Relationship between Head Teachers’ Leadership Styles and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in Public Primary Schools in Kenya: A Case of Nakuru County

Abstract

Head teachers’ leadership styles are critical to success of teacher job satisfaction especially in display of behaviour that leads to increase teacher motivation, effectiveness, efficiency, and team-work in school. Research on leadership in Kenya consistently supports job satisfaction. However, its effectiveness is wanting in education and thus, a gap exist in relation to head teachers‘ leadership styles to transform schools into conducive environment for job satisfaction. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between head teachers’ leadership styles and teachers’ job satisfaction in primary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. The research was guided by five objectives which investigated head teachers’ characteristics on qualifications and experience in relation to job satisfaction and leadership styles. The study also examined head teachers’ achievement-oriented leadership in relation to job satisfaction, head teachers’ directive leadership in relation to job satisfaction and head teachers’ supportive leadership in relation to job satisfaction. Finally, participative leadership style in relation to teachers’ job satisfaction was investigated. The study is expected to contribute to development of policy strategies and give insight to educationist and education administrators. The study adopted Path-goal theory of leadership. Correlational research design was employed and target population was 601 head teachers and 7002 teachers while accessible population was 240 and 3700 respectively. The selected sample size at random was 148 head teachers and 348 teachers. Questionnaires were administered to the head teachers and teachers while interview guide was administered to Curriculum Support Officers. Qualitative data was coded according to content, analyzed on emerging themes, and presented in narrative form. Research questions were analyzed using Spearman‘s coefficient correlation and were subjected to hypotheses test. The study established that supportive leadership style had high positive correlation 0.708 with 50.13% of respondents deeming it most influential while participative style registered the least, 0.364, though it was significant. Teachers also preferred directive style as opposed to head teachers’ achievement style. The study established that there was limited use of decision making and lack of strategy leadership styles not integrated in school. The study recommends policy reforms action plan that influence job satisfaction of teachers.