Educational leadership and the University of Guyana: A critical look

Abstract

In recent decades, Educational Leadership has been receiving considerable attention from all interested parties and education stakeholders within the educational landscape. Educational institutions around the world have been carrying out research endeavours in order to boost leadership and leadership practice and improve didactic efforts in those educational establishments. Considering the afore-mentioned, this critique paper, which also is a review paper, examines issues in Educational Leadership in the context of the University of Guyana (the only national university in Guyana, South America). This critique paper is the first of its kind to be written about this University. It takes a critical look at the governance and institutional culture of the University. Attention is paid to Educational Leadership and what it entails. The issues discussed, with specific reference to the above-mentioned higher education institution, are the University’s Aim, Mission and Vision in the changing context of Educational Leadership; Shared Leadership; Pedagogic Leadership; Transformational Leadership; Ethical Leadership; Professional Development; Professional Learning Community, and Quality Education. The review highlights that the different kinds of Educational Leadership practices and activities at the University of Guyana are not as effective as they ought to be, and this is causing the institution to not live up fully to its mandate. It is emphasised and recommended that effective Educational Leadership has to be the nucleus of its educational practices if the University of Guyana is expected to provide cutting-edge, high-quality 21st century pedagogy.