| dc.description.abstract | Leadership is an important aspect of administration. This is because the
success of any organisation depends largely on the chief executive's leadership
abilities. Because of the emphasis placed on leadership, many studies have
been carried out using different instruments to measure the leadership
behaviour and styles of different leaders. In Kenya, very few such studies have
been carried out.
The study attempted to establish the headteachers' leadership styles on
students' discipline in public secondary schools in Kenya and in particular,
Kericho District. In order to do this, the perceptions of the headteachers'
leadership styles by the headteachers and students were carried out. The study
also tried to find out whether such factors as the size of the schools, the
qualifications of the headteachers and the category of the schools in terms of
the sex of pupils influenced the headteachers' and students' perceptions of
headteachers leadership styles and discipline of students
The literature review studied revealed that it was difficult to generalise on the
best leadership and disciplinary measures for any organisation. This was why
the present study proved necessary. Thus the intentions behind this study
included giving the headteachers and other interested persons information that
would help them understand the kinds of leadership and disciplinary problems
found in the Kenya secondary schools.
The sample of the study comprised of thirty headteachers and hundred students
from thirty public secondary schools in Kericho District. In a pilot study
carried out to test the reliability of the research instruments, six headteachers
and eighteen students from six other secondary schools in Kericho were used.
Randomisation was used as a method of the selection of students and schools.
Information was gathered through the subjects' completion of two
questionnaires namely; Headteachers' and Students' questionnaires. These
questionnaires were personally given to the subjects by the researcher.
Headteachers' questionnaire was completed by headteachers to indicate their
views of their own leadership styles. Students' questionnaire was completed
by students to indicate their views of their headteachers' leadership styles.
These instruments were borrowed and modified from Rensis Likert and Jane
G. Likert.
A general questionnaire was attached to the headteachers' questionnaire to
gather information about the respondents' sex, qualifications of headteachers
and size of their schools. Respondents were given a period of one week, after
which the completed questionnaires were personally collected by the
researcher. The few which delayed were addressed and mailed to the
researcher.
Finances and time constraints limited the study to Kericho District only. The
data collected was analysed using qualitative and quantitative statistics.
The findings of the study showed:
1. That whereas most headteachers perceived themselves as very democratic
leaders, most of their students saw them as merely considerably
democratic.
2. That the sex of students influenced the type of indiscipline experienced in
different schools
3. That the size of the school influenced the type of indiscipline experienced
in different schools.
4. That the sex of headteachers influenced the disciplinary measures they
adopted.
5. That the size of the school influenced the disciplinary measures adopted by
headteachers.
6. That professional qualifications of headteachers influenced the disciplinary
measures adopted.
7. That Graduate/Approved headteachers behaved more democratically in
solving disciplinary problems than those with Masters degree in Education
8. That male headteachers behaved more democratically in solving
disciplinary problems than female headteachers.
After examining the findings, it was concluded that there were differences in
the perception of the headteachers ' leadership stvles by headteachers
themselves and their students.
It was concluded that such factors as the sex of headteachers and students,
professional qualifications and size of their schools influenced headteachers'
leadership styles and discipline of students.
In the light of the findings and conclusions of the study it was recommended
that:
1. Efforts be made to have secondary school headteachers take intensive
courses in educational administration and leadership either before they
are appointed or soon after they are appointed.
2. The government should aim at staffing secondary schools with
professional Graduate/Approved headteachers.
3. Professionalism rather than the sex of the individuals should be the
guiding factor in the relationship between headteachers and students.
4. Further research on leadership and factors that influence leadership be
carried out.
5. Research into factors that cause indiscipline of students and
disciplinary measures appropriate be carried out. | en |
