This study aimed to assess the influence and contribution of leadership attributes of the head of Tanzania secondary schools on the students’ academic performance, with particular focus on schools in Mbulu District in the Manyara Region.
The study identified four specific objectives, namely, to assess the influence and contribution of integrity, inspiration, competencies on students’ academic performance and to specify criteria for appointment of head of schools.
The study employed an explanatory and cross-sectional design in collecting quantitative data using questionnaires administered on selected school teachers and secondary data was collected from a review of pertinent documents and from the internet. The findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between the leadership attributes of heads of school and students’ academic performance. Hence, the study concluded that the integrity, competency and inspirational outlooks of heads of schools influence students’ academic performances.
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview
1.2 Background Information
1.3 Statement of the Problem
1.4 1.4 Objectives of the Study
1.4.1 Main objective
1.4.2 Specific objectives
1.5 Research questions
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Limitations of the Study
1.8 Scope of the study
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Overview
2.2 Definition of Key Terms
2.3 Theoretical Literature Review
2.3.1 Theory of Charismatic Leaders
2.3.2 Traits Theory of Leadership
2.3.3 New Public Management Theory (NPM)
2.4 Empirical Literature Review
2.4.1 Influence of Integrity of Heads of School on Student Academic
Performance
2.4.2 Association between Inspirational Outlooks of Heads of School and
Academic Performance
2.4.3 Competency Attributes of Heads of School and Students’ Academic
Performance
2.4.4 Criteria for Appointment of Heads of School
2.5 Research Gaps
2.6 The Conceptual Framework
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Overview
3.2 Research Philosophy
3.3 Description of the Study Area
3.4 Research Design
3.5 Research Approach
3.6 Study Population, Sampling Techniques, and Sample Size
3.6.1 Target Population and Sampling Frame
3.6.2 Unit of Inquiry or Sampling Unit
3.6.3 Sample Size
3.6.4 Sampling Procedures
3.7 Data Collection Methods
3.7.1 Sources of Data
3.7.1.1 Primary Sources
3.7.1.2 Secondary Sources
3.8 Instruments of Data Collection
3.8.1 Structured Questionnaires
3.8.2 Pre-testing of the Questionnaire
3.8.3 Questionnaire Refinement
3.8.4 Pilot Testing of the Questionnaire
3.8.5 Administration of the Questionnaire
3.9 Data Processing and Analysis
3.9.1 Data cleaning and Processing
3.9.2 Likert Scaling for Research Data Analysis
3.9.3 Quantitative Data Analysis
3.10 Validity and Reliability of Instruments
3.10.1 Validity for Quantitative Data
3.10.2 Reliability for Quantitative Data
3.11 Ethical Considerations
4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Overview
4.2 Demographic Features of Surveyed Respondents
4.3 Gender Profile of the Respondents
4.3.1 Teachers’ Teaching Experience in the Surveyed Schools
4.3.2 Type of School Ownership
4.3.3 Level of Education Offered in Secondary Schools in Mbulu District
4.3.4 Level of Teachers’ Education in Mbulu District
4.4 Influence of Integrity Attribute on the Students’ Academic Performance
4.5 Influence of Inspiration on the Student Academic Performance
4.6 Influence of Competency Attributes on Students Academic Performance
4.7 Criteria for Appointing Head of School
4.8 Academic Performance Trends in the Past Five years for Mbulu District
Secondary Schools
4.9 Chapter summary
5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of Major Findings
5.2.1 Summary of the findings of Integrity attribute of Heads of School
5.2.2 Summary of the Findings of the Inspirational Attribute of Head of
Schools
5.2.3 Summary of the Findings of Competency Attribute of Heads of School
5.2.4 Summary of Findings of Criteria for Appointing the Head of School
5.3 Conclusions
5.3.1 Integrity Attributes
5.3.2 Inspirational Attribute
5.3.3 Competency Attribute
5.3.4 Appointment Criteria for Heads of School
5.4 Implications of the study
5.4.1 Policy Implications
5.4.2 Theoretical Implications
5.4.3 Practical Implications
5.4.4 Limitations of the Study
5.5 Recommendations
5.6 Suggestions for Further Studies
Study Objectives and Themes
This study aims to investigate the influence of leadership attributes of Heads of Secondary Schools—specifically integrity, inspiration, and competence—on student academic performance in Mbulu District, Tanzania. The research addresses how these attributes contribute to school management and explores existing appointment criteria for school leadership positions to identify potential improvements for educational policy and academic outcomes.
