DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN SCHOOLS: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS
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DEVELOPMENT
OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN SCHOOLS: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE
LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF CALEB INTERNATIONAL AND SUPREME
EDUCATION FOUNDATION SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Teacher
education programme is saddled with the responsibility of nation building for
the Nigerian as a developing. The quality of the products from teacher training
institutions determines the pace of the nation’s development. Quality in the
educational sector is considered in terms of exceptionally high standards,
consistency, fitness for purpose, value for money (accountability) and
transformative effects (Atanda 2007). Onuh (2006) claims that quality in
education is a multidimensional concept which should embrace all functions and activities, teaching and academic programmes,
research and scholarship, staffing, students, buildings, facilities, equipment,
services to the community and academic environment (UNESCO 1998). There are
five indicators of quality measures in an organization or the school system. They include highly trained staff; adequate
funding; visionary leadership; Service to the community/academic environment
and research and academic activities
There are
also some elements or indicators of good service delivery in schools or
organizations. They are adequate staffing, population (enrolment of students),
management of funds, and adequate management of infrastructure, accommodation
and equipment, provision of adequate
instructional materials, co-curricular activities, uniform input and output
evaluation procedures and provision of scholarship facilities. In schools that
are extremely good, we inevitably find an aggressive, professionally alert,
dynamic principals determined to provide the kind of educational programmes
deemed necessary no matter what (Gold, 2006).
In another
development, (Hechinger, 2005) has this to say “I have never seen a good school
with a poor principal or a poor school with a good principal. I have seen
unsuccessful schools turned around into successful ones and, regrettably
outstanding schools slide rapidly into decline. In each case, the rise and fall
could readily be traced to the quality of the principal. Leadership is the
pre-eminence of one or a few individuals in a group in the process of
controlling the societal phenomena”. By this definition, leadership is meant to
be the central focus of a group of people (workers) in the working goals. Thus,
by virtue of his/her special position in the group, the leader serves as the
primary agent for the determination of group activities (Mumford, 2000).
According to
Uzor (2007), many school principal operate and adopt the authoritarian
leadership style which makes them to e highhanded and wicked to the teaching
staff and others in the school, which some are democratic, which means, they
consult others, especially teachers when important and critical decisions are
being made. Principals who are leissaz-faire in their leadership approaches,
often bequeath to the society, students who are careless, who usually take
things for granted, which principals who adopt the authoritative leadership
skills, apply diplomacy and indepth experiences to get what they want in the
organisation. Although, they are neither authoritarian nor democratic, yet,
they are not highhanded or wicked. This approach of leadership is welcome among
teachers and students, including members of non-teaching staff in a school
organisation. Principals who are authoritative and democratic, create an
atmosphere that is conducive for all to operate positively.
Gbadamosi
and Adebakin (2006) hold the view that a leader is one who inspires others to
work willingly towards the achievement of a goal through maximum application of
his/her personal qualities and capabilities. In order words, people are said to
be leaders, endeavour to the extent that they succeed in their attempt to
influence others to perform a goal or an activity. In doing so, the leader is
expected to have some basic attributes such as skill, intelligence,
determination, imagination, endurance, charisma and courage. This means that
leadership means the process of influencing the activities of an individual or
group of individual in their efforts towards the accomplishment of goals and
objectives of the organization (Hersey and Blanchard, 1999). From the above
descriptions, one can affirm that leadership involves social influence and
interaction between the leader and the subordinates, the aim of which is to
achieve a stated goal.
Therefore,
the importance of leadership in an organization or work environment cannot be
overemphasized. This is because leadership concerns the total manner by which a
manager influences the actions of the subordinates. This includes the issuing
of orders that are clear, complete and within the capabilities of workers to accomplish.
It also implies a continuing training activity in which subordinates are given
instructions to enable them carry out the particular assignment in the existing
situation (Makinde, 2005).
According to
Eskor (2001), there are two broad views of leadership such as psychological and
the sociological views. Eskor opines that the psychological view holds that the
primary function of leaders is to develop an effective motivation system. The
psychologists also believe that the leader must stimulate their subordinates in
such a manner that they would be able to contribute positively to the
organization’s achievement of goals and objectives. They think that the
Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs is a model good enough for leaders to use in
developing the most effective motivational system for their subordinates. They
also hold the view that a motivational system which focuses on the entire needs
of the subordinates (i.e.) physiological, safety, social, system and
self-actualization, will have a higher probability of success than a system
which covers the needs spectrum only in parts.
