The Leadership Role of Secondary School Head Teachers in Delivering Integrative Quality Education in Uganda

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between the secondary school head teacher’s leadership role in delivering the much needed integrative quality education in Uganda. The specific objectives were; (i) to establish the relationship between the head teacher’s leadership role concerning the aspects of routine administration and management of the school as well as personal development and professionalism and the school’s ability to realize integrative education; (ii) to analyze the relationship between the head teacher’s role in the technical aspect of equipping school labs and the library and school’s ability to realize integrative education; (iii) to analyze the relationship between the head teacher’s role in monitoring of teaching and curriculum coverage and the school’s ability to realize integrative education; and (iv) to analyze the relationship between the head teacher’s role in community engagement and the school’s ability to realize integrative education. It also sought to determine the overall the effect of the head teacher’s leadership role on the school’s ability to realize integrative education. Results reveal that; (1) there is a significant and positive relationship between the head teacher’s leadership role of routine administration of the school and the school’s ability to realize integrative education [r = .927**, p < 0.0001]; (2) there is a significant and positive correlation between the head teacher’s leadership role in equipping school labs and the library and the school’s ability to realize integrative education [r = .701**, p < 0.0001]; (3) there is also a significant and positive correlation between the head teacher’s leadership role in monitoring of teaching and curriculum coverage and the school’s ability to realize integrative education [r = .916**, p < 0.0001]; (4) there is a significant and positive relationship between the head teacher’s leadership role in community engagement and the school’s ability to realize integrative education [r = .637**, p < 0.0001]. As a result, the multiple regression model revealed that there are three (3) significant roles of the head teacher that once performed have a direct effect on enhancing integrative education in the school which are; (i) Routine administration and management of the school (β = .375, t = 2.636, p < 0.10); (ii) monitoring teaching and curriculum coverage (β = .569, t = 4.119, p < 0.0001); and; (iii) Community Engagement (β = .275, t = 1.692, p < 0.094). therefore, despite the general current trend for head teachers to upgrade their professional and personal development, this negatively correlates with the need to realize integrative education [r = -.174, p < 0.065] and its effect from the regression results was also negative and significant (β = -152, t = -2.953, p < 0.004) implying that engaging in personal development directly helps the individual as a person and therefore secondary school head teachers are expected to put strong emphasis on routine administration, community engagement and the monitoring of teaching and curriculum coverage in order to realize the required integrative education which encompasses student knowledge application, acquisition of life career skills and innovation skills.