When the education system was overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, school principals had to take on the mantle of digital literacy by ensuring that teachers and learners attained and utilized digital tools and platforms. This study aims to explore the impact of digital leadership among school principals on teachers’ technology integration during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait. This quantitative study used two surveys, the Principal Technology Leadership Assessment, and the Teacher Technology Integration Survey. The sample consisted of 113 school principals and 404 teachers from public elementary schools in Kuwait. The study revealed that digital leadership among school principals had a positive impact on teachers’ technology integration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion and implications for policymakers, school principals, and future research are introduced.

PurposeThis study aimed to explore Kuwaiti public school principals' experiences in relation to autonomy and accountability after the implementation of the School Education Quality Improvement Project, which aimed to increase the autonomy and accountability of Kuwaiti public schools.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative approach using semistructured interviews with 24 Kuwaiti public school principals who had participated in the education reform project.FindingsThe study results indicated that Kuwaiti public school principals have limited autonomy in four main areas: accountability, personnel management, budget allocation and instructional programs. The results also revealed that the Integrated Education Reform Program failed to develop more autonomy in schools, creating a lack of balance between autonomy and accountability.Originality/valueThe study's findings on school principals' experiences of autonomy in the reform era will be informative for policymakers. Practical suggestions are provided to reduce the autonomy gap in schools.

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