Good teachers become effective head teachers? Preparing for headship in Cyprus

In Cyprus, the introduction of management and leadership training programmes in education is still at an embryonic stage and is far from addressing the actual needs of Cypriot head teachers. Those responsible for organising inservice training programmes at the Pedagogical Institute conceded that the Cyprus educational system (CES) had failed due to the fact that it had neither trained nor created good school leaders. This was combined with a weakness in the procedures for leadership selection. This article reports on the results of a pilot study on the national primary school head teachers' in service training programmes and further professional development in Cyprus. The aim of the pilot project was to investigate primary school head teachers' own views on the national training programmes for headship programme with a view to influence current attempts for reform and development in these areas, and also to pilot-test the instruments used in order to formalise them. This study highlights problems, makes achievable recommendations and gives the decision-makers involved in the "educational reform plan" the chance to consider possible solutions, supported by the grass roots, for proper and adequate preparation of educational leaders. (Contains 2 figures, 1 table and 3 notes.)