School leadership and indigenous student outcomes: A correlational study of Student Needs Management Practices based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Yusoff Yahaya, Bity Salwana Alias and Mohd Norazmi Nordin

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: Indigenous students continue to face persistent educational disadvantages, including lower academic attainment and reduced school engagement, often linked to school systems that do not systematically address students’ hierarchical needs. This study examined the association between principal-led Student Needs Management Practices (SNMP) and Indigenous student outcomes across 93 national primary schools in Orang Asli settlement areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 342 teachers through multi-stage sampling. SNMP was operationalised across five Maslow-derived dimensions physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualisation needs while Indigenous student outcomes encompassed academic achievement, co-curricular participation, and character development. Both SNMP (M = 4.63, SD = 0.39) and student outcomes (M = 4.26, SD = 0.49) were rated at very high levels by teacher respondents. Pearson correlation revealed a significant, moderate positive association between SNMP and student outcomes (r = .411, p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0350479

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0350479

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