This study assesses the influence of the leadership attributes of the head of school on the students’ academic performance in public and private secondary schools. An explanatory cross-sectional survey design with a concurrent mixed approach using both primary and secondary data was employed. A total of 202 teachers provided evidence on their heads of school’s attributes in influencing students’ academic performance using questionnaires, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.
The collected data was analysed using SPSS version 23 for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. A significant relationship between integrity and the students’ academic performance was revealed. However, inspirational attributes negatively correlated between students’ academic performance.
In addition, the results reveal that there was weak, positive and significant relationship between competency and academic performance. The study concluded that integrity and competency attributes significantly influence the students’ academic performance, while inspiration negatively influences students’ academic performance.
Therefore, the study recommends the government to allocate enough funds to the professional development of the aspirant and to review the educational policy on the training and development of teachers before and after their appointment into a leadership position.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
3. METHODOLOGY
4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
5. CONCLUSION
6. REFERENCES
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this study is to assess the influence of specific leadership attributes of Heads of Schools—namely integrity, inspiration, and competency—on the academic performance of students in selected public and private secondary schools in the Mbulu District of Tanzania.
- Analysis of the influence of integrity-related leadership traits on student academic achievement.
- Examination of the association between inspirational leadership attributes and academic outcomes.
- Evaluation of the impact of professional competency attributes of school heads on student performance.
- Investigation into the effectiveness of leadership development policies for school administrators in Tanzania.
- Mixed-methods research approach utilizing both quantitative survey data and qualitative insights from school staff.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Influence of Integrity Attribute on the Students’ Academic Performance
The results for first specific objective which aimed at assessing the influence of integrity attribute of the leadership of heads of schools on the students' academic performance in selected secondary schools in Mbulu district is presented in table 4.1 below. The results (Table 4.1) indicate that the item which says the head of school would steal from the organization scored the highest frequency of 85.70% (sum of 74.80% strongly disagreed and 10.90% disagreed). This means heads of schools cannot steal the school's resources. Therefore, the integrity attribute of trustworthy is possessed and practiced by heads of schools in Mbulu district. Accordingly, the second-highest score was found to be the item that says heads of schools can be trusted with confidential information (85.10%). So, heads of schools were found to be trustworthy in such a way that they cannot steal school's resources did not hurt someone's career because of a grudge (85.10%) nor they were hypocrite (85.10%).
Similarly, the item that asks if the head of schools would withhold information or constructive feedback because he/she wants someone to fail was the third important attribute of integrity with a frequency of 84.20%. Other items which scored highest frequencies and considered important attributes of integrity in Mbulu district include: would spread rumours or gossip to try to hurt people or the organization (84.20%), is rude or uncivil to co-workers (81.70%), shows unfair favouritisms toward some people (80.70%), would engage in sabotage of the organization (82.60%), likes to bend the rules (78.80%) and would make trouble for someone who got on his or her bad side (78.20%).
According to scholars such as Ojo (2011), Lumpkin, Claxton and Wilson (2014), Goolamally and Ahmad (2014) and Duggar, (2015), the HoS with the attribute of integrity are trustworthy, sincere, transparent, just and, as much as possible, show congruence between their feelings, thoughts, actions and words.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the theoretical background regarding leadership attributes in educational settings and establishes the importance of the study for secondary school performance.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: Defines the main research objective and the four specific objectives focused on integrity, inspiration, and competency as drivers of student achievement.
3. METHODOLOGY: Describes the explanatory, cross-sectional, mixed-method design used to analyze data from 202 teachers in the Mbulu District.
4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION: Presents the quantitative and qualitative results, analyzing how integrity, inspiration, and competency correlate with student academic outcomes.
5. CONCLUSION: Summarizes the findings, confirming that leadership attributes significantly influence academic performance, and provides policy recommendations for school headship training.
6. REFERENCES: Lists the academic sources and empirical studies used to support the research framework.
Keywords
leadership, leadership attributes, academic performance, Mbulu District, Tanzania, secondary schools, integrity, inspiration, competency, school management, educational policy, head of school, trait theory, charismatic leadership, new public management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines how specific leadership attributes of school principals—integrity, inspiration, and competency—influence the academic results of students in Mbulu District secondary schools.
What are the primary leadership themes explored?
The study centers on three pillars: the integrity of the school head, their ability to inspire staff and students, and their professional competency in school administration.
What is the main research objective?
The primary goal is to assess the influence of Head of School leadership attributes on student academic performance to understand why schools in the Mbulu District have historically underperformed.
What research methodology was employed?
The author utilized an explanatory cross-sectional survey design, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative data analyzed with SPSS and qualitative data derived from interviews and group discussions.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main sections evaluate the empirical link between the identified leadership traits and student performance, providing statistical frequency distributions and evidence-based discussions.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include leadership attributes, student academic performance, Mbulu District, Tanzania, school management, integrity, and educational administration.
How does the competency of a principal specifically affect performance?
The findings indicate a positive correlation, suggesting that competent school heads significantly increase the probability of students achieving passing grades compared to non-competent leaders.
Does the study find all leadership attributes equally influential?
Not necessarily; while integrity and competency are positively correlated with academic success, the study noted nuanced relationships, such as the finding that inspirational attributes can sometimes show unexpected negative correlations in specific contexts.
- Citar trabajo
- Chelestino Mofuga (Autor), 2020, The Influence of Leadership Attributes of the Principal on the Student's Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Tanzania, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/924973
