The role of school leadership in promoting cybersecurity in schools in the governorates of North Al Batinah and South Al Sharqiyah in the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the role of school leadership in enhancing cybersecurity among teachers and students and to present proposed mechanisms to increase its effectiveness from the perspective of school principals and teachers. To achieve this, a descriptive-analytical approach was used, and a questionnaire consisting of 30 items was designed, divided into three domains. The questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 235 male and female principals and teachers. Validity and reliability were verified, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient reached 0.92. The study results showed that the role of school leadership in enhancing cybersecurity among teachers is highly realized, and that school leadership plays a significant role in enhancing cybersecurity among students. The study also proposed several proposals to increase the effectiveness of cybersecurity in schools, including raising students' awareness of the risks of malicious links and verifying reliable sources: raising awareness among school administrations about how to use the internet and educational platforms. The study results revealed statistically significant differences in enhancing cybersecurity among students and teachers according to gender, in favor of males. The study indicated no statistically significant differences between the average responses of the study sample members based on job title, years of experience, or academic qualifications in the three fields. The study also revealed a significant, statistically significant positive relationship between the role of school leadership in promoting cybersecurity and its role in promoting cybersecurity among students. There is also a weak, statistically significant positive relationship between the role of school leadership among teachers and the proposed measures to increase its effectiveness, and a similar relationship between the role of school leadership among students and the proposed measures. The study recommended increasing the involvement of school administration in developing cybersecurity awareness programs and mechanisms for enhancing it, allocating an approved budget for cybersecurity to ensure the sustainability of its activities, and conducting descriptive studies in schools across the Sultanate on the reality of cybersecurity among school leadership, teachers, and students at all educational levels.