Administrative and management practices of headmasters on school performance A case study of selected senior high schools in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate headmasters’ administrative and management practices on school performance in selected public senior high schools in Kumasi metropolis. The objectives of the study were to determine how headmasters’ decision making practices affect school performance, establish how headmasters’ in-service training practices affect school performance, establish how headmasters’ effective communication practices affect school performance and to investigate how headmasters’ instructional supervision practices affect school performance. Descriptive survey design using the mixed method triangulation research approach was adopted for the study. The target population of the study was 1013. Purposive sampling technique was used to select five schools. Purposive sampling technique was also used to select all the five headmasters. The lottery type of the simple random sampling was used to select 56 teachers. Questionnaire and interview guide were used for the study. The pilot-test yielded Cronbach Alpha of 0.83. The quantitative data were analyzed using statistical methods including percentages and frequencies while the qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The study revealed that headmasters engaged in rational decision making to promote teachers’ performance. Also, headmasters provided teachers with experiences which enabled them to work together and grow professionally. Headmasters engaged in upward and downward communication with teachers to promote performance. Also, headmasters visited teachers in class to supervise their teaching. It is recommended that headmasters should strategically involve teachers in decision making since the study revealed that involving teachers in decision making promoted performance of the school.