The above
statements show that it is the leadership of the school that makes the
difference between mediocrity and excellence.
A capsule
description of the qualities and behaviours that characterize principals
leadership styles in successful schools; qualities that have surfaced again and
again in the research literature, run as follows:
(a) Effective principals have a strong vision
of what their schools can be, and they encourage all staff to work towards
realizing that vision (Gunge, 2000).
(b) They hold high expectations for both
students’ achievement and teacher staff performance.
(c) They observe teachers in classrooms and
provide positive constructive feedback aimed at solving problems and
improvising instruction.
(d) They encourage excellent and efficient
instruction time and design procedures to minimize disruptions.
(e) They use material and personal
resources creatively.
(f) They monitor the individual and
collective achievement of students and use the information to guide
instructional planning (Adamson 2001).
Unfortunately,
many less effective principals define their role as managers of the building
and budget, keepers of the records, chief disciplinarians and communicators
with everyone (Davis, 2000). According to Willower (2002); many less quality or
effective principals leave teaching to
teachers. Research on the activities and behaviours of principals
indicate that most school principals spend very little time on curriculum and
instructional matters; while few of them have been trained and prepared for
instructional leadership.
As Goodhead
(2003) puts it, most teachers, parents and interested others are not aware of
the pivotal role an instructionally active principal can play in creating an
effective school, a school where everyone is concerned with learning and
achievement, where expectations are high and educational improvement is a daily
concern. The daily routine of every
school principal, although routine is hardly the correct word includes
activities which are described as “varied, brief and disjointed” Lee (2007),
and “varied brief and fragmented” by Martin and Willower (2001); While
Greenfield concluded that the activities of effective school principals involve
“an endless series of brief interpersonal encounters and exchanges with
students, teachers, parents, supervisors and others”.
Principals
must deal with competing values and expectations along with shortages in space,
staff, funds, equipment and materials and miss communications are common
(Barnett et al, 2004) The work of the principal is largely verbal. Principals
dispense information about procedures and politics to veteran teachers, new teachers, substitute, teachers, special
education teachers, reading specialties, counsellors, school psychologists,
maintenance staff, students, parents and others in the community. Well-trained
and experienced school principals answer questions about the availability of
aids, space, materials and other resources and details about forth coming
events in the schools where they are found (Bloomberg, 2007). According to
Morris et al (2002), the principals’ activities are classified into monitoring
school activities, serving as school spokesperson, disseminating information to
school staff, handling resources and so on.
The school
principal is the arrow head of the school system. This means that the school
principal determines the pace at which things or events move in the school. In
this regard therefore, the quality of the school principal to a large extent,
determines the services he/she renders to the school. According to Goodhead
(2003), many less effective principals view the role they play in the school as
managers of the school building and budget keepers of the school records and
communicators with every one. They unfortunately, leave the teaching to the
classroom teachers. Most principals spend little time on curriculum and
instructional matters. Most principals in the school system today are poor
school leaders, inefficient administrators, who lack the required capacity and
academic process to keep the school moving ahead. They lack experience and
qualification with which high and qualitative services are rendered in the
administration of the school (Ola, 2004).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The problem
inherent in the lack of or and adequate leadership skill or competence among
secondary school heads cannot be overemphasized. This is because, principals
who are not competent, who lack the wherewithal to manage the affairs of the
school, will find it extremely difficult to run and control effectively, the
school system placed in their care. Needless to say that most school principals
lack the required leadership styles and skills in terms of the ability and
capacity to provide good leadership quality, to provide good school climate and
cooperation. For instance, in school where there is bad leadership, where the
principal lack the necessary leadership skills and capacities of managing,
controlling and organising and leading effectively, there tend to be chaotic situation
in the school. There may be no leader-follower relationship, and in a situation
where there is non-relationship between the leader and the followers especially
the teachers, things do not work well and this affects growth and development
of the school negatively. Teachers do not carry out their work effective if the
principals’ style of management is bad or authoritarian.
For
instance, if there is no good relationship between principals and teachers, and
between principals and students, there will be a confused situation in the
school and this can lead to poor academic performance of students and poor work
activities by the teachers and this gives bad image to the school system
generally.
