Publication: Effects of headteachers' leadership styles on Kenya certificate of primary education perfomance in public primary schools iin Ruiru municipality, Kiambu county, Kenya.
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2012-11
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
Institutional leadership has recently been an issue of concern to many educational stakeholders.
Leadership styles applied by head teachers in schools are influential in regard to achievement of
institutional goals. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of head teachers’
leadership styles on Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E.) performance in public
primary schools in Ruiru Municipality, Kiambu County. The study also identified strategies that
could be applied to enhance head teachers leadership styles in order to improve pupils’
performance. The study is based on normative decision theory by Vroom and Yettom (1973).
The researcher envisaged the use of descriptive survey research design which was considered
suitable because it was not restricted to facts finding only, but also led to the formulation of
important principles of knowledge and solutions to challenges experienced by institutional
leaders. The locale of the study was Ruiru Municipality. It was considered suitable for this study
because public primary schools in this area have been performing below average in KCPE for
the last four years; hence the researcher wished to investigate the leadership styles applied by
head teachers in order to find out whether these styles applied were contributing factors towards
this phenomenon. Through purposive and stratified simple random sampling, the researcher
sampled eight public primary schools from twenty nine (29) public primary schools. From every
school sampled, the head teacher, twelve (12) teachers and the Chairperson of the Parent
Teachers Association (PTA) were sampled to form the study population. In addition the Area
District Education Officer was also included making a total of one hundred and thirteen (113)
respondents. Primary data was collected through questionnaires and interview schedule.
Secondary data was collected from the D.E.O’s document analysis. Data collected was analyzed
using descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution tables for quantitative data while
qualitative data was analyzed thematically based on research objectives. The major findings of
the study indicated that academic qualification on KCPE performance corresponded to
leadership styles to a very great extent. The study further found out that there was laxity by the
head teachers in delegation of power and responsibilities to their junior staff and lack of
consultation of all stakeholders in the welfare of the school thus affecting the pupils’
performance. The study recommends that head teacher should apply the most appropriate
leadership styles that enhance collective responsibility and consultative decision making with all
stakeholders in schools. In-service courses and other appraisal courses to enhance quality
leadership should be provided. The findings of the study will be used by education policy makers
and implementers to formulate strategies that can be used to enhance good leadership styles that
promote better education performance at primary level. In addition the study will provide more
literature for further research in the field of leadership styles and their effects on academic
performance.
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Educational planning, Educational management