The purpose of this study was to identify core competencies of Secondary School
Principles. It was studied what were core competencies for job and role performance of
Principles and what was the competency levels which Principles recognized. Through the
Delphi technique, Core competence indicators were developed and , on the basis of the
survey, the level of competency of each background variable was analyzed in comparison of
difference between present-retained competencies and future?desired competencies.
The results of this study are as follows. First, the core competencies of Principles arethe
system of job-related competency clusters and leadership-related competency clusters, and
they are composed of 12 competencies and 52 competencies indicators.
Second, the survey for the core competencies indicators reveals that there are significant
differences according to background variables; gender and school types and that principals
have much more educational needs to developing future?desired competencies than
present-retained competencies. Also, educational needs for job-related competencies were
much higher than leadership-related competencies. This research suggests that the
development of national 'standardized instrument' and the establishment of 'Competence
Support Centers for Principals' should be preceded to strengthen the core competencies of
principals.