HEAD TEACHERS’ LEADERSHIP STYLES AND TEACHERS’ COMMITMENT IN RWANDAN BOARDING SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between head teachers’ leadership styles and teachers’ commitment in Rwandan boarding secondary schools (A case study of Nyamagabe District). The research was guided by four objectives which were : to evaluate the impact of head teachers 'leadership styles (Directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented styles) on teachers’ commitment in selected boarding secondary schools of Nyamagabe District. The target population of this research was 165 teachers from boarding schools and 7 head teachers. Secondary school teachers as participants of this study were sampled from the target population excluding head teachers who participated all without sampling. Alain’s formula : n=no/1+no/N was used to find the sample size for this study and the later adopted a descriptive correlational design which used questionnaires and related written documents as instruments of data collection. The findings were presented using charts and tables, the researcher also used research questions in order to test the objectives, with a view of coming up with general conclusions and recommendations. The study showed that different leadership styles are used as follow: directive leadership style at 79%, supportive leadership style at 84%, participative leadership style at 86% and lastly the achievement-oriented leadership style at 85%. The study also revealed that there is a strong positive correlation between two variables that are the leadership styles and boarding secondary teachers’ commitment in Nyamagabe District. The researcher recommended the Ministry of education in collaboration with REB to think big about teachers’ commitment for better quality of education. The ministry of education in collaboration with REB should also strengthen teachers’ management department so that they may have regular statistics about teachers who quit education for better jobs so as to check reasons behind and find solutions. Finally, Head teachers should be trained in school leadership in order to help them facilitate teachers in performing their demanding tasks and contribute to their commitment. Suggestions for further research are the following: Teachers’ commitment and pupils’ performance in Secondary Schools of Rwanda, Leadership styles and teachers’ commitment in urban Schools of Rwanda and Monthly salary and secondary school teachers’ commitment.