International Journal of Pedagogics
343
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijp
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
343-347
10.37547/ijp/Volume05Issue06-90
Development of Hard and Soft Skills of Personnel in The
Management of Educational Institutions
A.Mamasoatov
Master’s student at International Nordic University, Uzbekistan
D.Miraliyeva
Associate Professor at International Nordic University, Uzbekistan
Received:
27 April 2025;
Accepted:
23 May 2025;
Published:
25 June 2025
Abstract:
This article explores the importance of developing both hard and soft skills among personnel involved
in the management of educational institutions. In the modern educational landscape, effective management
requires not only technical competencies
—
such as strategic planning, financial oversight, and administrative
regulation
—
but also interpersonal abilities like communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, and
teamwork. The paper analyzes the current trends and challenges in human resource development within
educational settings, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that fosters both sets of skills. Additionally,
it provides practical recommendations for integrating skill development programs into institutional management
structures. Through a synthesis of recent academic studies and real-world case examples, the study highlights
how improving the hard and soft skillsets of managers can enhance the overall efficiency, adaptability, and
innovation capacity of educational institutions.
Keywords:
Educational management, human resource development, hard skills, soft skills, leadership,
communication, emotional intelligence, strategic planning, institutional efficiency.
Introduction:
The issue of developing leadership skills
in the management of educational institutions is
considered globally important. The modern education
system requires leaders not only to manage
pedagogical activities but also to align institutions with
international
standards,
implement
digital
transformation, and lead teams effectively. In
Uzbekistan,
educational
reforms
—
particularly
initiatives
launched
since
2017
—
have
placed
significant emphasis on enhancing the qualifications of
educational leaders. For example, a report published by
the Ministry of Public Education in 2024 noted that
more than 60% of education institution leaders lack
modern management skills. This shortcoming has led to
challenges in managing financial resources, project
planning, and the use of digital technologies.
Internationally, countries like Finland and Singapore
have achieved high outcomes in their education
systems through continuous professional development
programs for leaders. In Finland, for instance, training
programs of at least 100 hours per year are organized
for heads of educational institutions, helping them to
improve their strategic planning and communication
skills (OECD, 2020). In Singapore, over 95% of leaders
are proficient in the use of information technologies,
which contributes significantly to the competitiveness
of the education system. In Uzbekistan, such programs
have not yet been fully implemented, highlighting the
relevance
of
research
into
leadership
skill
development.
In recent years, many studies have been conducted on
the competencies of education leaders. Kotler (2020),
in his work “Management and Leadership in
Education,” emphasizes that financial management
skills directly affect institutional effectiveness. He
asserts that effective management of financial
resources is crucial for funding educational projects
and developing infrastructure. Meanwhile, Goleman
(2018), in “Emotional Intelligence in Leadership,”
highlights the role of emotional intelligence in
International Journal of Pedagogics
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
leadership effectiveness, showing that soft skills are
essential for teamwork. Goleman argues that a leader's
ability to manage their own and their employees’
emotions
positively
influences
decision-making
processes.
International research has explored the competencies
of education leaders from various angles. The OECD
(2020) report confirms that continuous professional
development programs for school leaders increase
institutional efficiency. For instance, more than 80% of
Finnish school leaders participate in annual training
sessions, which contributes to maintaining high
education quality at the international level. In
Singapore, leaders’ proficiency in information
technology has accelerated the digital transformation
of the education system (Fullan, 2019). These
experiences can serve as important directions for
Uzbekistan’s educ
ation system.
Although studies on leadership skills in the Uzbek
context are limited, several significant efforts have
been documented. The 2024 report by the Ministry of
Public Education found that 65% of school leaders in
Uzbekistan
lack
sufficient
skills
in
financial
management and information technology. Training
seminars held in 2025 by the Tashkent branch of the
Russian University of Chemical Technology (RUCT)
showed positive results in developing soft skills (RUCT
Report, 2025). For example, leaders who participated
in communication and leadership training improved
their skills by an average of 20%. However, such
programs have yet to be widely implemented across
the country.
Identified Gaps in the Literature Review:
1.
There is a lack of large-scale systematic
research in Uzbekistan on assessing the hard and soft
skills of education leaders.
2.
Concrete
strategies
for
adapting
international experiences to the Uzbek education
system have not been developed.
3.
There are few local studies specifically
addressing
soft
skills,
particularly
emotional
intelligence and stress management.
To address these gaps, this dissertation aims to assess
the hard and soft skills of educational institution
leaders in Uzbekistan using quantitative methods and
to develop proposals for training programs.
