Headteachers Leadership Styles and Students’ Academic Performance in Selected Schools in The Ahafo-Ano South District in Ghana

Abstract

The goal of this study was to see how the influence of School heads' leadership styles on  students' academic achievement in a sample of chosen primary schools in the Ahafo-Ano South  region. Three hundred and sixty-six (366) respondents completed a questionnaire, which  comprised six (6) head teachers, twenty-four (24) instructors, and three hundred and thirty-six  (336) students. The study found out that democratic and transformational leadership were the  main styles of leadership that headteachers employed to ensure improvement in the academic  performance of students as they gave room for followers (students and teachers) to express  themselves and encouraged them to go beyond their self-interest and embrace the school's  established objectives. Again, the study found out that about 72 per cent of respondents  explained that the leadership style of headteachers greatly influenced students' academic  performance. Democratic and transformational leadership styles were the main ones for improving students' academic performance rather than autocratic leadership styles. To ensure  effective and appropriate usage of leadership styles and practices in schools, the study  recommends compulsory continuous professional development in leadership for headteachers  by the Ghana Education Service; teachers should be able to assess and suggest the performance  of headteachers in order to keep checks on them on a nearly daily basis; to become a  Headteacher, training and other academic achievements should be considered and not only the  length of service. Headteachers should identify teachers with potentials for effective and  efficient school leadership training and mentorship in their respective schools.