Factors influencing the choice of leadership styles in Baringo secondary schools

Abstract

It is widely recognized and agreed that one of the key factors determining schools effectiveness, is the nature and quality of the leadership and management provided by the school head. Reviewed literature reveals that every school manifests unique leadership attributes, which can easily correspond to the personality traits of its leader. Thus, the outcomes of schools' leadership processes are directly linked with the leadership styles adopted by the incumbent school heads. This then makes leadership of schools a centre of interest in research. However, such perceptions disregard the influences of other variables, which may directly or indirectly promote or limit the scope of the leaders abilities and initiatives to perform to the stakeholders' expectations. It is through this perception that, the headteachers are exclusively held responsible for good or bad management results. In Baringo District, where the study was conducted, there has been an alarming rate of head-teacher's turnover. Such heads are often transferred, demoted, redeployed and or interdicted on the accounts related to their inability to perform. On the basis of the vagueness surrounding schools' leadership in Baringo, the researcher felt obliged to investigate the factors which influence the adoption of various leadership styles in secondary schools within the district. These are, autocratic, laissez-faire and democratic approaches. The purpose of this study was to investigate/identify:- 1. The leadership styles manifested by head teachers in Baringo secondary schools 2. Factors influencing the head teachers' choice of leadership styles 3. The implications of such styles to the schools' management process

The data was collected through questionnaires administered to teachers, students and members of the board. Head teachers, were interviewed. The researcher also made his own observations and making notes. The data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The following emerged as the main factors influencing leadership styles in Baringo secondary schools: • Availability of resources, • The high staff turnover, • School traditions, • The nature, size, and status of schools, • Stakeholders' demands, • Geographical locations of the schools

Leadership styles were therefore, seen as outcomes of various interdependent variables, with whose interplay creates relevant leadership.

The following are major recommendations: • School rules and routines need to be occasionally reviewed • Disciplinary procedures for the teachers and students need to be reviewed by the MOEST to create relevance to appropriate contexts. • Since this study was limited to only five secondary schools in three divisions of Baringo District, replications of studies of this type are necessary inorder to show a more accurate picture of the influences of leadership styles in secondary schools in various districts within Kenya