Impact Of Principal’s Leadership Style On Students’ Academic Performance In Some Selected Secondary Schools

Background to the Study

The success of any organization is highly rated upon the head, boss or the manager of such an enterprise, like business, school or any organization. The leadership impact is desirable in organization to aid easy and maximum success. Leadership is an instructional used in an organization for behavior modification. It determines the goals of organization and means of accomplishing them. Therefore, leadership in organization has been seen as motivator whereby one person who is the head motivates others towards, the achievement of specific goals of the organizations.  However, fellowship is the essence of leadership, in other words it is willingness of the people to follow that makes a person a leader. Moreover, people follow those perceived to be providing means of achieving their own desires, wants and needs. In secondary school administration, the success of any school to achieve its stated goals or objectives depends on the ability of the chief administrator otherwise known as the principal and his leadership style. Effective leadership role provided by the principal will lead to the achievement of the school’s goals and objectives. There is on adage which says “Get the right man in the leadership and your problem will be solved”.

Education among other concern is an instrument for effecting national development. To achieve the stated aims and objectives of the national policy, all stakeholders in the educational sector have different roles to play. At the grass root level, the management available resources rest solely upon the schools principals inclusive in principals roles is the provision of effective administrative skills which cannot be separated from their leadership styles. With the close review of the setbacks being experienced in some secondary schools, pressure groups are agitating for effective leadership styles. It is glaring that some principals have not considered their styles of leadership as the determinants of students’ academic performance level. Hence, some principals seem to find it difficult to effectively administer their schools (Adeyemi 2004). Every school principal is in a unique position as the manager or administrator of the `resources in their schools. The school administrator is a leader of the staff and the students of the school. He is expected to be knowledgeable in the area of administration and should be in nature. He should be able to address difficult issues or problems of different point in time. Leadership is concerned with human experience and energy in an organized group and the concept is also of prime importance to administration. The leadership style of the principal is demonstrated in his abilities which make him to be recognized as leader of a group. Many people strongly believe even when there is an educational plan, good school programmers, adequate staff and facilities, what is more important is good administrative leadership to coordinate all these for the progress and success of the school. In case, where the leadership style of the principal is ineffective, even the best school programme, the most adequate resources and the most motivational staff and students will be rendered unproductive. Therefore, the importance of good leadership style in an organization cannot be overemphasized.

Students too not left out of the reason for the blame as most of them are not ready to face their studies as required. students level of productivity in school determine how the principals’ administrative role and leadership style are rated. The key for an effective leader is the ability to lead effectively, coordinate a complex situation and show concern through the effective leadership style for students performance. Therefore, among the administrative functions of the principal is to persuade students and use his leadership style to coordinate all activities to ensure they contribute willingly for students performance. It worth knowing that the improvement of students performance in any secondary schools depends on quality of its principal leadership styles. are therefore expected to be committed to facilitate the teaching process. To ensure the possibility, principals too must provide conductive atmosphere in the school. The type of leadership style being operated in the school will make students to achieve their objectives. Homan et al (2005) stated that belief of people that the efficiency with which any school organization can be operated depends to a large extent on the effective leadership style, both individually and collectively. The issues of students’ performance in the classroom, based on principals leadership style is a concern of this project. 

Moreover, it will be erroneous to conclude that all school principals in this country fail to acknowledge the significance of good human relation. It is evident that leadership approach vary from one principal to other as a result of prevailing situation. “What can be said to be true about one situational environment may not be true about another. What may be wise action in one situation may be wise action in one situation may be unwise in another. The understanding of the existence of a great variety of patterns, conditions and responses in the beginning of wisdom of approaching the problem of leadership style.