Despite growing global emphasis on educational leadership for school and system improvement, a disconnect persists between aspirational policy frameworks promoted by international organisations and the lived realities of leadership at local levels. Given that the most recent Global Education Monitoring (GEM) 2024 report focuses on educational leadership, in this paper, we use interpretive policy analysis and a conceptual lens of leadership for learning to explore how the GEM2024 report frames accountability expectations for school leadership at national levels, and investigate the implications of policy levers for the development and sustainability of leadership practices locally. Findings highlight the need for contextually responsive leadership policies and accountability mechanisms that move beyond standardised and generalised global ideals. In doing so, the paper advances understanding of how supranational discourses shape leadership practice and identifies pathways for aligning global frameworks with the realities of diverse and complex education systems.
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