Head teachers’ participative leadership style and teachers’ job satisfaction in public primary schools in Baringo Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of head teachers’ participative leadership style on teachers’ job satisfaction in public primary schools in Baringo Sub-county, Kenya. To this far, lots of research conducted in this area have not been exhausted on the participative leadership style, rather most of the studies have focused on leadership in general. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, in which both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were applied. The study respondents included 1250 teachers randomly selected from 127 public primary schools, 127 head teachers, and 127 School chairpersons (B.O.M representative) in Baringo Sub-county, Kenya. An interview schedule was used to analyse qualitative data using thematic analysis. The study used Pearson’s correlational analysis and established that there was a positive relationship between participative leadership style and teachers’ job satisfaction. Regression analysis established that job establishment and position had a control effect on job satisfaction. The study concluded that top positions in schools enjoyed more benefits in their positions and there is a need to streamline leadership aspects in most primary schools. The positive influence contributes to teachers’ job satisfaction in public primary schools in Baringo Sub-county, Kenya. This shows that Public Primary Schools in Baringo Sub-county, Kenya should consider applying head teachers’ participative leadership style in school. The study recommends that the head teacher needs to play the role of a coach and mentor at the same time to his/her subordinate.