A number of scholars have studied the issues of "soft"
and "hard" skills at different times. Among them are
Abashkina O., Barinova O. V., Gayduchenko E.,
Marushev A., Davidova V., Jadko N. V., Churkina M. A.,
Ivanov D., Kanardov I., Klukovskaya I., Miroshnichenko
A. N., Novikov A. M., Choshanov M. A., Chulanova O. L.,
Pavlova
E.,
Portland
Yu.,
Sosnitskaya
O.,
Tataurshchikova D., and Shipilov V. All these
researchers, in one way or another, divide skills into
two groups: hard skills and soft skills. Researchers
working on this topic often use the concepts of
competence and skills interchangeably in their
publications.
Another group of researchers
—
Abashkina O., Barinova
O. V., Gayduchenko E., Marusheva A., Davidova V.,
Jadko N. V., Churkina M. A., Ivanova D., Kanardova I.,
Klukovskaya I., Miroshnichenko A. N., Novikova A. M.,
Choshanova M. A., Pavlova E., Portland Yu., Sosnitskaya
O., Tataurshchikova D., Shipilova V., and Chulanova O.
L.
—emphasize the term “soft skills” as a form of “soft
competence.”
The term competence encompasses a teacher’s
education, skills, abilities, and experience. In other
words, it is the ability to perform a specific type of
work. Essentially, the two terms are closely related. The
overall goal of the educational system is to educate
responsible and well-rounded members of society who
can meet the requirements of a democratic state.
In carrying out the research, the following educational
literature was used:
•
Muslimov N.A., Usmonboyeva M.H.,
Sayfurov D.M.
, To‘rayev A.B. –
Competencies of the
21st Century Teacher [Electronic resource],
•
Ishmukhamedov R.J., M. Mirsoliyeva
–
Innovative Educational Technologies in the Learning
Process,
•
Ishmukhamedov R., Mirsoliyeva M.,
Akramov A.
–
Innovative Activities of the Leader,
•
Abdurakhmonova Z.A.
–
Issues in
Developing the Professional Competence of the
Modern Teacher (Conference proceedings),
•
Ramatov J., Umarova R., Baratov R.,
Jurabayev N., Artikova B. (2022)
–
Constructive and
Optimal Solutions for the Formation of a Stable
Ecological Situation in the Aral Sea Region of
Uzbekistan (AIP Conference Proceedings),
•
Baratov R. (2021)
–
Prospects of the
Higher Education System (on the example of
Uzbekistan)
–
International Journal on Orange
Technologies,
•
A.S. Zikriyoyev
–
Discover Yourself Among
Researchers in the World University Rankings,
•
Vorobyeva Ye.S., Krakovetskaya I.V.
–
Rating Assessment of Competence in Foreign and
Domestic Higher Education Institutions,
•
Demin P.V.
–
Marketization of the
Education Sector and University Branding, and others.
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
These sources were used to form the theoretical
foundation of the dissertation.
In today's era of rapid development, the issue of
specialist competence is of great relevance and
growing interest. It is essential for organizing the
educational process and ensuring its effectiveness.
Developing and ensuring the competence of
specialists
—
who are active, initiative-driven, clearly
understand their professional goals, think critically,
analytically, and creatively, possess innovative
thinking, and are ready to implement new ideas in their
work
—
is considered one of the most important
components of the educational process. The concept of
competence is gaining increasing importance in both
the theory and practice of personnel management.
Competency is the employee's ability to consistently
demonstrate work behavior in line with the
expectations and requirements of the organization. In
developing a competency framework, organizations
define a set of key criteria related to employee
performance based on standard requirements.
Moreover, competency serves as evidence of both the
professional and social equality of employees within an
organization.
Today, determining the prospects for the socio-
economic and cultural development of our Republic
and striving for a worthy position among the countries
of the global community through large-scale reforms is
considered a pressing issue.
To understand the essence of the terms such as
“competency,” “competency
-
based approach,” and
“holder of competencies,” it is essential to first
consider the centuries-old national traditions and
values developed in this regard.
The word competency originates from Latin and
translates into Uzbek as “appropriate,” “suitable,” or
“corresponding.” A competent per
son is understood as
someone who is capable of solving both simple and
complex problems using their knowledge, skills, and
practical
experience.
The
term
“professional
competence” is often used to describe the ability to
successfully
apply one's
practical
experience,
knowledge, and skills in the performance of
professional duties.
