1 Introduction

The field of education is vital in shaping the future of individuals and society as a whole. Teachers play a critical role in this process, and their job satisfaction is of utmost importance in ensuring their effectiveness and longevity in the profession [1]. The interplay of religious values, servant leadership and teachers’ job satisfaction in education is imperative to highlight the guiding role that religious values and servant leadership can play in promoting job satisfaction among teachers of schools and colleges in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh's education system is diverse and complex, reflecting the country's cultural, economic and social needs [49]. Students have various educational paths to choose from, including general, madrasah, technical and vocational education [50, 51].

Students who pursue technical or vocational education can earn their higher secondary education certificate after two more years at a technical/polytechnical institute, or they can enter one of many private or state-funded universities for five years of undergraduate study [50, 51]. This diversity in education prepares students for a wide range of careers and contributes to the development of the country's economy and society [49]. In a top-down educational administration in Bangladeshi schools and colleges, existing bureaucracy has striped the teachers and principals of their leadership. A kind of organizational hierarchy mostly authoritarian has developed in education fueled by a power distant society like Bangladesh. Consequently, a bottom-up leadership culture among the teachers and principals could not grow as expected in educational administration in Bangladesh which is proportional to the academic performance of an educational institution. Still, a recent study on principals of schools and colleges in Bangladesh discovered existence of transformational leadership [66]. This narrow presence of transformational leadership which is follower-centric [67, 68] has paved the way to conduct the present study.

Investigating the mediating relationship between college principals' religious values and teachers' job satisfaction in Bangladeshi schools and colleges can help identify ways to improve the education system and enhance the quality of education provided to students [37]. The practices of servant leadership are crucial for enhancing the job satisfaction of teachers, as supported by various studies [1,2,3]. The leadership style of a principal plays a major role in differentiating top-performing schools from others [4, 5]. Among various leadership styles such as transformational, authentic and spiritual leadership, servant leadership is considered the most humane [6,7,8]. This approach is driven by a genuine desire to help others, as highlighted by [9, 10]

In a servant leadership culture, leaders prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of their subordinates by fostering an environment that encourages their involvement in decision-making and policy-making processes. This approach, which includes compassionate treatment of employees, can lead to more positive interactions with customers, as stated by [11]. Additionally, [12] found that servant leadership is a practical and useful theory that can benefit individuals, organizations and stakeholders, ultimately leading to improved team performance and satisfaction.

Teachers' motivation and work satisfaction are crucial for excellent teaching and student performance [13]. Due to job satisfaction and motivation, people gain freedom and empowerment [14], which, in turn, promotes healthy and meaningful interactions among colleagues. According to [15], there is a link between teachers' job satisfaction and the leadership style used by head teachers. In addition, [16] found that servant leadership significantly and positively impacts team members’ and stakeholders' overall performance.

The Muslim population comprises 90.4% of Bangladesh's total population, influencing the country's education system [52]. Islam exhibits both individualistic and collectivist qualities [17]. Muslims in Bangladesh seek to uphold the values outlined in the Quran (The Holy Book of Muslims) and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), despite discrepancies between beliefs and actions [18]. Those who embody these principles serve as models for servant leadership, as they stand for qualities, such as humility, selflessness and compassion [19]. This highlights the need to incorporate Islamic cultural values into the theory of servant leadership. As such, this study aims to explore the mediating role of servant leadership between the religious values of the principal and teachers’ job satisfaction.

It has been determined that the Servant Leadership Scale created by [20] is reliable [21]. Their study revealed that although servant leadership is not widely practiced in Bangladesh, the concept is applicable across cultural lines. Yet, the incorporation of religious beliefs into the concept has not been explored in earlier research on servant leadership [22,23,24,25].

This study explores the relationships between religious values, leadership style (specifically, servant leadership), and job satisfaction among teachers in Bangladesh. In addition, it aims to investigate the mediating role of servant leadership style in the relationship between the religious values of school principals and the job satisfaction of teachers in Bangladeshi schools and colleges.

The remainder of the paper is structured as follows: Sect. 2 presents the literature review and hypothesis development, Sect. 3 details the methodology, followed by the results and discussion in Sect. 4 The paper concludes in Sect. 5.

2 Literature review and hypothesis development

The following sections present the theoretical justifications for the model and the hypothesis development process.

