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.