The Value of School Principals in TALIS 2024: Azerbaijan
Table of contents
The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is the largest international survey of teachers and principals. By collecting internationally comparable information, it ensures that teachers’ and principals’ voices are represented in education policymaking.
TALIS relies solely on self-reports, which reflect perceptions but may be shaped by social and cultural context. Cross-country comparisons should therefore be interpreted with caution.
This note presents findings based on responses collected in 2024 from lower secondary teachers and principals. It only comments on statistically significant differences or changes.
TALIS defines valued leadership based on teachers’ views about their principals’ instructional and relational leadership. Instructional leadership involves principals encouraging their teachers to improve their skills, collaborate with each other and take responsibility for students’ learning outcomes. Relational leadership refers to principals fostering their school community’s shared vision, inclusive decision making and positive professional relationships.
Percentage of lower secondary teachers who “agree” or “strongly agree” with the following statements about the principal at their school
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 1.2.
In Azerbaijan, 92% of teachers ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that their principal encourages co-operation among teachers to develop new teaching practices, which is higher than teachers’ reports across OECD countries and territories with available data (hereafter, “the OECD average”) (86%). Furthermore, 92% of teachers report that their principal ensures that teachers take responsibility for improving their teaching skills (higher than the OECD average: 85%), and 94% think that their principal ensures that teachers feel responsible for their students’ learning outcomes (higher than the OECD average: 86%).
Percentage of lower secondary teachers who “agree” or “strongly agree” with the following statements about the principal at their school
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 1.3.
In Azerbaijan, 92% of teachers ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that their principal has a clear vision for the school (higher than the OECD average: 87%), 87% agree that the principal encourages all staff to have a say on important decisions (higher than the OECD average: 78%), 93% agree that the principal has good professional relationships with staff (higher than the OECD average: 86%), and 93% agree that the principal has good professional relationships with parents or guardians (higher than the OECD average: 91%).
Valued leadership is associated with a school climate that supports teaching and learning, as well as better professional outcomes for teachers. Moreover, in schools with more valued leadership, teachers are less likely to want to leave the profession and there are fewer reported teacher shortages, on average across OECD education systems.
Percentage of lower secondary principals who “agree” or “strongly agree” that, all in all, they are satisfied with their job
Note: * Estimates should be interpreted with caution due to a higher risk of non-response bias.
A 95% confidence interval shows the range within which the true value is likely to lie, taking into account the uncertainty associated with survey estimates. It shows how precise an estimate is: narrower intervals indicate greater precision, while wider intervals indicate greater uncertainty.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 2.22.
In Azerbaijan, the share of principals who report that, all in all, they are satisfied with their job is 96% (similar to the OECD average: 94%).
Principals who are satisfied with their job tend to be more valued by their teachers, both as instructional and relational leaders, on average across OECD education systems. Principals who feel supported and satisfied may be better placed to lead and build strong relationships with teachers. Teachers’ appreciation may, in turn, strengthen principals’ job satisfaction and sense of effectiveness.
Percentage of lower secondary principals who report that the following are sources of stress “quite a bit” or “a lot”
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 2.34.
In Azerbaijan, 15% of principals experience stress ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ in their work (lower than the OECD average: 61%).
In Azerbaijan, the most commonly reported sources of stress are: being held responsible for students’ achievement (52%), maintaining school discipline (44%), and having to adapt the school’s practices due to unexpected disruptions (30%). On average across OECD education systems, principals most frequently report stress from excessive administrative work (68%), changing requirements from authorities (56%) and addressing parents’ and guardians’ concerns (53%).
On average across OECD education systems, valued principals focus on curriculum and instructional tasks, such as classroom observation and teacher feedback; support teacher leadership; use school- and classroom-based results in formal teacher appraisal; follow appraisal with development/training plans; and actively involve stakeholders in decision making and school activities.
Percentage of lower secondary principals who report the following
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 3.8, 3.20, 3.36 and 3.46.
In Azerbaijan, 95% of principals observed instruction in the classroom ‘often’ or ‘very often’ in the 12 months prior to the survey (higher than the OECD average: 49%), 96% gave feedback to teachers based on their observation (higher than the OECD average: 56%), and 89% helped teachers co-operate to develop new teaching practices (higher than the OECD average: 60%).