2.1 Religious values and servant leadership

Religion is a powerful social institution that shapes individuals' views, beliefs and behaviors [26,27,28] explored the relationship between employee religiosity and servant leadership as performance indicators in the educational sector and found that religiosity positively impacts servant leadership. In a global survey, 82% of people who held leadership positions in organizations reported that their religious and spiritual views influenced their actions [29]. Religion provides a spiritual belief system that influences the development of behavior, attitudes, values and work ethics [30, 31]. Religious ideals play a significant role in shaping one's leadership style in a religious culture [32].

The author [28] conducted a research to determine servant leadership and employee religiosity as a performance measure in the educational sector. The regression analysis findings indicate that servant leadership is a proactive predictor of employee performance, and that the relationship is strengthened when religion gets involved. To resolve a personal and professional setback in educational leadership, mutual responsibility between staff and faculty is always required (Yariv & Kass, 2019). Religion establishes a spiritual belief system that has a direct impact on the development of behavior, attitudes, values, and work ethics [30]. Given the profound impact of Islam on Bangladeshi culture and society, this study offers the following hypotheses:


Hypothesis (H1): Islamic religious values have a positive impact on the principal’s servant leadership.

2.2 Religious values and job satisfaction

There is a growing body of research suggesting that religious values can have a positive impact on job satisfaction. A study conducted by [33] found a significant positive correlation between religious values and job satisfaction among Iranian employees. Similarly, [34] discovered that employees who place a high value on religion tend to have higher levels of job satisfaction. This could be because religious values often emphasize the importance of finding meaning and purpose in one's work, which can lead to greater job satisfaction [35].

Studies have shown that a school principal's religious values can have a significant impact on teachers' job satisfaction. According to [36], principals who incorporate religious values into their leadership style were perceived by teachers as more ethical and trustworthy, which leads to higher levels of job satisfaction. Similarly, a study by [37] found that principals who prioritize religious values in their decision-making were more likely to create a positive and supportive work environment for teachers, which also increases job satisfaction. These findings suggest that the religious values of a school and college principal can have a significant impact on the job satisfaction of teachers in their organization.

The author [70] used a sample of 120 employees from 10 MSME businesses in Indonesia to examine the impact of religiosity and service quality on job satisfaction among MSME sector workers. A questionnaire was utilised as the data gathering tool. The analytical technique makes use of Smart PLS v3.0 for Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Religiosity has a favourable and substantial impact on service quality, according to the findings. In addition to service quality having a good and large impact on employee work satisfaction, religiosity also has a favourable and significant impact. The findings of the study may be utilised to improve and sustain employee work satisfaction in MSME sectors by raising staff levels of religiosity and customer service.

The author [71] examined the place of Islamic spirituality in the workplace. This research looked at how work ethics and Islamic faith affect organisational commitment and job happiness. A Likert-scaled online questionnaire survey of 1000 Muslim workers from diverse economic sectors in Indonesia was used to collect the data, which was then evaluated using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results show that work ethics serve as a mediator between Islamic spirituality's favourable effects on job satisfaction and organisational commitment, two elements of work attitudes. There is evidence that organisational commitment is favourably influenced by job satisfaction, although that effect is unaffected by work ethics. This study's contribution might be regarded as its conclusions on the role of work ethics in mediating the impact of Islamic spirituality on job satisfaction and organisational commitment.


Hypothesis (H2): The Islamic religious values of the principal have a positive impact on teachers’ job satisfaction.

2.3 Principals’ servant leadership and teachers’ job satisfaction

In embracing servant leadership, one can adopt a number of actions, all of which centered on the idea of "caring for others", as stated by Greenleaf [9, 38]. The majority of the literature on servant leadership that is made available to the public is grounded on altruism and humanism. Servant leadership emphasizes selfless and humanistic acts rather than control and manipulation [38]. The idea presented by [39] has been used as the theoretical foundation for this study. The characteristics forming the conceptualizations of servant leadership in the models described by [1, 9, 23, 40,41,42,43], can be viewed as being consistent with the seven scales developed by [39], conceptualizing, emotional healing, putting followers first, helping followers grow and succeed, being ethical, and empowering. In a study on servant leadership in higher education using data from a non-Western culture, [43] discovered that job satisfaction had a favorable and mediating effect on the link between servant leadership and emotional commitment. In addition, [44] examined the impact of servant leadership on job satisfaction at a private institution in Atlanta, Georgia, and discovered a positive correlation between servant leadership and job satisfaction among the institution’s academic and non-faculty employees. The seven scales of servant leadership can significantly enhance the effectiveness of educational leaders by fostering a positive, empowering, and growth-oriented environment that prioritizes the well-being and development of both students and staff [72, 73]. Drawing from these studies, we form the following hypothesis:


Hypothesis (H3): Principal’s servant leadership has a positive impact on teachers’ job satisfaction.

