EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF HEADTEACHERS LEADERSHIP STYLES AND TEACHER PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF DUNKWA SENIOR TECHNICAL SCHOOL

ABSTRACT The study focused on teachers in the Dunkwa Senior High Technical School in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality. The main study was to identify the leadership styles and the relationships with teacher performance. The specific objectives were to explore the factors that influence leadership styles, the effects on teacher motivations, to examine the performance of teachers. The mixed methods of research were used as the research design where the data was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 70 teachers in the school. Interview guide was also used collect data from the head master on leadership style and the relationships with teacher performance. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis was used to analyse the data. The analysis of the data indicated that the head master of the school mostly adopt the democratic leadership in his administration. In some instances, the head master adopts autocratic leadership. It was also found that the performance of teachers from the perspective of teachers and the head master is satisfactory. Again, democratic and autocratic leaderships have relationships with teacher motivation. The correlation results showed that democratic leadership has moderate relationship with teacher motivations. Moreover, it was found that age, educational attainment and experience influence leadership styles. The conclusion was that leadership styles of head teacher in Dunkwa Senior Technical School affect the performance of teachers. It was recommended that other factors such as in-service training, incentives, and bonuses should be the focus of head masters in an attempt to enhance teacher performance.