Carlos Rigail Marcial Coello

crmc6284@gmail.com

Unidad educativa Jesús Martínez de Ezquerecocha, Babahoyo, Ecuador

María José Carrasco Ortiz

mrjsc08@gmail.com

Escuela de educación básica Roberto Alejandro Narváez, Libertad, Ecuador

Patricia Margarita Flores Villalva

patriciafloresvillalva@gmail.com

La librería letra libre, Babahoyo, Ecuador

Gina Magdalena Flores Villalva

giflovi82@hotmail.com

Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado Municipal del Cantón Babahoyo,

Babahoyo, Ecuador

Ninfa Marisol Flores Villalva

ninflovi15@hotmail.com

La librería letra libre, Babahoyo, Ecuador

Ethical Leadership in Public Educational Institutions

Liderazgo ético en instituciones educativas públicas

ISSN-L:3091-1893

10.63803

Gestión editorial

Fecha de recepción (Received): 2 de julio de 2025.

Fecha de aceptación (Accepted): 14 de julio de 2025.

Fecha de publicación (Published online): 17 de julio de 2025.

Vol.1 Num.3- 2025

DOI : https://doi.org/10.63803/prisma.v1n3.12

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Ethical Leadership in Public Educational Institutions

Liderazgo ético en instituciones educativas públicas

Abstract

Keywords

Ethical leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping the culture, climate, and

effectiveness of public educational institutions, particularly in Latin America,

where educational systems frequently face socio-political and economic

challenges. This article explores the concept of ethical leadership within public

schools, emphasizing its relevance in fostering integrity, trust, and social justice

among educational stakeholders. The study uses a qualitative approach, including

document analysis of regional policy frameworks and case studies from Ecuador,

to examine how school leaders embody ethical principles in practice. Findings

reveal that ethical leadership contributes to higher teacher motivation, improved

student engagement, and stronger community ties, even in resource-constrained

settings. However, the implementation of ethical leadership is often hindered by

bureaucratic constraints, political interference, and a lack of continuous

professional development. The article concludes that strengthening ethical

leadership should be a strategic priority in educational policy across Latin

America. It recommends integrating ethics training in leadership preparation

programs and fostering participatory governance models in schools. This

contribution is timely and necessary as public education in the region aims to

recover from post-pandemic disruptions and seeks greater transparency and

equity. The Ecuadorian context serves as a reference point to illustrate broader

regional trends and challenges in cultivating ethical school leadership.

• Ethical leadership

• Public education

• School governance

• Educational equity

• Latin America

Resumen

Palabras clave

El liderazgo ético desempeña un papel fundamental en la configuración de la

cultura, el clima y la eficacia de las instituciones educativas públicas, especialmente

en América Latina, donde los sistemas educativos enfrentan desafíos sociopolíticos

y económicos constantes. Este artículo explora el liderazgo ético en las escuelas

públicas, destacando su importancia para promover la integridad, la confianza y la

justicia social entre los actores educativos. El estudio emplea un enfoque cualitativo,

incluyendo análisis documental de marcos normativos regionales y estudios de caso

en Ecuador, para examinar cómo los líderes escolares encarnan principios éticos en

la práctica. Los hallazgos muestran que el liderazgo ético contribuye a una mayor

motivación docente, mayor participación estudiantil y vínculos comunitarios más

sólidos, incluso en contextos con recursos limitados. No obstante, su

implementación se ve limitada por restricciones burocráticas, interferencias

políticas y la falta de desarrollo profesional continuo. El artículo concluye que el

fortalecimiento del liderazgo ético debe ser una prioridad estratégica en las políticas

educativas de América Latina. Se recomienda incluir formación ética en los

programas de preparación de líderes y fomentar modelos de gobernanza

participativa en las escuelas. Esta contribución es pertinente y necesaria mientras la

educación pública busca superar las secuelas de la pandemia y avanzar hacia una

mayor transparencia y equidad. El contexto ecuatoriano sirve como ejemplo para

ilustrar tendencias y desafíos regionales en la promoción de un liderazgo escolar

ético.

• Liderazgo ético

• Educación pública

• Gobernanza escolar

• Equidad educativa

• América Latina

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Introduction

The need for ethical leadership in public educational institutions has become increasingly evident in

recent years, particularly in regions like Latin America, where systemic inequalities, political

instability, and economic disparities impact the quality and accessibility of education. Ethical

leadership is defined as the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal

actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-

way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making. In the context of education, ethical leaders

are those who not only comply with legal frameworks but also champion moral values such as

fairness, responsibility, and respect within their institutions.

