Personal and School Factors, and the Mediating Role of School Engagement as Determinants of Student Leadership Skill: A Structural Equation Model

Leadership is an important 21st Century skill, and it is imperative that schoolsdevelop responsible and authentic student leaders primarily to equip them for futureemployment. However, school programs that aimed to develop leadershipcapacities are short-term, and often benefit students already elected as organizationofficers. Using structural equation modeling procedures, this study exploredinherent personal and school factors, and the mediating role of school engagementin developing leadership skill. The main objective of this analysis was to come upwith a student-leadership development model beneficial to all students. A total of881 grades 9 and 10 students selected through probability and non-probabilitysampling techniques in schools in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, andPakistan comprised the total sample of the study. The result showed that amongpersonal and school factors, self-efficacy, sense of well-being, and school climatehad direct and indirect effects to leadership skills indicating a partialmediation. With this, school climate had the largest total effect which suggests thata positive school climate is the strongest predictor of leadership developmentamong students. Moreover, teacher quality achieved a full mediation to leadershipskill which implies that in producing leaders, the role of the teacher is to ensure thatstudents are engaged in school. The theoretical and practical implications of theresult are further discussed in the study