| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of head teachers’
leadership styles on teachers’ job satisfaction in public primary schools in Kajiado
North District. Four research objectives were formulated to guide the study which
was; to determine the extent to which Autocratic, Democratic, Laissez faire and
Transformational leadership styles of head teachers influence primary school
teachers’ levels of job satisfaction. The study was based on Fredrick Herzberg’s
Two Factor theory. The study employed the descriptive survey research design.
The study targeted 86 head teachers and 844 teachers in the 86 public primary
schools. Simple random sampling technique was used to get 26 head teachers and
169 teachers. Two questionnaire sets were used to collect the required information
from the head teachers and teachers. A pilot study was conducted to pre-test the
reliability and validity of the instrument. Quantitative data was entered into the
computer for analysis using the SPSS software (Statistical Package for Social
Science). This processed the frequencies, means and percentages which were used
to discuss the findings while the qualitative data was analyzed through the use of
content analysis. The analyzed data was presented using tables, pie charts and bar
graphs. The study revealed that the democratic leadership style is the most used
style in primary schools and that head teachers’ autocratic leadership style
negatively influence primary school teachers’ levels of job satisfaction. The study
also revealed that head teachers’ democratic leadership style positively influence
primary school teachers’ levels of job satisfaction. The study established that head
teachers’ laissez faire leadership style on primary school moderately influenced
teachers’ levels of job satisfaction and that the head teachers’ transformational
leadership styles positively influences primary school teachers’ levels of job
satisfaction. The main recommendations of this study are: School head teachers
should avoid the use of autocratic style of leadership in the management of
schools as it does not allow teachers to give off their best. Adoption of leadership
strategies by the schools’ heads such as participative style of leadership that
creates conducive environment which will help in improving primary school
teachers’ levels of job satisfaction, The study also recommends that school
managers, avoid the laissez-faire leadership style which permits total delegation
of responsibility to teachers. Specialized management and leadership training
course be designed for those aspiring to become head teachers, current serving
heads should undertake courses on the modern rudiments of leadership styles. A
mentoring program is recommended for newly appointed and underperforming
serving head teachers thus promote and encourage the use of transformation
leadership in the school systems. In conclusion; further comparable studies in
public primary schools should be carried out in other parts of the county to find
out whether the findings can be generalized to the entire county. Further research
on effects of school’s leadership styles on the performance of KCPE in Kajiado
North district should also be undertaken. | en_US |