Public schools, especially in countries like Ecuador, operate within environments marked by limited

resources, fluctuating policy agendas, and growing societal expectations for transparency and

inclusion. In such contexts, ethical leadership becomes not just desirable but essential. It serves as a

stabilizing force that cultivates trust, upholds human dignity, and ensures the equitable treatment of

all stakeholders—students, teachers, parents, and the broader community.

This article seeks to analyze the role and impact of ethical leadership in public educational institutions

in Latin America, using Ecuador as a focal case. It examines how ethical principles are enacted in

school governance and explores the systemic challenges that hinder their implementation. The

objective is to contribute to scholarly and policy discussions about the professionalization of school

leadership and to propose actionable strategies that support the cultivation of ethical practices in

public education systems.

Methodology

Research Design

This study employed a qualitative exploratory design to examine ethical leadership practices in public

educational institutions in Ecuador. Qualitative research was selected due to its capacity to explore

the depth and complexity of ethical decision-making, moral reasoning, and interpersonal dynamics

among school leaders (Creswell & Poth, 2018). The study aimed to capture lived experiences and

perceptions of educational stakeholders regarding ethical conduct and leadership within public

schools.

Participants

The study was conducted in five public educational institutions across three provinces in Ecuador:

Los Ríos, Guayas, and Pichincha. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, targeting

individuals with direct involvement in school governance and leadership. The final sample consisted

of 55 participants, including 15 school leaders (principals and vice-principals), 30 teachers, and 10

administrative staff members (see Figure 1).

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Table 1. Participant Demographics in the Study on Ethical Leadership

Demographic Category

Total Participants

Percentage (%)

School Leaders

30%

Teachers

60%

Administrative Staff

10%

Total

100%

All participants had a minimum of five years of professional experience in public education.

Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. The sample

ensured a diversity of perspectives from urban and semi-rural educational contexts.

Data Collection Instruments

Data were collected using three primary instruments:

1. Semi-structured interviews: Conducted with all school leaders to explore their

understanding and enactment of ethical leadership principles. Interview guides were

developed based on frameworks from (Coronel & Gómez-Hurtado, 2014)and include

questions on transparency, justice, care, and ethical dilemmas.

2. Focus group discussions: Facilitated among teachers and administrative staff to elicit

collective perspectives on the presence and impact of ethical leadership. Each focus group

had 6–8 participants and followed a moderator guide to ensure consistency across sessions.

3. Document analysis: School policy manuals, mission statements, and local educational

regulations were reviewed to contextualize the practices and narratives shared by participants

(Bowen, 2009).

Procedures

Fieldwork was conducted over a four-month period (January–April 2025). Interview and focus group

sessions were conducted face-to-face and recorded with prior consent. Transcriptions were generated

verbatim and anonymized. Document analysis was completed using official materials provided by

the Ministry of Education and internal documents from the selected institutions.

To ensure alignment between research objectives and methods, a pilot test was conducted in one

additional institution not included in the final sample. Feedback from this pilot informed adjustments

to the interview protocol, particularly with regard to the phrasing of questions related to ethical

dilemmas.

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Data Analysis

Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data, following the procedures outlined by (Braun

& Clarke, 2019). The analysis involved:

1. Familiarization with the data through repeated readings of transcripts.

2. Generation of initial codes using NVivo 14 software.

3. Searching for themes based on codes aligned with key concepts in ethical leadership: fairness,

accountability, empathy, honesty, and moral courage.

4. Reviewing and refining themes with peer debriefing to avoid researcher bias.

5. Defining and naming themes that captured the essence of participants’ experiences.

The data from interviews, focus groups, and documents were triangulated to enhance credibility.

Themes were compared across different stakeholder groups and institutions to identify patterns and

divergences. The use of triangulation across interviews, focus groups, and document analysis

enhanced the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings (Fusch et al., 2018).

Ethical Considerations

This study adhered strictly to ethical research standards. Prior to data collection, ethical approval was

obtained from the Institutional Research Ethics Committee of Universidad in Ecuador. All

participants were provided with detailed information sheets and signed informed consent forms.

To ensure confidentiality, pseudonyms were used in all transcripts and publications. Audio files and

data sets were stored securely on encrypted devices, and only the principal investigator had access to

the original recordings. Participants were reminded of their right to withdraw at any stage of the study

without consequences.

Special attention was given to power dynamics, especially during focus groups, to ensure that all

participants felt safe and respected. No student participants were involved, as the study focused solely

on adult stakeholders.

