is at a moderate level across all major dimensions analysed. The data obtained reflect that principals have carried out their instructional leadership responsibilities effectively; however, strategic improvements are still required, particularly in the areas of instructional planning and implementation. As instructional leaders, principals play a significant role in providing guidance, support, and supervision to teachers to ensure that the effectiveness of the teaching and learning (T&L) process is enhanced to an optimal level. This study was conducted to examine the level of instructional leadership implementation among principals based on three core dimensions, namely school goal setting, management of instructional programmes, and the development of a conducive learning climate. A survey research design employing a quantitative approach was utilised, involving 241 secondary school teachers in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur as respondents. Data were analysed using SPSS software, while the reliability of the research instrument recorded Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients ranging from 0.82 to 0.90, adapted from the reliability findings reported by Sultan (2022) and Feyisa (2023), indicating a high level of validity and reliability.The results further reveal that all dimensions of instructional leadership among principals were at a moderate level, suggesting that principals have performed their leadership responsibilities effectively but continue to require strategic enhancement, particularly in instructional planning and implementation. These findings suggest that continuous professional development programmes should be systematically designed to strengthen principals’ capacity as more effective instructional leaders. Overall, the findings of this study are aligned with the aspirations of the Malaysian Education Blueprint (MEB) 2013–2025, which emphasises the importance of high-impact leadership as a catalyst for improving teacher performance and student achievement. These findings offer important practical and empirical implications for policymakers, school administrators, and researchers in efforts to strengthen instructional leadership practices towards enhancing the quality of national education and achieving excellence in 21st-century learning.