Being a school principal can be overwhelming but at the same time, it is the most satisfying job you can have. The Principal jobs is coveted in the noble field of academia. You get to build the responsible generation for the country and ultimately the human civilization. School principal duties are not only limited to overseeing the school’s day-to-day activities, but the principal is directly responsible for setting the vision for the school and the children. Some schools are known by the reputation of the principal.
What Is a Principal
To give a principal job summary is very hard. Broadly speaking, principal is the highest rank in academics. However, it is not just limited to that. Principal acts as the leader to the school teachers as well as the students. They must always lead by example. School principal activities include overseeing all the higher-level activities of the school. The principal is some who works as the mediator between the school and the parents. They are responsible for creating a good working environment for the staff and the nurturing environment for the students.
What does a Principal do?
The main goal of the principal’s job is to make sure that the school is well represented and has proper discipline. The principal sets a goal for the school to achieve and motivates staff and students to achieve that goal. Principals need to take an active part in the school’s day-to-day activities and must ensure that everything goes without any hiccups. Depending upon the school and its regulations some principals are responsible for the hiring and firing of the teachers. An ideal principal is someone who takes an initiative in being a responsible member of the community. They must also look at everyone’s suggestions and grievances and must make decisions based on their wisdom by keeping the betterment of the school at the topmost priority.
Principal job duties include:
School principals’ duties vary from school to school. However, there are some duties that every school principal must fulfill. Some of them are listed below:
- Setting the goals for students and teachers to achieve. These goals should be from the academics as well as the extracurricular activities.
- Uphold the educational policies and ascertain that the school’s curriculum is curated by following the proper guidelines.
- Initiate the programs that will help students and teachers in their overall development.
- Respond to parents’ concerns by conveying them to the school administrators.
- Discipline the unruly behaviour of the students and inform students’ parents regarding the same while maintaining required discretion.
- Provide guidance to the teachers and students in times of crisis.
- Motivate students and teachers to participate the events that will be good for their development and provide required help on the way.
- It is a duty of a good principal to inculcate the values and good behaviour in the students and teachers alike.
Job brief for Principal
The principal is responsible for culminating the hospitable learning environment for the students and the working environment for teachers. The principal must be someone on whom teachers can rely for discipline and leading the way for everyone. They must have in-depth knowledge of the educational policies and must work in the way for the betterment of students by following the guidelines. Principals must have good communication and leadership skills. And lastly, the principal must be passionate about his duties and work for improving the standard of the school as well as the goodwill of the society.
Responsibilities of Principal
All activities of the school are the school principal activities. Apart from those, school principals also have a set of responsibilities on their shoulders. Let’s look at the responsibilities that come with the school principal job:
- The principal is responsible for the logistics and the budget of the school. He/she needs to carefully structure the budget. They also need to keep a tab on the expenditure of the school.
- Principals monitor and evaluate teachers’ progress through the years and make a report on them. They need to appreciate the teachers for their efforts and also guide them wherever they are lacking.
- Principals are required to present the data of the school’s progress and activities to the board members.
- Principals should guide and counsel children to reach up their potential.
- They are part of the recruitment process of the school’s teaching and the non-teaching staff.
- Principals can offer behavioural monitoring and modification programs to unruly children and their parents.
- They need to implement school policies after carefully reviewing them.
- To ensure that the students have clean and hygienic conditions in school.
- Principals need to organize school events and assemblies.
- They should be the wise word of authority in moments of crisis.
- The principal needs to take an active part in academia to make themselves aware of the contemporary trends in education.
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Requirements for Principal
Following the qualifying criteria for the principal job post:
- They must have experience as a principal or in a similar administrative role
- They should be aware of the school administrative processes and contemporary national educational regulations
- They must know how to operate and have hands-on experience with MS Office
- They should be good at crisis management
- The principal must possess the ability/quality to coach and inspire
- Having a teaching license is preferred. Certification from the authorized entity is also preferred.
- The principal should have a degree in Education and a Master’s degree in education or the subject.
Average Salary for Principal
The average salary for a school principal in Singapore varies based on experience, type of institution, and specific roles.
General Salary Overview
- Entry-Level (0-2 years of experience): Approximately S$50,000 - S$80,000 per annum.
- Mid-Level (3-5 years of experience): Approximately S$80,000 - S$120,000 per annum.
- Senior-Level (5+ years of experience): Approximately S$120,000 - S$180,000 per annum.
Salary by Type of Institution
| Institution Type | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| International Schools | S$150,000 |
| Private Schools | S$120,000 |
| Government Schools | S$100,000 |
Salary by City
| City | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Central Region | S$130,000 |
| East Region | S$110,000 |
| North Region | S$100,000 |
| West Region | S$100,000 |
| North-East Region | S$105,000 |
Salary by Top Employers
| Company | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Singapore American School | S$180,000 |
| Tanglin Trust School | S$170,000 |
| Raffles Institution | S$160,000 |
| St. Joseph's Institution | S$150,000 |
| Anglo-Chinese School | S$140,000 |
This overview indicates that school principals in Singapore can expect varying salaries based on their experience and the type of institution they work for. International schools typically offer higher salaries due to their funding and demand for quality education.
Key Skills
- The principal must have a keen attention to detail
- The principal should be good at verbal as well as written communication
- The principal must have great presentation skills
- The principal should be disciplined and should know how to implement the discipline
- He/she should be comfortable taking on a leadership role
- Must have a vision for the future
- The principal should be service-oriented
- Good at planning and organizing
- The principal must be Empathetic towards students and their problems
- Skilled in identifying problems and quick in brainstorming potential solutions
Why pursue a career as a Principal?
The principal is the career post that not only uplifts the profile of the person in terms of academic hierarchy but that position also gives opportunity to individuals to bring a change. If you are passionate about giving back to the community , what is the better way to do it than building and helping others in building the generation of responsible adults?
How to Become a Principal
In order to be qualified as the post of principal, you need to possess the required qualifications and the experience criteria set by the institution. You need to start from the position of the teacher and then slowly you can build your way up to the post of the principal. Your academic qualification and your experiences as a teacher will help you get all the insights you need to be a good principal. The Principal’s job is noble and coveted, it can be overwhelming in the beginning but you will have years of experience and your own wisdom to guide you through it.
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