2.4 The mediating role of servant leadership

Previous research has shown that a principal's religious values can have a significant impact on teachers' job satisfaction [45, 46]. However, the mechanisms through which this relationship operates have not been fully explored. The author [74] studied the alignment of a principal's religious values with servant leadership principles in a school and college environment that promotes collaboration, trust, and a sense of community, resulting in the positive impact of teacher job satisfaction. One potential mechanism is the principal's leadership style. Servant leadership is a style of leadership that prioritize the needs of others while also fostering the growth and development of subordinates [9]. This style has been associated with higher levels of job satisfaction among employees in various industries [39, 47]. Given that servant leadership is consistent with many religious values, a principal's religious values may lead them to adopt a servant leadership style. Many religious traditions, for example, emphasize the importance of service to others and humility [48]. Thus, it is reasonable to hypothesize that the principal's religious values may influence their decision to embrace a servant leadership style, which in turn may lead to higher levels of job satisfaction among teachers.


Hypothesis (H4): Servant leadership mediates the relationship between the Islamic religious values of the principal and teachers’ job satisfaction.

3 Material and methods

3.1 Research design

This study followed a quantitative approach where a social survey method was used to gather data from a representative sample of a wider population. This approach deals with figures and proves relationships between independent, mediating and dependent variables [53]. It collects and analyzes quantitative data to gain a better understanding of the research problem [54]. In Bangladeshi schools and colleges, the religious values of the principals significantly shape the educational environment and contributes to a greater sense of job satisfaction among teachers in the academic setting.

3.2 Population and sampling

This section provides information about the sampling technique used and the reasons for selecting specific educational institutions. According to [55], purposive sampling is a non-probability sampling technique that is commonly used in selecting participants who meet specific criteria relevant to the research study. Accordingly, this study conducted in the year between 2021 and 2023 employed the purposive sampling technique to select eight schools and colleges from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, based on their top performance in the past 5 years. These institutions were selected because they are among the best in the country, and therefore, their teachers' perceptions of leadership may have significant implications for the overall education system.

To address self-response bias, we used an anonymous response technique in our study. This ensured participant confidentiality, promoting honest and unbiased feedback. By prioritizing anonymity, we aimed to minimize self-response bias, enhancing the reliability of our findings. Prior to initiating our survey, we diligently sought and obtained approval from the Ethics Review Committee, ensuring that our research adheres to ethical standards and guidelines. Moreover, we prioritized participant consent by securing informed consent before distributing the questionnaire to respondents. Only after receiving affirmative responses we proceed to deliver the questionnaire, respecting the principles of ethical research conduct. These measures underscore our commitment to conducting the study with integrity, transparency, and due consideration for ethical considerations, safeguarding the welfare of our participants throughout the research process. After obtaining informed consent, a total of 626 teachers were approached to participate in the study, and 345 of them agreed to participate. However, after careful screening, only 335 responses were found usable. The minimum sample size for running the research model was calculated using the G*power software [56]. The software recommended 104 samples as the minimum sample size based on the following input parameters: effect size (medium) = 0.15, alpha = 0.05, power = 0.96, and the number of predictors = 2. However, the study collected 335 samples, which confirms that the sample size is sufficient for testing the model.

In short, the study employed a purposive sampling technique to select eight educational institutions based on their top performance in the past five years. The sample size of 335 teachers in the study was sufficient for testing the research model. The use of appropriate sampling techniques and sample sizes is essential in ensuring the validity and reliability of research findings.

