TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Approval Page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
List of Tables vi
Table of Contents viii
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Statement of the Problem 10
Purpose of the Study 11
Significance of the study 12
Scope of the Study 13
Research Questions 14
Research Hypotheses 14
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 15
Conceptual Framework 16
- Concept of leadership 16
- Concept of transformational leadership style 25
- Concept of secondary schools 30
Theoretical Framework 35
- Theory X and Y 35
- Contingency theory of leadership 37
Empirical Studies 38
Studies on leadership style and teacher performance 38
Studies on leadership style and job satisfaction 39
Studies on school organizational climate and leadership style 40
Studies on leadership styles 41
Studies on transformational leadership styles 45
Summary of Literature Review 46
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS 48
Design of the Study 48
Area of the Study 48
Population of the Study 49
Sample and Sampling Techniques 49
Instrument for Data Collection 50
Validation of the Instrument 51
Reliability of the Instrument 51
Method of Data Collection 52
Method of Data Analysis 52
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 53
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Discussion of the Results 66
Conclusion of the study 66
Educational Implications 70
Recommendations 73
Limitation of the Study 75
Suggestion for Further Study 75
Summary of the Study 76
References 77
Appendices 82
Abstract
The study was a comparative study of transformational leadership behaviour of administrators in public and private secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State. A-45 item questionnaire titled “Transformational Leadership Questionnaire (TLQ)” was developed by the researcher and administered on 174 respondents and was used to collect data for the study. The instrument was validated by two experts in Educational Administration and Planning and another expert in Measurement and Evaluation all from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The instrument yielded reliability co-efficient of 0.88 using cronbach alpha method. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the four research questions, while t-test statistic was used to test the four hypotheses, while t-test for the study at 0.05 level of significance. The major findings of the study were both private and public secondary school administrators’ initiate intellectual stimulation to their staff through sensitization programmes like seminars, conferences, in-service training like sandwich programmes and private school administrators’ symbolize professional practices and values as they communicate high performance values and practice to their staff. New ways of doing things are accepted by the staff and the leader. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others for the need for the administrators of public and private secondary schools to attend sensitization programmes like seminars, workshops, conferences on transformational leadership to enable them carry along, the students, the teacher and the local community so as to attain the basic of objective of secondary education. Limitations of the study were outlined, and suggestions for further study given.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Leadership is fundamental to the existence of any organization. It focuses on the accomplishment of goals and objectives of the organization. The leader influences the behaviours of the people who work for an organization so as to achieve the basic goals upon which the organization or group is found. The process through which leaders influence their followers to work towards attainment of certain goals that represent the values, needs, aspirations and expectations of both the leaders and the followers is termed leadership.
Leadership connotes the ability to get things done with the assistance and co-operation of other people within the organization (Ake, 2007). The effective leader is not only able to make his subordinates do what they have to do but also recognize that they must be motivated to ensure that they continue to work hard until the goals and objectives of the organization are met. Other qualities of good leaders are unquestionable discipline, endurance, integrity and persistence in attaining goals. Most good leaders have crucial vision. They know how to motivate people to believe in the same vision they have for themselves.
Leadership is very crucial for school administration. Leadership and administration are usually mistaken to be the same, but there are differences. While every administrator is a leader not all leaders are administrators. In leadership, authority is derived from the followers but in administration authority is derived from the statutory functions of the office holder (Chiaha, 2009). However their qualities are similar. Good school administrators are perceptive and strategic leaders. Ezinne (2010) observed that a good school administrator should have the knowledge to make the correct call in making sure that the organization is successful. Therefore, a good school administrator must have to be strategic, wise and perceptive. Similarly, a good school administrator, just like a good leader, must be passionate charismatic and good communicators to enable them carry along the teachers and other members of staff to enhance good administrative and learning climate in the school. A good school administrator with the above qualities tends to actualize the goals of the school in terms of improving teaching and learning along side welfare of the staff.
In the secondary school system, the school administrator (principal) has the responsibility as an instructional leader to ensure effective teaching and learning by exerting his influence or position as the school administrator. This is especially needed where there is an upsurge of private secondary schools in recent times (Collins, 2009). This upsurge refers to the sporadic springing up of private schools due to poor instructional leadership quality of public school principals whom parents often accuse of not rendering high quality educational services to the learners (Ugwu, 2010). The reaction is based on the proactive measures which the principals of private school often adopt for ensuring instructional improvement of their students. This implies that parents and stakeholders often look forward to effective leadership of schools to enable their wards progress academically. Apparently, therefore, transformational leadership seems to be the answer to their problem.
Experts express opinions that transformational leadership appears to offer the most comprehensive description and generate the most beneficial results in an organization. Leithword (2007) observed that transformational leaders have three main goals which comprise development of staff, maintenance of collaborative school culture and participatory decision-making process which is geared towards the attainment of both individual and organizational (group) goals. The second goal is fostering teacher development by giving teachers a role in solving school problems by allowing them some ownership of the problem and its solutions. Ultimately, transformational leaders help followers solve problems more effectively by encouraging collaboration and promoting the idea that staff, working together, can often find a better solution to a problem than the administrator acting alone. This is probably why private schools seem to apply the use of transformational leadership more often than not (Adebayo, 2009).