Relationship between head teacher’s transformational leadership competencies and learners’ academic performance in primary schools in Kericho county, Kenya

Abstract

Leadership is regarded as one of the pillars for the success of any organization in the world. Several schools in Kericho County did poorly in KCPE in the last five years; over 80 schools are under a school improvement plan. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between the headteacher’s transformational leadership competence and learners’ academic performance in primary schools in Kericho County. The objectives of the study were to: determine the relationship between headteacher’s behavioral personality and learners’ academic performance in primary schools; establish the relationship between headteacher’s intellectual stimulation and learners’ academic performance, determine the relationship between headteacher’s commitment and learners’ academic performance, establish the relationship between head teacher’s professional development and learners’ academic performance, and determine the relationship between head teacher’s individualized consideration and learners academic performance in schools in Kericho County, Kenya. The study was based on the transformational leadership theory. Transformational leadership theory links the competences of the leader of an organization to the results or performance of the organization. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-method design. The target population consisted of 801 headteachers and 5933 teachers in the primary schools, 31 CSOs, 6 TSC Sub County directors, and 6 MOE Sub County directors in Kericho County. Simple random and stratified sampling was used to sample 86 headteachers; Purposive sampling was used in selecting 86 headteachers, 172 teachers, 10 CSOs, 6 TSC Sub County directors and 6 MOE Sub County directors in Kericho County from Kericho County. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. Piloting was done in 9 primary schools in the neighbouring Bomet County. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as Pearson’s correlation moments and regression. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analyzed. The researcher carefully examined the data to ensure uniformity, accuracy, and completeness. Data was then coded and organized to be processed. The study established that headteachers’ behavioral personality, headteachers’ commitment, headteachers’ professional development, and headteachers’ individual consideration does not have a statistically significant relationship with learners’ academic performance in primary schools in Kericho County. The regression analysis was as follows. Headteachers' Intellectual Stimulation (Beta = 0.137; p = 0.048); Behavioural Personality of Headteachers (Beta = 0.121; p = 0.094); Professional Development (Beta = 0.102; p = 0.430), Headteachers' Commitment (Beta = -0.012; p = 0.914), and Headteachers' Individual Consideration (Beta = -0.245; p = 0.057). However, headteachers’ intellectual stimulation was found to have a statistically significant relationship with learners’ academic performance in primary schools in Kericho County with regression scores at (Beta = 0.137; p = 0.048). The study findings can be utilized in providing headteachers with information on transformational leadership competencies suitable for learners’ academic performance.