Role of head teachers leadership styles on students’ academic Performance in Kenya certificate of secondary education in Public secondary schools in Nyamira County-Kenya
Abstract
This study investigated the role of various leadership styles including; autocratic, democratic and
laissez faire, on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Nyamira
County, Kenya. The objectives of the study included; identifying leadership styles used by
headteachers of secondary schools, establish whether headteachers leadership styles identified
played a role students’ academic performance in KCSE which has been poorly presented in
a period of five years(2007-2011) and to suggest measures of monitoring headteachers
leadership styles and students’ academic performance. The study sought to analyze each style
and its influence on academic performance of students in schools in the county. The study used
ex-post facto research design. In identifying the sample size the study used purposive and
stratified sampling technique. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules, as tools of
data collection from respondents. Data was collected on independent variable, which were
leadership styles and that of dependent variable which were school performance. The
respondents included students, teachers and principals drawn from 113 schools. The schools in
the county had a total population of 5,037 boys and 3,990 girls from single sex boarding schools,
mixed day and mixed boarding secondary schools who sat their Kenya Certificate of Secondary
Education (KCSE), in 2011. Statistical methods including, percentages, means, were used. The
study sought to identify gaps left by other studies and try to narrow them through the findings of
this study. The findings were presented in form of tables, figures and charts. The study
established that the main type of leadership style (s) used by head teachers of secondary schools
in Nyamira County was democratic leadership style, followed by the autocratic style which was
applied in some schools; There was a positive relationship between KCSE performance and
leadership styles between, 2007 and 2011, in the sense that schools that used a combination of
autocratic and democratic leadership styles excelled in KCSE performance than those that used
either. It was also found that the main measures that had been put in place to bring up Head
teachers leadership styles that enhance students’ academic performance at KCSE included:
appealing for parental and community support, bench-marking of best performing schools and
poor performing schools in the same category, testing policy, use of motivational speakers,
severe punishment to foster discipline, departmental meetings, ensuring syllabus coverage and
use of modern technology. The study therefore recommended involvement of all stakeholders to
scale up the best outfit of leadership style for the enhancement of students’ academic
performance in KCSE. The study once accomplished would be availed to the principals, to help
them adopt a fair leadership style(s) in improving performance at KCSE in his school. It would
also be availed to the stakeholders (especially education officers) to help in advising on the best
approaches to improving performance.
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