Experiences of Bhutanese Teachers in Wellbeing Leadership Roles: Contextual Realities of Implementing a Whole-School Approach to Student Wellbeing Promotion

Abstract

Schools are ideal sites for the promotion of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enhance personal as well as collective wellbeing. Schools engage in numerous programs and activities to promote the wellbeing of students. Despite indications of positive effects of a whole-school approach, reports find that implementation is challenging because these programs typically require fundamental changes to the ways in which schools operate and are organized. Although they are key implementers, the experiences and challenges that middle-level leaders in schools face when working towards a whole-school approach has been rarely reported. This qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of key implementers in implementing a whole-school approach to student wellbeing promotion in secondary schools in the small Kingdom of Bhutan. Findings suggest that they face numerous challenges in implementing a whole-school approach to student wellbeing that revolve around culture and context.