Leadership practices of heads of senior high schools in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the leadership practices of heads of senior high schools in the Kumasi Metropolis. The objectives of the study were to investigate leadership practices commonly exhibited by heads of public schools, find out the perception of heads of senior high schools regarding their leadership roles, examine the challenges associated with leadership roles and to assess strategies that could be adopted to improve leadership practices in senior high schools in the Kumasi metropolis. The research design for the study was descriptive survey. The target population was senior high school teachers in the Kumasi metropolis. The accessible population comprised eighty (80) teachers. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to select the participants for the study. Questionnaire was the instrument used for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. The reliability test yielded Cronbach Alpha of 0.76. The study found among others that most heads do not set a personal example of what they expect from others. Heads of schools focus on academic performance of their schools do not focus on sports development as well as infrastructure. Effective accommodation and in-service training of newly recruited teachers were challenges in leadership practices. It is recommended based on the findings that heads of senior high schools should set personal example of what they expect from others. Also heads should assist teachers to go for workshops, refreshers courses and in-service training as well as appointing accomplished tutors into leadership position in the school to help improve leadership practices of heads of senior high schools.