- Analysis of leadership attributes (Integrity, Inspiration, Competency) in secondary schools.
- Assessment of the relationship between school leadership and student academic performance.
- Evaluation of criteria used for appointing Heads of School in the Mbulu District.
- Theoretical examination of Charismatic and Trait leadership theories in an educational context.
- Examination of New Public Management (NPM) theory regarding decentralized school administration.
Extract from the Book
1.2 Background Information
Leadership is a unique and debatable issue with its complex universality in almost all areas of management (John, 2011). Leadership has a long history and associates many researchers who have studied it on the assumption that leaders are not born (Aline & Ramkumar, 2018), but they can be groomed (Darling-Hammond, 2007; Ardichvili, Dag, and Manderscheid, 2016). According to Northhouse (2007, p3), leadership is a process used by an individual to influence group(s) of individuals towards the attainment of a common goal. Swanson and Holton's (2001) define leadership as an application of expertise that comprises a combination of experiences, problem-solving skills, and knowledge in achieving a defined objective.
Massawe (2014) contextualizes leadership as a characteristic that assists in leading an institution effectively and guides implementation of human resource functions. Thus, it can be argued that leadership is a way forward for to improving performance in a variety of contexts including education at all levels including in secondary schools. During the twenty-first century, leadership has taken a special role for the more successful operation of for example secondary schools and this has been widely acknowledged (Bennis and Naus, 2003).
Education is recognized as one of the basic human rights and an activator of human social and economic advancement. (Boniface et al, 2016). According to Abubakar (2018), education helps a learner to become aware and cognizant of concerns in life in all situations and contributes to societal or national development. According to Mghasse and William (2016), education and national development are closely related because education provides the human resources that work to increase production and reduces or eliminates development challenges and hindrances such as ignorance, poverty, hunger and diseases.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides an overview of the research, including the background, problem statement, objectives, and research questions concerning the impact of school leadership on academic performance.
CHAPTER TWO: Reviews relevant literature on leadership theories (Charismatic, Traits, NPM) and their application to educational settings, establishing the conceptual framework.
CHAPTER THREE: Details the research methodology, including the design, population, sampling, and analytical tools used to examine the leadership attributes of school heads.
CHAPTER FOUR: Presents and discusses the findings of the study based on the collected survey data, focusing on demographic features and the influence of leadership attributes.
CHAPTER FIVE: Summarizes the major findings, draws conclusions based on the research objectives, and provides recommendations for policy and future study.
Keywords
Leadership attributes, Mbulu District, academic performance, head of schools, secondary education, integrity, inspiration, competency, school leadership, Tanzania, educational management, quantitative analysis, teaching experience, school ownership, student achievement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the influence and contribution of leadership attributes of Heads of secondary schools on students' academic performance, with a specific focus on the Mbulu District in Tanzania.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers leadership theory, educational management, teacher professional development, appointment criteria for school administrators, and the impact of leadership on student achievement.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The main objective is to assess the influence of specific leadership attributes—integrity, inspiration, and competence—on student academic performance in selected secondary schools.
Which scientific method is employed?
The study utilizes an explanatory and cross-sectional research design, collecting quantitative data through structured questionnaires administered to 202 teachers and analyzing it via SPSS version 23.
What does the main body address?
The main body evaluates demographic data, provides a literature review on leadership theories, details the research methodology, and discusses how leadership attributes correlate with student academic outcomes.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include leadership attributes, Mbulu District, academic performance, head of schools, and educational management.
How is academic performance measured in this study?
Academic performance is measured by analyzing National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) Form Four results, using student divisions (I, II, III, IV, and 0) as the primary indicator.
Why was the Mbulu District selected for this study?
The district was chosen because it has recorded poor academic performance since 2010 despite government efforts to improve infrastructure and teacher employment, making it a critical area to study leadership factors.
What is the conclusion regarding leadership and academic performance?
The study concludes that there is a significant positive relationship between a Head of School's integrity, competency, and inspirational outlook and the students' academic performance.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Chelestino Mofuga (Autor:in), 2020, Influence of Leadership Attributes of Head of Schools on Student Academic Performances, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/922070
