The contribution of heads of school leadership styles to teachers’ job performance in selected secondary schools in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania.

This study investigated the contribution of heads of school leadership styles to teachers’ job performance in selected secondary school in Bagamoyo District. The study was guided by three objectives: to examine the leadership styles which are most commonly used by heads of school; to determine the extent to which this leadership styles enhance the teachers job performance; and to investigate the challenges heads of school face in improving teachers’ job performance through their leadership style. Data were collected through questionnaire, interviews, documentary review and focus group discussions (FGD). Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the samples. The study found that heads of school used a range of leadership styles such as autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire in the school management, where the dominant leadership style was democratic and employees were satisfied with their job under the heads of school that were practicing this style compared to the other styles. Indeed, the school heads who used democratic leadership style encouraged their teachers to perform well in their duties. The study too found that heads of school faced challenges which hindered them from exercising their leadership styles effectively towards enhancing teachers’ work performance, such as limited or lack of leadership skills and inexperience. The findings of this study have therefore led the researcher to conclude that the democratic leadership style is the best style of leadership that could enhance better job performance among teachers in secondary schools. The study therefore recommends that heads of schools should adopt a democratic style of leadership in their school administration in order to enhance job performance among teachers. Despite the challenge’s heads of school face during the execution of their tasks, there was a valid need for the development of management and leadership skills amongst heads of school that would foster a collegial sprit and motivate the teachers to strive towards exemplary performance.