Reliability and Validity

To ensure the reliability of the research instruments, all interview and focus group protocols

underwent expert review by three educational leadership scholars. Inter-coder reliability was tested

during data analysis, yielding an agreement coefficient of 0.89.

Validity was addressed through triangulation of data sources, member checking, and prolonged

engagement with the field. Participants reviewed preliminary findings to verify the accuracy of

interpretations (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Additionally, an audit trail of decisions and data

transformations was maintained throughout the study to provide transparency and replicability.

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Results

This section presents the findings from the qualitative data collected through interviews, focus groups,

and document analysis. The results are organized into thematic categories derived from the coding

process and supported by frequency data. No interpretation or discussion is provided in this section;

the focus remains on descriptive presentation.

1. Overview of Thematic Findings

Data analysis resulted in the identification of five primary themes across participant narratives, using

thematic analysis techniques as suggested by (Braun & Clarke, 2019), which support the systematic

identification of patterns in qualitative data. Integrity and Honesty, Fair Decision-Making, Respect

and Empathy, Accountability, and Resistance to Political Pressure. These themes reflect the ethical

principles perceived as most vital in school leadership.

Figure 2 presents the frequency with which these themes appeared in the interview and focus group

transcripts.

Figure 2. Frequency of Thematic Codes in Participant Narratives

2. Theme 1: Integrity and Honesty

The theme of Integrity and Honesty was the most frequently cited, mentioned in 85.5% of all

participant contributions. School leaders emphasized the importance of being perceived as morally

upright individuals who "say what they mean and do what they say." Teachers reported that leaders

who act with transparency gained trust and promoted a culture of ethical behavior within the school

community.

Participants from schools with leadership training programs referenced integrity more often than

those from schools lacking such programs, suggesting a potential link between formal training and

ethical awareness (Salama Muhammad et al., 2025).

010 20 30 40 50

Integrity and Honesty

Fair Decision-Making

Respect and Empathy

Accountability

Resistance to Political Pressure

Frequency of Mentions

Frequency of Thematic Codes in

Participant Narratives

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3. Theme 2: Fair Decision-Making

Fairness in decision-making was discussed by 70.9% of participants. Teachers expressed the

importance of equitable treatment in performance evaluations and conflict resolution. A recurring

sub-theme was dissatisfaction with perceived favoritism in workload distribution and student

discipline procedures.

Leaders with more than ten years of experience were more likely to describe the use of participatory

mechanisms, such as consultation meetings, to ensure procedural justice. In contrast, early-career

leaders often relied on hierarchical decision-making, citing time constraints and administrative

burden.

4. Theme 3: Respect and Empathy

Respect and empathy were highlighted by 65.5% of participants. Teachers appreciated leaders who

demonstrated emotional intelligence during personal crises or professional setbacks. Empathy was

particularly emphasized in schools located in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, where

students face multiple risk factors.

Administrative staff emphasized that empathetic leadership led to a more collaborative environment

and lower stress levels. The document analysis corroborated these findings, with school mission

statements in rural schools more likely to include values of compassion and inclusion.

5. Theme 4: Accountability

The theme of Accountability appeared in 54.5% of interviews. School leaders discussed their

responsibilities to the Ministry of Education, school boards, and parents. Participants linked

accountability to ethical leadership by referencing consequences for unethical behavior, such as

misuse of public funds or nepotism.

Interestingly, participants from urban schools with larger enrollments expressed more concerns about

accountability mechanisms, especially regarding financial transparency and public reporting

practices.

6. Theme 5: Resistance to Political Pressure

Resistance to external political influence was cited by 45.5% of participants. Leaders described

situations where they were pressured by political actors to hire unqualified personnel or allocate

resources unfairly. Several school leaders emphasized the ethical dilemma of complying with such

requests versus adhering to institutional integrity.

This theme was more prevalent in interviews conducted in coastal regions, where participants

reported greater political interference in school management.

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7. Frequency Table of Theme Mentions

Table 2. Frequency and Percentage of Themes in Participant Data

Theme

Mentions (n=55)

Percentage (%)

Integrity and Honesty

85.5%

Fair Decision-Making

70.9%

Respect and Empathy

65.5%

Accountability

54.5%

Resistance to Political Pressure

45.5%

8. Document Analysis Results

Analysis of institutional documents revealed an uneven emphasis on ethical principles. Of the 15

school policy manuals reviewed:

• 12 included references to transparency and respect.

