A Systematic Literature Review of Leadership Talent and Instructional Leadership in Enhancing the Mentoring Effectiveness of School Improvement Partners among NPQEL-Qualified Novice Principals

Despite completing the National Professional Qualification for Educational Leaders (NPQEL) training, many novice principals in Malaysia continue to face challenges in translating theoretical knowledge into practical competencies. These gaps manifest in weak instructional leadership and limited school improvement, raising concerns about the effectiveness of existing leadership preparation programs. Mentoring by School Improvement Partners (SIPs) has been introduced as a potential support mechanism. Yet, there is a lack of consolidated empirical evidence regarding its impact on enhancing leadership talent, instructional leadership, and overall competency. This systematic literature review (SLR) therefore synthesizes quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies published between 2015 and 2025 on mentoring for school leaders. Following PRISMA guidelines, databases were searched, screened, and reviewed to identify themes related to leadership talent, instructional leadership, and mentoring outcomes. The findings consistently demonstrate that mentoring strengthens novice principals’ confidence, role clarity, instructional leadership practices, and overall competency. Studies further highlight the mediating role of mentoring in linking leadership talent to improved school leadership performance. The review contributes to the literature by clarifying the relationship between mentoring and competency development, while offering practical insights for policymakers and training providers to refine principal preparation and mentoring frameworks in Malaysia.