3.3 Measurement of variables

The study was conducted with the principal’s religious values, teachers’ job satisfaction and principal’s servant leadership as the independent, dependent and mediating variables, respectively. Table 1 lists the variables and related items used to measure each variable. The instrument comprises seven items for Principal’s Servant Leadership adapted from [43] six items for Teachers’ Job Satisfaction adapted from [57] and seven items for Religious Values adapted from [45]. On a five-point (5) scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), respondents were asked to identify their agreement or disagreement with a number of items. The items for each variable are listed below:

Table 1 The variables and the measurement items
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3.4 The research model

The model shows that principals’ religious values have a direct positive impact on job satisfaction and servant leadership. Servant leadership refers to the leadership style of the principal, which not only positively influences the job satisfaction of teachers but also mediates the relationship between principals’ religious values and the teachers’ job satisfaction. Religious values, especially Islamic values, are dominating factors in Bangladeshi society [58] and have similar traits to servant leadership. A principal who has absorbed Islamic religious concepts is more likely to serve as a servant leader in Bangladeshi schools and colleges (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1
figure 1

The research model

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3.5 Data analysis

This study is based on a quantitative approach. SPSS and Smart PLS 3.3 software were used to analyze the survey data. SPSS was used to develop the descriptive statistics, while Smart PLS 3.3 of [59] was used to test the research model. The PLS-SEM statistical method was employed to examine the structural relationships among exogenous and endogenous variables. PLS-SEM was selected since it is considered as second-generation statistical method and it can explore relationship in structural model with one go [60]. The measurement model was developed first, followed by the examination of the structural model as suggested by [60]. For testing the mediation (indirect effect), this study followed the bootstrapping approach recommended by [61], and for testing moderation, a two-stage analytical approach was followed.

In this study, we have integrated age, education level, gender, and experience as control variables. A control variable s a variable that is held constant in an experimental or observational study to assess the relationship between the independent and dependent variables more accurately. It helps isolate and understand the specific effects of our independent variable on the dependent variable by minimizing the influence of other factors. This strategic approach aligns with established research practices, strengthening the internal validity of our study and providing a reliable foundation for meaningful conclusions.

4 Results and discussions

Table 2 presents the descriptive statistics of the respondents’ biographical information. Descriptive statistics of the respondents’ bio describe the respondents based on their educational background, designation, years of teaching experience, gender and marital status variables. The result showed that the majority of the respondents were male (69.6%, n = 233), married (91%, n = 305), had a postgraduate degree (93.4%, n = 313), were designated as lecturers (41.5%, n = 139) and had 5–10 years of experience (of respondents, n = 93). In addition, all the respondents have worked with their current leader for at least more than one year.

Table 2 Descriptive statistics of the respondents’ bio
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As indicated in Table 3, the average exogenous, endogenous and mediating variable scores were high. This implies that principals’ religious values have a significant positive relationship with principals’ servant leadership and teachers’ job satisfaction. It also indicates that principals’ servant leadership has a significant positive association with teachers’ job satisfaction.

Table 3 Descriptive statistics of the variables
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4.1 Measurement model analysis

To evaluate the measurement model, both convergent and discriminant forms of validity were examined. Table 4 presents the results of convergent validity. Except for a few, most of the loadings were higher than the recommended thresholds (0.708); however, they were all retained, since the AVE of the construct was more than 0.50. The composite reliability (CR), Cronbach’s Alpha and the rho A were all higher than the recommended threshold. As such, the items of the latent variable constructs provided sufficient evidence of internal consistency. Therefore, the proposed model has established the convergent validity of the measurement model.

Table 4 Convergent validity
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Table 5 presents the output of the heterotrait–monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). According to [62], this ratio measures the similarity between latent variable constructs, and if the value is less than 0.90, it sufficiently establishes the discriminant validity. The result of the HTMT ratio of this model showed that all the values were below the suggested threshold. Hence, this model also demonstrates adequate discriminant validity. In other words, the latent variable constructs of this model have sufficient discrimination among themselves.

Table 5 Discriminant validity (HTMT ratio)
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4.2 Structural model analysis

Table 6 presents the results of a structural model analysis that examined the relationships between a principal's servant leadership (PSL), teachers' job satisfaction (TJS) and religious values (PRV). Specifically, the analysis tests five hypotheses:

  • H1: The direct effect of religious values on principal's servant leadership (PRV—> PSL)—This hypothesis was supported (beta value = 0.753, p < 0.001, t value = 19.146), indicating a strong positive relationship between religious values and principal's servant leadership.

  • H2: The direct effect of principal's servant leadership on teachers' job satisfaction (PSL—> TJS)—This hypothesis was also supported (beta value = 0.312, p < 0.001, t value = 3.193), indicating a positive relationship between principals' servant leadership and teachers' job satisfaction.

