BRIDGING THE GAP: INTEGRATING PUBLIC MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES IN EDUCATION LEADERSHIP PRACTICES

Abstract

Education systems worldwide confront complex demands: accountability pressures, constrained resources, diverse stakeholder expectations, and rapidly changing social and technological environments. Meanwhile, public management has developed principles—strategic planning, performance measurement, participatory governance, fiscal stewardship, and transparent accountability—that can strengthen public sector organizations. This paper argues that deliberately integrating core public management principles into education leadership practice offers a pathway to improved school performance, equity, and system responsiveness. Drawing on conceptual analysis and cross-sector lessons, the paper proposes an integrative framework that maps public management levers to leadership activities at school, district, and policy levels, identifies practical implementation strategies, anticipates common obstacles, and offers recommendations for research and practice. The aim is not to bureaucratize schools, but to equip educational leaders with adaptive managerial tools that preserve pedagogical professionalism while enhancing effectiveness, legitimacy, and sustainability.