Principals’ instructional leadership in Rwandan primary schools: Teacher perceptions

Principals’ leadership role in shaping effective teaching practices has become increasingly critical. However, empirical evidence on how principals’ instructional leadership influences student academic achievement in Rwandan primary schools, from teachers’ perspectives, remains limited. Therefore, to bridge this gap, a quantitative cross-sectional correlation design was adopted. The study was guided by Instructional Leadership Theory and Social Learning Theory. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from a sample size of 147 primary school teachers and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The study found that principals’ instructional leadership positively and significantly affects teachers’ instructional practices and motivation. Furthermore, while teachers’ instructional practices significantly mediate the relationship between instructional leadership and perceived academic achievement, teacher motivation did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect at the 5% level. This study highlights the importance of effective instructional leadership in enhancing teaching quality. Finally, it also provides insights for policy initiatives aimed at improving learner outcomes within Rwandan primary schools.