  • H3: The direct effect of religious values on teachers' job satisfaction (PRV—> TJS)—This hypothesis was also validated (beta value = 0.42, p < 0.001, t value = 4.584), implying a positive relationship between religious values and teachers' job satisfaction.

Table 6 Structural model analysis
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H4: The mediation effect of religious values on the relationship between principal's servant leadership and teachers' job satisfaction (PRV—> PSL—> TJS)—This hypothesis was confirmed (beta value = 0.235, p < 0.05, t value = 2.938), indicating that religious values significantly mediate the relationship between principal's servant leadership and teachers' job satisfaction.

Overall, the results suggest that religious values play a significant role in shaping a principal's servant leadership and its effect on teachers' job satisfaction in a setting where Islam is the dominant religion.

Regarding the quality of the model, the R square value was 0.492 and 0.566 for teachers’ job satisfaction and principals’ servant leadership, respectively, indicating that the latent variables explain around 50 percent of the variance in the endogenous constructs [63]. Effect size, as assessed through the f2 metric, provides valuable insights into the impact of an exogenous construct on endogenous variables within a structural model. In addition to scrutinizing R2 values for all endogenous constructs, evaluating the change in R2 when a specific exogenous construct is omitted allows us to gauge the substantive impact of the omitted variable on the endogenous constructs. Cohen's classification [64], with values of 0.02, 0.15, and 0.35 denoting small, medium, and large effects, respectively, helps contextualize the magnitude of the exogenous latent variable's influence. The f2 effect size facilitates a nuanced examination of how much an exogenous construct contributes to the R2 value of a target construct. By estimating R2 values with and without a specific predecessor construct, we derive the f2 effect size, with results of 0.02, 0.15, and 0.35 indicating small, medium, and large effects, respectively. Utilizing the f2 metric enhances our ability to assess the relevance of constructs in elucidating selected endogenous latent variables within the structural model. Based on these criteria, we can conclude that the predictors, namely perceived religious value on servant leadership, have a large effect size, as the f square value was greater than 0.35. However, the rest of the predictors have a small effect size (f square value < 0.15).

The variance inflation factor (VIF) is a measure of multicollinearity, which refers to the extent to which the predictor variables in a model are highly correlated with one another [63]. The VIF of a predictor variable is calculated as the ratio of the variance of the predicted values for that variable to the variance of the residuals of the regression equation. A high VIF value indicates that the predictor variable is highly correlated with other predictor variables in the model, which may affect the results of the regression analysis. A VIF value greater than 5 generally indicates high multicollinearity [64]. All the VIF values in the table were less than the threshold. Thus, multicollinearity is not an issue in this study. Besides f square and R square, it is also recommended to assess the predictive relevance of the model [63].

PLS-Predict is a useful tool that can help identify the predictive relevance of a model. Table 7 presents the result of the PLS-predict. For the majority of the manifest variables (MV), the PLS-SEM model showed lower values for both root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) compared to the PLS-LM model. This suggests that the PLS-SEM model has better predictive power in these cases. For example, in datasets PSL1, PSL2, PSL3, PSL5, TJS6, TJS2, TJS3, TJS4 and TJS5, the PLS-SEM’s RMSE and MAE values were lower than the corresponding PLS-LM values [63].

Table 7 Results of PLS predict
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However, there are some cases where the PLS-LM model has better predictive power, as indicated by lower RMSE and MAE values. For instance, in datasets PSL4 and TJS7, the PLS-LM model had lower RMSE and MAE values compared to the PLS-SEM model [63].

Table 6 and Fig. 2 provide strong support for all hypotheses tested in this study. The first hypothesis, which examined the direct relationship between the religious values of principals and their servant leadership style, was supported by the data. The results demonstrate a significant positive relationship between these two variables, highlighting the importance of principals' religious values in shaping their leadership style. Moreover, the study found that the principal's servant leadership style is a powerful predictor of teacher job satisfaction in Bangladeshi schools and colleges.

Fig. 2
figure 2

The structural model showing the results of beta and t values

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The second hypothesis, which examined the direct relationship between principals' servant leadership style and teacher job satisfaction, was also validated by the data. These findings are consistent with previous research on the subject [2, 3, 42], challenging the claim made by [21] that servant leadership is not commonly practiced in Bangladesh's private commercial banks.