In Azerbaijan, 44% of principals use teachers’ school- and classroom-based results as part of formal teacher appraisal (lower than the OECD average: 62%), and 86% report that a training or professional development plan is developed ‘most of the time’ or ‘always’ following a formal teacher appraisal (higher than the OECD average: 47%).
In Azerbaijan, providing opportunities for staff to actively participate in school decisions is almost universal, with 97% of principals reporting this (similar to the OECD average: 98%). 88% report that parents and guardians have opportunities to actively participate in school decisions (higher than the OECD average: 81%), and 68% report the same for students (lower than the OECD average: 85%).
In Azerbaijan, 72% of principals report spending time with students at least weekly (lower than the OECD average: 80%), 49% report that parents and guardians are involved in school activities ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ (similar to the OECD average: 45%), and 36% report that the school co-operates with the local community ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ (lower than the OECD average: 70%).
On average across OECD education systems, stronger instructional leadership is linked to participation in two forms of continuous professional learning: self-initiated in-person learning activities and online training in the use of digital tools for teaching.
In Azerbaijan, 59% of principals report having participated in self-initiated learning activities in the 12 months prior to the survey (lower than the OECD average: 80%), while 50% report having participated in courses on developing a strategy for the use of digital resources and tools for teaching (lower than the OECD average: 65%).
Percentage of lower secondary principals who report a “high level of need” for professional learning in the following areas
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 4.21.
In Azerbaijan, the most commonly reported learning needs are: developing a strategy for the use of digital tools and resources for teaching (36%), using data to improve school quality (28%), and designing professional learning for/with teachers (25%). On average across OECD education systems, principals’ most frequently reported professional learning needs are: promoting staff well-being (28%), developing collaboration among teachers (27%), using data to improve school quality (25%), and school management (25%).
Percentage of lower secondary principals who report that the school’s capacity to provide quality instruction is hindered “quite a bit” or “a lot” by the following material resource constraints
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 4.26.
In Azerbaijan, the most commonly reported material resource constraints are: digital resources and tools for instruction (47%), insufficient Internet access (36%), and physical infrastructure (31%). On average across OECD education systems, principals most frequently report the shortage or inadequacy of instructional space (25%), physical infrastructure (24%) and digital resources and tools for instruction (16%) as the material resource constraints that hinder the school’s capacity to provide quality instruction ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’.
Percentage of lower secondary principals who “agree” or “strongly agree” that they are satisfied with the following aspects of their employment terms
Note: Statistically significant differences between Azerbaijan and the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 4.42 and 4.48.
In Azerbaijan, 68% of principals are satisfied with their salary (higher than the OECD average: 49%).
77% of principals are satisfied with their non-salary employment terms (higher than the OECD average: 66%).
All data reported in this note come from the tables accompanying the report (OECD, 2026):
Valued leadership matters: Tables 1.2, 1.3, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19, 1.20, 1.21, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24, 1.25, 1.28 and 1.29 (see here: https://stat.link/l0e86u).
Thriving principals are more valued: Tables 2.22, 2.23, 2.25, 2.28 and 2.34 (see here: https://stat.link/p5csei).
What valued principals do: Tables 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 3.6, 3.8, 3.11, 3.14, 3.18, 3.20, 3.22, 3.23, 3.25, 3.34, 3.35, 3.36, 3.40, 3.41, 3.42, 3.44, 3.45, 3.46, 3.48, 3.49, 3.50 and 3.51 (see here: https://stat.link/cdakqp).
How to support principals: Tables 4.5, 4.21, 4.26, 4.42, 4.47 and 4.48 (see here: https://stat.link/mqb50h).
References
OECD (2026), The Value of Principals (TALIS 2024), TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/a2cdb777-en.
OECD (2025), Results from TALIS 2024: The State of Teaching, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/90df6235-en.
OECD (forthcoming), Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 Technical Report, OECD Publishing, Paris.
OECD (forthcoming), Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 User Guide, OECD Publishing, Paris.
For more information about TALIS 2024 visit https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/talis.html.
Explore, compare and visualise more data and analysis using http://gpseducation.oecd.org/.
For more information on the education system profile visit https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile
Questions can be directed to the TALIS team at the Directorate for Education and Skills: edutaliscontact@oecd.org.
This note was written by Rodolfo Ilizaliturri and Gabor Fülöp, Directorate for Education and Skills.
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The full book is available in English: OECD (2026), The Value of School Principals in TALIS 2024, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/a2cdb777-en
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