A COMPETENCY-BASED APPROACH TO ENHANCING THE MANAGERIAL COMPETENCE OF DIRECTORS IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
Abstract
This article examines the enhancement of managerial competence among directors of preschool educational organizations operating within public-private partnership frameworks. The study identifies the key competencies required for effective leadership in contemporary PPP-based preschool education, including strategic planning, organizational coordination, decision-making, communication, financial and resource management, digital leadership, stakeholder collaboration, and quality assurance. Particular attention is given to the need to balance public educational standards with private-sector principles of efficiency, accountability, flexibility, and institutional sustainability.
The article presents a competency-based approach that integrates managerial knowledge, practical leadership skills, professional values, reflective practice, and continuous professional development. This approach is intended to strengthen directors’ capacity to manage institutional resources effectively, support staff development, maintain educational quality, cooperate with families and external partners, and respond to changing regulatory, technological, and social demands. The study argues that the systematic enhancement of managerial competence can improve governance, organizational performance, accountability, and the long-term sustainability of preschool institutions functioning within public-private partnership settings. The proposed approach may also serve as a methodological foundation for designing professional development programmes, training modules, mentoring systems, and competency assessment criteria for preschool directors.
Keywords
public-private partnership, preschool education, managerial competence, preschool director, competency-based approach, educational leadership, strategic planning, institutional governance, professional development, quality assurance.How to Cite
References
Douglass, A. L. (2019). Leadership for quality early childhood education and care. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 211. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/6e563bae-en
OECD. (2020). Building a high-quality early childhood education and care workforce: Further results from the Starting Strong Survey 2018. OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2025). TALIS Starting Strong 2024 conceptual framework. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f49228be-en
OECD. (2025). Results from TALIS Starting Strong 2024: Strengthening early childhood education and care. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/20af08c0-en
OECD. (2025). Developing leadership in early childhood education and care settings. In Results from TALIS Starting Strong 2024: Strengthening early childhood education and care. OECD Publishing.
Douglass, A., Halle, T., Banghart, P., & Tout, K. (2022). Recognizing and supporting early childhood educators and program administrators as agents of change: An exploration of distributed leadership in early care and education. Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families.
Andersen, L. B., Bjørnholt, B., Bro, L. L., & Holm-Petersen, C. (2018). Achieving high quality through transformational leadership: A qualitative multilevel analysis of transformational leadership and perceived professional quality. Public Personnel Management, 47(1), 51–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026017747270
UNICEF. (2024). Raising the quality of early childhood education and care: Strengthening governance, monitoring and evaluation. UNICEF.
UNICEF Uzbekistan. (2022). Towards achieving universal early childhood education in the Republic of Uzbekistan. UNICEF Uzbekistan.
UNICEF Uzbekistan. (2026). Early childhood education. UNICEF. The source reports that preschool enrolment in Uzbekistan increased from below 30% in 2017 to more than 75% in 2025 and describes reforms in quality assurance, curriculum, alternative delivery models, and digital solutions.
Bush, T. (2020). Theories of educational leadership and management (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22.
Spencer, L. M., & Spencer, S. M. (1993). Competence at work: Models for superior performance. John Wiley & Sons.
Boyatzis, R. E. (1982). The competent manager: A model for effective performance. John Wiley & Sons.
Mulder, M. (2014). Conceptions of professional competence. In S. Billett, C. Harteis, & H. Gruber (Eds.), International handbook of research in professional and practice-based learning (pp. 107–137). Springer.
Eraut, M. (1994). Developing professional knowledge and competence. Routledge.
Guskey, T. R. (2002). Professional development and teacher change. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 8(3), 381–391.
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.
Hallinger, P. (2011). Leadership for learning: Lessons from 40 years of empirical research. Journal of Educational Administration, 49(2), 125–142.
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maksudjan Abdullayevich Yuldashev

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.