In addition, the third hypothesis, which examined the direct relationship between principals' religious values and teacher job satisfaction, was also supported by the data. Specifically, the study found that Islamic values in Bangladeshi schools and colleges have a direct and positive impact on teacher job satisfaction, which is consistent with the findings of [29] in the context of Pakistan's higher education field. Further, the data also supported the fourth hypothesis, which tested the mediating role of servant leadership between principals' religious values and teacher job satisfaction. This mediation is partial since the direct relationship was found to be significant. Thus, the model developed in this study, which incorporates religious values, particularly Islamic values, in Bangladeshi schools and colleges, provides a unique contribution to the literature on servant leadership.

The empirical evidence underscores the validity and reliability of the model. Through assessments of explanatory power utilizing R-square values, effect size, and predictive relevance, the model consistently demonstrates its validity and reliability in forecasting job satisfaction. Specifically, the Principal's Islamic religious practices contribute to the enhancement of servant leadership style, both of them jointly fostering job satisfaction among their subordinates, namely teachers. Moreover, the Principal's Islamic religious teachings emerge as a robust predictor in significantly influencing teachers' job satisfaction.

5 Policy recommendations

Based on the results of the structural model analysis, it can be concluded that religious values have a positive direct effect on teachers' job satisfaction and a positive indirect effect on teachers' job satisfaction through servant leadership, further corroborating the works of [29, 32, 36, 43]. This implies that incorporating religious values into a leader's servant leadership style can enhance teachers' job satisfaction in Bangladeshi educational institutions. Additionally, the direct effect of the principal's servant leadership on teachers' job satisfaction was supported, indicating that servant leadership practices can contribute to teachers' job satisfaction.

Theoretically, these results extend the servant leadership theory by considering the role of religious values in mediating the relationship between servant leadership and teachers' job satisfaction. It also highlights the importance of incorporating cultural and religious values into leadership styles, particularly in contexts where such values are prevalent, in order to better understand the impact of leadership practices on outcomes such as job satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings contribute to the growing body of literature on the role of religiosity in organizational behavior and leadership in Bangladesh.

This study has several implications for educational administrators in Bangladesh. First, the integration of religious values in the servant leadership model can have a positive impact on the principal's leadership style and teachers' job satisfaction. Therefore, educational administrators should consider incorporating religious values into their leadership style to improve job satisfaction among teachers. Second, the results suggest that servant leadership has a mediating effect on job satisfaction, implying that, while important, it is not the only factor affecting job satisfaction. Educators should consider a holistic approach to improving teachers' job satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the importance of understanding cultural and religious contexts when examining the impact of leadership on employee outcomes. Thus, for improved employee outcomes, educators in Bangladesh should consider the cultural and religious context of their school or organization when implementing leadership practices.

Finally, these results have important implications for educators in Bangladesh, as well as for those researching the interplay of leadership, religion and culture. Educators in Bangladesh should strive to integrate religious values into their servant leadership practices, as doing so has the potential to enhance teachers' job satisfaction and contribute to a positive educational environment.

6 Conclusion and future study

This study contributes to the growing body of research on educational leadership by examining the impact of the principal's servant leadership style and religious values on teacher job satisfaction in Bangladeshi schools and colleges. The use of a PLS-SEM statistical approach allowed for a robust analysis of the data collected from 335 teachers across eight schools and colleges in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study was carried out in the context of Bangladeshi schools and colleges where religious values, especially Islamic values has a great impact on the society. It has not been studied in the context of schools and colleges in any other society. The findings of this study suggest that both the principals' servant leadership style and their Islamic religious values significantly influence teachers’ job satisfaction. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that principals' servant leadership style plays a critical mediating role in the relationship between their Islamic religious values and teacher job satisfaction.

This study extends the conventional model of servant leadership by incorporating the role of religious values, providing new insights into the significance of religious values in educational leadership theory and practice. However, this study is not without limitations. As the research was conducted in only several colleges in Bangladesh, caution is necessary when generalizing the findings to other educational contexts. Future research could build on this study by exploring the role of other cultural values and leadership styles in influencing teachers’ job satisfaction across different educational institutions and countries. In summary, this study provides educational leaders and policymakers with valuable information on how to enhance teachers’ job satisfaction by promoting a servant leadership style and acknowledging the influence of religious values in Bangladeshi educational institutions. Ultimately, these efforts could lead to a more effective and efficient education system, contributing to the country’s overall development.