IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS BASED ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES. METHODS USED: SEM, AHP

This study examines the mediating role of technology integration in the relationship between innovative leadership and management effectiveness during the digital transformation of private schools. As educational technologies continue to develop rapidly, a wide range of digital management tools and innovative teaching systems are being introduced to address specific administrative needs in private education. The objective of the study is to provide empirical evidence on the capacity of innovative technologies to improve school management and to assess the effectiveness and priorities associated with this transformation. The study applies structural equation modelling (SEM) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Schools with high technology-adoption scores in the SEM analysis and schools allocating greater expenditure to administrative technology categories that are not directly related to teaching activities in the AHP analysis are used as comparison groups. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of more than 300 respondents, the study first examines aspects of the management system that may be considered efficient and innovative, particularly administrative coordination and data-driven decision-making. The results indicate strong positive short-run associations between technology use and school management efficiency, as well as statistically significant relationships with staff productivity and service quality. These findings are consistent with the AHP-based assessment of schools' expenditure priorities for digital infrastructure. At the same time, although administrators generally perceive these technologies as useful and necessary for their professional activities, the findings also identify certain forms of organizational engagement that may be complex, costly, and demanding. The integration of management functions through innovative technologies may contribute to improved outcomes for both administrators and teachers and may support the development of a management system that enhances educational quality. At the same time, the study highlights a potential tension between the technologies that appear effective for administrators in the short term and their possible long-term implications for the governance and sustainability of private schools.