Ngirwa, Coletha Cleo2021-10-172021-10-172006Ngirwa, C. C. (2006) The effect of leadership styles in promoting academic performance in primary education. Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.http://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/16104Available in print form, Eat Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library,(THS EAF LB1525.75N49)This study aimed at exploring the effect of leadership styles in promoting academic in performance in primary education. The purpose of this study was fourfold; to examine the leadership styles prevalent in primary schools: to find out the extent to which leadership styles influence teachers' effectiveness in performing their duties to examine the influence of leadership style on working relations among school community members and to assess the extent to which leadership styles or impede realization of high academic performance of primary education. The conceptual framework derived from Heneveld's model of monitoring quality of education (1994), has several variables appropriate for this studs, these were leader-behaviour, followers-behaviour, school academic school-working conditions, teachers' and students' motivation. school category (High or Poor performing school), teachers' qualifications, experience and their involement in academic matters, and headteaehers' qualifications. The data collection techniques employed semi-structured questionnaires: interviewing, documentary analysis of the school documents and observation of the school climate. The population for this study comprised all primary school headteachers, teachers and students in Dar es Salaam public primary schools. Responses were solicited from S headteachers, 104 teachers and 16 student head prefects. Using simple random sampling, eight public primary schools selected, The study findings indicated that the prevalent Leadership style in primary schools was democratic 77 (73.8%), rated by teachers of their headteaehers. Other leadetship styles indicated were autocratic 24 (23.3%), and laissez-faire 3 (2.90 0), Teachers maintain that they were involved in school academic activities through participation in different school committees and assuming leadership responsibilities such as class teacher, and academic master, although the majority of teachers thought leadership styles did not affect their performance. About 65.4% of teachers rated their headteachers as emphasizing good job performance and cordial relationships, However, schools whose headteachers had a mixture of autocratic and democratic leadership styles exhibited good academic performance in Dar es Salaam public primary schools. Headteachers, whose styles of leadership emphasize the practices of weekly, monthly tests, remedial classes and seminars to subjects' coordinators, were reported to be effective in raising students' academic performance. However, financial constraints, shortage of teachers, teaching and learning materials and lack of teachers' motivation, were considered to be reasons for teachers' ineffectiveness and poor school academic performance. It is therefore recommended that school management capacity should be improved through teachers' professional development and the supply of enough human, material and financial resources. Also a similar study should be conducted to compare the impact of leadership styles in public and private primary schools.enAcademic achievementLeadershipEducationprimaryThesis