Worthiness of the leadership style used by heads of schools in Kigamboni Municipality, Tanzania

Worthiness of the leadership style used by heads of schools in Kigamboni Municipality, Tanzania

Enerico Sumbizi – Lecturer (Educational leadership, Management and policy Studies in education), Department of Technical Education, Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST)
Moabu Jimmy Chandafa – Assistant Lecturer (Science Education), Department of Technical Education, Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST)
Email: mbizisu1@gmail.com.

Abstract: The study was premised on the argument that leaders and their leadership styles have a significant contribution to enhancing attainment of the schools’ goals and objectives. The study sought to achieve one objective intended to explore the worthiness of the leadership style used by heads of schools in Kigamboni Municipality, Tanzania. Sampling was purposive to four (4) head of schools, twenty-eight (28) teachers, four (4) academic masters and one (1) Municipal educational officer thus forming a sample of thirty-seven (37) participants from four secondary schools in Kigamboni Municipality. Data collection methods were interviews and focus group discussions. These enabled the researcher to gather multiple sources of information on the worthiness of leadership style used by heads of schools in Kigamboni Municipality, Tanzania. Thematic analysis based on six steps used to analyse the obtained data. Findings were presented using percentages and quotations obtained from the participants. The analysis of data revealed that heads of schools used more democratic and autocratic leadership style. There are some evidence to support that some heads of schools used laissez faire leadership style which negatively or positively affected teachers’ job performance and attainment of the pre-determined goals and objectives. The study recommends heads of schools to employ a mix of leadership styles in their leadership practices. The use of mixed leadership styles has the potential to enable different styles to complement each other thus enabling teachers to be productive within the schools.