In the legal sense, competency is a term that refers to
the rights and duties within the authority of a specific
div or individual, defining their role in state and
public structures. In jurisprudence, competency
includes the following elements: the promoted
subjects (territories, events, actions, etc.), and the set
of rights, responsibilities, and powers that a particular
div or person may exercise in their activities.
In the realm of social rights, competency is defined as
the legally assigned authority of a specific subject to
perform certain administrative functions.
Managerial competency refers to an individual
specialist’s (employee's) personal authority in solving
professional tasks.
Intercultural competency is the ability to communicate
successfully with representatives of other cultures.
Core competency of an organization is a factor that
ensures the competitiveness of the organization and
serves as its primary tool in competitive struggle.
Domain of competency refers to the sum of knowledge
and skills possessed by an individual or group, which
they use to perform their duties at the highest and
most competitive level.
According to the Russian
–
Uzbek dictionary published
by the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan in 1983,
“компетентность” is translated into Uzbek as “deep
knowledge,” “based on thorough knowledge,”
“awareness,”
and
“effectiveness.”
The
term
“компетентный” is rendered as “a person with
sufficient information, deeply knowledgeable, well-
informed, possessing competence, authorized, and
entitled to review an issue.” The term “competency” is
associated with concepts such as an area or issue
someone is knowledgeable in, or legal rights and
authority.
Notably, the Explanatory Dictionary of the Uzbek
Language, a two-volume edition published in 1981 by
the A.S. Pushkin Institute of Language and Literature of
the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, does not
include the term “competency” at all. In general, the
approach based on competency in any field, especially
in pedagogical activity, has only begun to be applied in
the last five years in our country.
From the perspective of the morphological and
semantic features of the Uzbek language, the terms
and concepts of "competency" should be used in
alignment with the Latin terms competere ("to be
appropriate") and competo ("I am suitable" or "I
achieve"). According to the Latin-based Uzbek
alphabet, it is advisable to use the word
“kompetensiya” (competency) in all relev
ant contexts
to avoid confusion.
In conclusion, a competency-based approach, the
identification of individuals or groups as holders of
certain competencies, and the concept of pedagogical
professional competency are all appropriate and
meaningful uses of the term. In any case, competency
defines the role of an individual or group in society, and
it is reinforced by both legal and ethical relationships.
International Journal of Pedagogics
346
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
SHAXS
MOTIVATION FOR
PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
SOFT SKILL
“Hard
“Hard skills” (professional competencies) are a set of
knowledge that can be measured and assessed in terms
of skill level.
“Soft skills” (universal competencies) are flexible and
adaptable abilities that do not have a precise or
universal unit of measurement. In terms of content,
hard skills refer to specialized (professional)
competencies, whereas soft skills refer to foundational
(core) competencies.
CONCLUSION
Based on the research results, the following
conclusions can be drawn regarding the hard and soft
skills of education institution leaders in Uzbekistan:
1. Improving IT infrastructure:
The Ministry of Education should attract state
investments and international grants to equip 80% of
schools with modern computers. A "Digital Leadership"
program should be introduced with the goal of
increasing leaders’ IT skills from 2.8 to 3.5 points. Th
is
program should be implemented through digital
platforms, online courses, and offline training sessions.
For example, following the experience of Finland, IT
laboratories should be established in every school.
2. Financial management courses:
Based on the Russian experience, seminars on budget
planning, financial reporting, and auditing should be
organized. These courses aim to improve financial
management skills from 3.2 to 3.8 points. Annually,
special training should be held for 500 leaders, which
could improve financial stability by 25%.
3. State policy and investment:
To improve IT infrastructure, the Ministry of Education
should attract grants from the European Union and the
World Bank. The goal is to invest $100 million annually
and provide 50% of schools with modern technology by
2026.
4. Monitoring and evaluation system:
A specialized monitoring system should be introduced
to track the effectiveness of professional development
programs for leaders. Every year, leaders’ skills should
be reassessed, and results should be analyzed
statistically
and
compared
with
international
standards. This system could be piloted in 2025 and
implemented nationwide in 2026.
5. Collaboration and international exchange:
Partnerships should be established with educational
institutions in Finland, Singapore, and Russia. Every
year, 50 leaders should be sent to international
internship programs, which could improve their skills
by up to 40%. For instance, IT internships in Finland and
communication workshops in Singapore should be
organized.
6. Utilizing local resources:
Local IT specialists and financial experts within
Uzbekistan should be involved. Specialized training
centers should be opened in each region, aiming to
raise leaders’ skill levels to 3.5 points by 2027.
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
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