Preschool Principal
Education
Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities and policies and students' behavioral or learning problems.
- 2Monitor students' progress and provide students and teachers with assistance in resolving any problems.
- 3Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff and recommend personnel actions for programs and services.
- 4Teach classes or courses or provide direct care to children.
- 5Set educational standards and goals and help establish policies, procedures, and programs to carry them out.
- 6Determine the scope of educational program offerings and prepare drafts of program schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
- 7Determine allocations of funds for staff, supplies, materials, and equipment and authorize purchases.
- 8Direct and coordinate activities of teachers or administrators at daycare centers, schools, public agencies, or institutions.
- 9Prepare and maintain attendance, activity, planning, accounting, or personnel reports and records for officials and agencies, or direct preparation and maintenance activities.
- 10Plan, direct, and monitor instructional methods and content of educational, vocational, or student activity programs.
- 11Review and interpret government codes and develop procedures to meet codes and to ensure facility safety, security, and maintenance.
- 12Review and evaluate new and current programs to determine their efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with state, local, and federal regulations and recommend any necessary modifications.
- 13Collect and analyze survey data, regulatory information, and demographic and employment trends to forecast enrollment patterns and the need for curriculum changes.
- 14Prepare and submit budget requests or grant proposals to solicit program funding.
- 15Organize and direct committees of specialists, volunteers, and staff to provide technical and advisory assistance for programs.
- 16Inform businesses, community groups, and governmental agencies about educational needs, available programs, and program policies.
- 17Write articles, manuals, and other publications and assist in the distribution of promotional literature about programs and facilities.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- Principal
- Site Director
- Center Manager
- ECP Supervisor
- Vice Principal
- Art Coordinator
- Daycare Manager
- School Director
- Daycare Director
- Site Coordinator
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
3
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
Typical entry
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Customer and Personal Service90%
- Education and Training86%
- Administration and Management82%
BusinessEconomics
- English Language78%
English
- Psychology71%
- Public Safety and Security71%
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Leading or coordinating othersHigh
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Time spent standingA little
- Time walking or movingA little
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org