The Administrative Role of Principals: Insights and Implication in Secondary Schools Mardan District

Secondary schools are educational establishments tasked with preparing students for postsecondary education and professional training. Principalsare the primary stakeholders entrusted with administrative positions in secondary schools to meet society's demands and provide quality education to students. The study aimed to examine the administrative function of principals in secondary schools in Mardan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in light of their organizational role at the secondary level. The study's goals were to look at the administrative position of secondary school principals and suggest methods for more effective secondary school administration. The research included 100 government male high school principals from the Mardan district. A reliable instrument was developed, validated, andpilot tested. The information was gathered using a unique administration instrument and evaluated using mean scores, standard deviation, and the chi-square test. The study discovered that principalsplay a primarily administrative function in high school administration. They develop the school's vision and mission, provided school facilities, organize the teaching-learning process, plan co-curricular activities, supervise school activities, identify students' needs and demands, maintain the school's records, ensure financial management, collaborate with parents and society, coordinate with educational authorities, track, and evaluate the school's activities. For effective secondary school administration, the study proposed providing instruction for new principals at the time of admission and capacity building for current principals in financial management, record keeping, staff management, service law, and ICT skills.Keywords:administrative role, Mardan, Pakistan, principals, secondary schools