The above
identified problems gave rise to the examination of principals’ leadership
styles, organisaional climate and teachers job performance in schools located
in Lagos State.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The
objectives of this study include to:
(1) examine the difference between
authoritarian and authoritative leadership styles among school principals.
(2) Investigate the relationship between
permissive leadership style and democratic leadership style of principals.
(3) find out the leadership skills of
school principals and their effects on teachers’ job performance.
(4) examine the difference between the
leadership skills of principals who are skillful and those who are not.
(5) differentiate teachers’ job
performance in schools where there is principal-teacher relationship and
schools where there is none.
1.4 Research Questions
The
following research questions will be raised in this study.
1. Would there be any relationship between
the authoritarian and authoritative leadership styles among school principals?
2. Is there any relationship between
permissive leadership style and democratic leadership style of principals?
3. Can the leadership skills of school
principals and their effects on teachers’ job performance be investigated?
4. Will there be any difference between
the leadership styles of principals who are skilful and those who are not?
5. Will there be any difference between the
job performance of teachers who are in schools where there is principal-teacher
relationship and those who are in school where there is none?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The
following research hypotheses will be postulated in this study:
1. There will be no significant
relationship between the authoritative leadership and the authoritarian
leadership styles of principals.
2. There will be no significant
relationship between permissive leadership style and democratic leadership
styles of principals.
3. There will be no significant difference
in the leadership styles of principals who are skilful and those who are not.
4. There will be no significant difference
between the job performance of teachers who are in schools where there is
principal-teacher relationship and those who are not.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study
will be beneficial to the following:
This study
will help school principals have better insight on the importance of service
delivery in the school. With the recommendations and findings of this study,
school principals would be more aware of the importance of quality in service
delivery.
This will
enable them to imbibe the culture of being exposed to training and retraining
in the school in order to achieve maximum quality for effective service
delivery in the day to day management and administration.
The findings
of this study enables teachers in the school system, who practice teaching on
daily basis, the opportunity of knowing that the quality of a teacher to a
large extent affect the way at which
he/she delivers service in the teaching profession.
With this
study, practising teachers would be able to imbibe the culture of updating
their academics periodically as that will help them to perform their duties
creditably well. It also helps teachers to know that it pays to deliver quality
services in one’s profession.
This study
would help the school authority to be able to provide conducive environment
towards the production of personnel who will be able, available, ready and
efficient in service delivery in the school system. With this study, the school
authority will be able to make policies that would enable staff to be trained
and groomed for better performance and higher productivity in the school. The study would serve as a good and important
reference material to the public and the upcoming researchers and students in
general.
1.7 Scope and Limitation of Study
This study
will cover an investigation into the influence of principals’ leadership styles
and organisational climate on teachers’ job performance in selected secondary
schools in Lagos State.
The
constraints of this study include lack of finance, time frame, lack of adequate
materials and other logistics that may arise as a result of collecting data.
Also, the inhibition of the respondents in giving their sincere responses to
the questionnaires would be another expected constraint of the study.
1.8 Definition of Terms
The
following terms were defined in this study:
Quality:
Quality is defined as grade of goodness, excellence or degrees (especially high
degrees) of goodness of work.
Service
Delivery: The control and effective management and utilization of school
population, funds, infrastructures, accommodations, equipment, information
communication technology and so on for growth and development of the school
system.
Quality
Service Delivery: This is a situation in
which services or functions are at the apex level. This means the highest
services delivered by those expected to deliver them in an organisation or
institution.
School
Administrators: This refer to those or personnel who manage the schools as
institutions of learning. The headmasters, headmistresses, principals, vice
principals are regarded as school administrators.
Leadership
Style – It is the way leaders or school principals pilot the affairs of the
school. Leadership also means the way and manner management sees things and
applied control and others in order to get things done.
Effectiveness
– The ability or power to have a notable or desired effect on something.
Job
Performance – The act of performing something, the action or an act of
performing, the ability to do something especially something needing skills
etc. Performance also means the overall activities of students in a particular
school over a period of time.
Organisational
Climate – This refers to the entire school/organisational environment that
depicts the entire school system/setting. It includes the nature and
characteristics of the school as a whole.
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