Role of Middle School Managers in Educational Development based on Students' Skill-Based Approach and Job Readiness

Document Type : Qualitative Research Paper

Authors

1 1. PhD Student in Educational Management, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

2 Full Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

10.22034/jsa.2026.145379.2643

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of middle school principals in educational development based on students' skill-based approach and job readiness. This research was conducted with qualitative approach and grounded theory method. The study population included all middle-level managers of schools and the Education and Training Office of Semnan City, who were selected using purposive. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 participants. The findings indicated that “Role-playing of middle-level managers as key actors in skill-based educational transformation and future employability” emerged as the core category. The causal conditions of this category stem from the fundamental need to re-examine the educational system in response to the mismatch between traditional education and contemporary skill requirements, structural changes in the labor market, contradictions between top-level documents and the practical realities of schools, and the evolving educational expectations of the new generation. The intervening conditions include managerial and implementation facilitators and barriers to the role of middle-level managers, such as the level of managerial support, professional competencies, workload pressure, and the degree of external stakeholder participation. Contextual conditions encompass the organizational, and human resources of the school, including structures, and human capital. In response to these conditions, middle-level managers adopt strategies such as redesigning skill-based teaching-learning processes, networking with stakeholders, and formally integrating skill-based activities into the school curriculum. The consequence of these strategies is the enhancement of human and social capital in society through the cultivation of skilled and active students at individual, organizational, and societal levels.

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References

References
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History

  • Receive Date: 26 February 2026
  • Revise Date: 24 April 2026
  • Accept Date: 04 June 2026

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