• Only 6 included explicit mentions of accountability structures.

• None included ethical training as a professional development requirement.

Furthermore, school development plans generally lacked specific metrics for evaluating ethical

conduct, with most plans focused on infrastructure and enrollment targets.

9. Comparison by Leadership Training

Participants from institutions that had implemented leadership development programs (N = 3 schools)

consistently reported more frequent application of ethical principles. These leaders were more likely

to reference frameworks, such as codes of ethics or procedural guidelines.

Table 3. Reported Use of Ethical Leadership Practices by Training Status

Leadership Training Status

Average Themes Mentioned per Leader

With Leadership Training

4.6

Without Leadership Training

3.2

This quantitative contrast supports the narrative that formal leadership education enhances awareness

and application of ethical principles in practice.

10. Summary of Findings

The results indicate that ethical leadership in public educational institutions is perceived as

multidimensional, encompassing personal virtues, procedural justice, and resistance to unethical

pressures. While core values such as integrity and fairness are widely acknowledged, their

operationalization is uneven, with significant variance based on leader experience, location, and

training background.

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Discussion

The findings of this study offer valuable insights into the practice of ethical leadership in public

educational institutions within Ecuador and, by extension, Latin America. The emergent themes—

Integrity and Honesty, Fair Decision-Making, Respect and Empathy, Accountability, and Resistance

to Political Pressure—resonate with existing global frameworks on ethical educational leadership

(Creagh et al., 2023). However, the contextual particularities of public education in Ecuador—marked

by socio-political instability, inequality, and post-pandemic challenges—shape the way ethical

leadership is interpreted and applied by practitioners.

Interpretation of Key Findings

The prominence of Integrity and Honesty in participants’ responses aligns with prior research

emphasizing these values as the foundation of ethical leadership (Topaloğlu et al., 2023). Participants

frequently associated these traits with transparency and trust, reflecting the findings of Brown,

(Sánchez-Moreno et al.), who found that honest leadership fosters organizational commitment and

reduces conflict in school communities. In Ecuadorian schools, where distrust of political and

administrative systems is common, these values become particularly salient and necessary.

Fair Decision-Making, cited by over 70% of participants, corroborates prior studies showing that

perceived fairness significantly impacts teacher morale, trust in leadership, and organizational justice

(Syahrani et al., 2022); (Kutsyuruba et al., 2020). However, the differences between experienced and

novice leaders in how fairness is operationalized point to a persistent challenge in leadership

development: ethical decision-making is often learned through experience rather than formal training.

The emphasis on Respect and Empathy underscores the emotional dimension of ethical leadership,

consistent with recent literature advocating for human-centered leadership models (Leithwood et al.,

2019) (Tolstoy et al., 2025). This was particularly notable in rural and marginalized contexts, where

leaders’ compassion helps mitigate socio-emotional burdens on students and staff. This supports

findings from (Harris & Jones, 2020), who argue that in post-pandemic contexts, empathy is not

optional but essential for recovery and cohesion.

Accountability, while less frequently mentioned than expected, remains critical. Its

underrepresentation may reflect a gap between expected institutional accountability mechanisms and

their real-life implementation. This contrasts with studies from North America and Europe, where

robust policy frameworks support systemic accountability. In Ecuador, the lack of formal indicators

and weak enforcement mechanisms likely diminishes the prominence of accountability in school

culture.

The finding regarding Resistance to Political Pressure reveals a particularly Latin American

phenomenon—clientelism and politicization of school management. This theme has been less studied

in the global literature but is well-documented in regional analyses (Castillo y Hallinger, 2017).

Participants’ narratives suggest that ethical leadership often entails not only doing the right thing

internally but also defending the institution from external coercion, especially in hiring or resource

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allocation. This echoes Duarte’s (2018) findings from Colombia, where ethical leaders face constant

tension between legal requirements and political expectations.

Comparison with Previous Research

This study confirms core principles found in broader ethical leadership literature, such as those

proposed by (Kalshoven et al., 2016 ), but extends them by emphasizing context-specific tensions

faced by Latin American public-school leaders. Unlike studies in more developed education systems

that focus on individual leader traits (e.g., trustworthiness, vision), our findings reveal the structural

and cultural pressures that shape ethical behavior in practice (Constantia et al., 2021). The tension

between ethics and survival in politically influenced institutions has received limited attention in

mainstream leadership research and merits further exploration.

