Analysis of Leadership Strategies That Promote Ethical Practices in Primary Teacher Education in Kenya

Abstract

The concern about ethical leadership that inspires ethical practices in learning institutions is global. In Kenya, the subject of ethical leadership continues to be largely unexplored, especially in the primary teacher training colleges, despite the reports of unethical practices by some leaders of educational institutions manifested through the culture of corruption, wastage of resources, lack of accountability and negative subordinate behaviours. This certainly raises questions regarding the leadership strategies employed to enhance ethical practices within those institutions. The study analysed the leadership strategies that are envisaged to promote ethical practices in primary teacher education in Kenya. Specifically, the study was set to examine the extent to which strategic, normative, authentic, and value-awareness leadership strategies promoted ethical practices contained in Chapter Six of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, Mwongozo: The Code of Governance for State Corporations and the Public Officers Ethics Act of 2003. The study used deontological and teleological ethical theories to form the theoretical framework. Phenomenological and analytic methods of philosophical inquiry were employed. Phenomenology explored the lived experiences of the respondents involved; the analytic method clarified concepts, terms, and statements related to the study. The research was carried out in some public primary teacher training colleges in Kenya. The target population was comprised of 23 principals, 23 Deputy Principals, 23 Deans of students, 23 top student leaders, 7 regional Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs), and 7 regional Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officers drawn from 7 regions in Kenya. The final sample comprised seven principals, seven Deputy Principals, seven Deans of students, seven top student leaders, four regional Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) and three regional Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officers, purposefully selected from the 7 regions in Kenya. Data was collected using the interview schedules and observation checklists. The qualitative data generated was analysed using thematic analysis, where the coded data was analysed on the basis of the identified themes and presented in the form of tables and narratives. By the use of descriptions and interpretations, the data was collated, discussed, and presented in chapter four. The study analysed the response on how strategic, normative, authentic and value-awareness leadership strategies promoted ethical practices enshrined in the aforementioned legal documents. The current status of the promotion of ethical practices by these leadership strategies was also analysed. The findings revealed that these leadership strategies can create an ethically sound environment that promotes ethical practices within the TTCs. The results further established that the college administration had no clear evidence of adoption of these ethical leadership strategies towards inspiration of the ethical practices in TTCs. This culminates in the manifestation of unethical conduct among college leaders and their subordinates, which makes the leaders questionable as agents of promoting ethical practices in TTCs. The study proposes a philosophical paradigm of these leadership strategies based on moral rightness and moral goodness that can effectively influence the minds of leaders and their subjects to internalize ethical practices as a matter of moral duty and moral goodness.