Headteachers’ leadership styles and teacher turnover in FCA- funded refugee settlement secondary schools in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe district, Uganda

Abstract

The study aimed to establish how Headteachers leadership styles relate with the teacher turnover in FCA funded refugee settlement in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe District, Uganda. The objectives of the study were to establish the relationship between autocratic leadership style and teacher turnover in FCA funded refugee settlement secondary schools in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe District, Uganda, to determine the relationship between transformational leadership style and teacher turnover in FCA funded refugee settlement secondary schools in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe District, Uganda and to find out the relationship between transactional leadership style and teacher turnover in FCA funded refugee settlement secondary schools in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe District, Uganda. A cross- sectional study design was used. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted with a sample of 197 respondents. Cluster and Simple random sampling technique was used to select amongst the Teachers, while purposive sampling was used to select the FCA Project Manager, Headteachers, Deputy Headteachers and Director of Studies. Quantitative data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation (r), regression statistics and ANOVA) while qualitative analysis used thematic approach. Findings revealed a significantly moderate positive correlation (r = .363) between autocratic leadership style and teacher turnover; a significantly very weak negative correlation (r= -.235) between transformational leadership style and teacher turnover; and a significantly weak negative correlation (r = -.295) between transactional leadership style and teacher turnover. Thus, it was concluded that Headteachers leadership styles significantly affected teacher turnover in FCA funded refugee settlement secondary schools in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe District, Uganda. It is recommended that FCA funded refugee settlement secondary schools in Bidi-Bidi, Yumbe District, Uganda should focus much on transformational leadership styles, less on transactional leadership styles but avoid as much as possible autocratic leadership styles to reduce teacher turnover in secondary schools.