Moreover, the study supports (Berges Puyo, 2022), who observed that in low-resource environments,

ethical leadership is closely tied to the emotional labor of managing inequality and trauma, especially

post-COVID-19. Empathy and ethical consistency thus serve not only moral purposes but also

strategic ones in promoting school resilience.

Implications for Practice and Policy

The findings point to the urgent need to institutionalize ethical leadership training within teacher and

administrator development programs. Currently, in Ecuador, such training is sporadic and often not

embedded in national policy frameworks. Participants from schools where leaders had received

formal training demonstrated more consistency in ethical reasoning and practice, reinforcing the

argument that ethics can and should be taught.

From a policy perspective, ministries of education must consider integrating codes of ethics,

procedural justice guidelines, and community oversight mechanisms in school governance models.

The lack of measurable indicators for ethical leadership, observed during document analysis, limits

the accountability of school leaders and enables unethical practices to go unchecked.

The prevalence of political interference further demands that policy frameworks insulate educational

leadership from partisan influence. Establishing legal protections and clear hiring protocols, could

reduce clientelist pressure and reinforce meritocratic values.

Limitations and Unexpected Findings

One limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported data, which may be influenced by social

desirability bias. Additionally, the sample is limited to three provinces in Ecuador, which, while

diverse, may not represent all regional or national dynamics.

An unexpected finding was the relatively low emphasis on accountability as a theme, despite its

prominence in international literature. This could reflect participants’ adaptation to contexts where

accountability is either not enforced or not prioritized by authorities. Alternatively, it may suggest

that accountability is conflated with external surveillance rather than internal ethical commitment, as

suggested by (Campbell, 2008).

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Another contextual limitation is the post-pandemic period in which the study was conducted. The

COVID-19 pandemic reshaped leadership priorities globally, often placing crisis management and

emotional support above traditional instructional or managerial concerns (Gurr, 2021). Therefore,

empathy and relational ethics may have been amplified by these circumstances.

Recommendations for Future Research and Practice

Future studies should consider longitudinal designs to explore how ethical leadership develops over

time and under different political regimes. Comparative studies between rural and urban school

systems in Latin America would also enrich understanding of context-specific ethical tensions.

In practice, schools should be encouraged to adopt collaborative leadership models that distribute

ethical responsibility among teams rather than concentrating it in individuals. Encouraging reflective

practice through peer coaching, ethics committees, or community panels could help leaders navigate

complex dilemmas.

Finally, international cooperation in ethics education, such as South-South knowledge exchanges and

partnerships with universities, could help public schools in Latin America build sustainable ethical

leadership cultures rooted in local values yet aligned with global standards.

Conclusion

This study has demonstrated that ethical leadership is a foundational pillar for improving institutional

culture, equitable decision-making, and holistic student development in public educational

institutions. Through the analysis of qualitative data collected from school leaders, teachers, and

administrative staff across various Ecuadorian provinces, the research identified core values central

to ethical leadership: integrity, fairness, empathy, accountability, and resistance to political

interference. These principles, while universally recognized, acquire particular significance within

the Latin American context, where socio-political complexities, limited resources, and post-pandemic

recovery efforts demand strong moral leadership in public education.

The findings underscore the transformative potential of ethical leadership in fostering inclusive and

trustworthy school environments. Leaders who act with honesty and fairness are more likely to earn

the confidence of their communities, promote teacher commitment, and facilitate student

engagement. Moreover, the emphasis on respect and emotional intelligence in leadership practice

reflects the growing recognition that successful school governance is not merely administrative but

deeply relational.

This research contributes to the academic discourse by expanding the understanding of ethical

leadership in underrepresented contexts, such as Ecuador’s public education system. It highlights how

ethical behavior is both a personal commitment and a structural challenge, especially in regions

marked by political clientelism and economic constraints. The study also offers practical insights for

policy-makers and institutions: the development of formal ethics training programs for school leaders

can bridge the gap between moral intent and professional practice. Participants from schools with

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leadership training reported more effective and consistent application of ethical principles, indicating

that ethical competence can be cultivated through intentional preparation.

Nevertheless, the study is not without limitations. It is based on a limited geographical sample and

relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias. Additionally, the findings are context-

specific and may not be fully generalizable to other regions without adaptation.

Future research should explore the long-term effects of ethical leadership on school performance and

stakeholder satisfaction through longitudinal studies. Comparative studies between countries or

regions would also enhance understanding of how cultural and political contexts shape ethical

leadership. Lastly, integrating ethics into formal leadership preparation curricula and evaluating its

impact over time could provide valuable insights for strengthening education systems globally.

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