Head teachers’ leadership styles and teacher performance in selected secondary schools of Gulu city, Uganda

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between headteachers’ leadership style and teachers’ performance in secondary schools in Uganda with a case of selected secondary schools in Gulu City. It was guided by three objectives which are i) to examine the relationship between autocratic leadership and teachers’ performance in selected secondary schools, ii) to assess the relationship between democratic leadership and teachers’ performance in selected secondary schools and; iii) to examine the relationship between laissez faire leadership and teachers’ performance in selected secondary schools. The study adopted a cross-sectional design to collect data at a single point in time. The study used the survey method and interview method of data collection. A study population of 190 individuals was used and a sample size of 123 was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) simplified heuristcs population and sample formula table. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and interview guide. The findings indicate that correlation results show that autocratic leadership and teachers’ performance were significantly and positively related (r = .611, p < .05) for objective one, democratic leadership and teachers’ performance were insignificantly related (r = .361, p< .05) for objective two, and laissez faire leadership and teachers’ performance were significantly related (r = .524, p< .05) for objective three. The qualitative results showed that although there is a consensus that headteachers do not enforce a rigid or overly authoritative approach, teachers still express concerns about limited autonomy, minimal involvement in decision-making, and a lack of constructive feedback. The study also indicated that while there is agreement that headteachers support professional development and encourage innovative teaching methods, teachers express uncertainty about their active involvement in decision-making and the consistency of open communication. Under objective one, them study concluded that while autocratic leadership is not perceived as overly rigid, it still leads to significant challenges in terms of teacher autonomy and involvement. The study concluded that there is considerable uncertainty and inconsistency regarding teachers' involvement in decision-making and communication practices. This variability suggests that while democratic principles are valued, their implementation is uneven, leading to mixed experiences among teachers. It was concluded that teachers experience restrictions in managing classroom activities and setting goals, coupled with insufficient trust and delegation from headteachers. Based on the key findings, the study recommended that headteachers and school administrators should implement regular and structured meetings where teachers can contribute their ideas and feedback on school policies and decisions. It was also recommended that the headteachers and school administrators should develop and implement consistent communication protocols across schools to ensure that teachers are regularly informed and consulted on important matters.