Leadership styles and teacher job satisfaction in Ethiopian schools

Abstract

This quantitative study investigated the relationship between leadership styles and teacher job satisfaction in Ethiopia, based on teacher perceptions. The multifactor leadership theory also known as full range leadership theory and work adjustment theory provided the theoretical framework to explore the relationship. Analysis of data yielded three major findings: (1) while the practice of transformational leadership was significantly lower, the practice of laissez-faire was significantly higher than international benchmarks; (2) teacher job satisfaction was low and significantly lower among males; and (3) there were low to moderate correlations between leadership styles and teacher job satisfaction with aspects of transformational and transactional leadership predicting job satisfaction, a trend similar to studies in other African countries. This study suggests that practicing principals, leadership preparation programs, and reform initiatives for school success in Ethiopia, consider providing professional development that includes predictors of teacher job satisfaction—inspirational motivation and contingency reward among other things.

Integrated leadership for coherent school improvement in Ethiopia: The moderating role of transformational leadership on the relationship between instructional leadership and student academic achievement mediated by school improvement process

“…This evidence shows that in view of the domain of the SIP, principals are expected to obtain solid IL skills to enhance teaching and learning and acquire strategic TL that aims to foster the community involvement that the SIP seeks (Abdi, 2016;Kene et al, 2021;Meresa et al, 2019;Solomon, 2016). On the other hand, the latest evidence demonstrated that principals practice TL more than IL and other leadership behaviors (e.g., Kene et al, 2021;Yohannes & Wasonga, 2021); the study illustrates that no significant improvement in student academic achievement was observed throughout the years (Kene et al, 2021). Although school principals are exhaustively engaged in political activities that disregard instructional and curriculum practice by involving teachers, staff members, and community members of the school (Dabesa & Cheramlak, 2021;Ebuy, 2010;Haile, 2020;Meresa et al, 2019), they are also involved in repetitive political meetings and paperwork (Alemayehu, 2021;Edamo & Netshitangani, 2018;Elias, 2020;Geleta, 2017;Haile & Smit, 2021;Mitchell, 2015;Tsegaye, 2018).…”

“…Ethiopia has exhibited a radical 500% improvement in basic or primary education enrollment (MoFED, 2012 Gurmu, 2020; Mitchell, 2015), despite the poor school infrastructure, instructional practice, school leadership, and underdeveloped education system (Yohannes & Wasonga, 2021). Hence, school principals in primary and secondary schools in Ethiopia officially obtained autonomy (decentralized system) in administering and decision‐making regarding financial, human, and physical resources through a feasible national package known as the General Education Quality Improvement Package (GEQIP) in 2007, which consisted of six sets of programs, namely, the School Improvement Program (SIP), Information Communication Technology (ICT), Civic and Ethical Education Program, Teacher Development Program (TDP), Curriculum Improvement Program, and School Management and School Leadership (Abdi, 2016; Ebuy, 2010; Edamo & Netshitangani, 2018; Gedifew, 2020; Gurmu, 2018; MOE, 2007).…”

“…The government of Ethiopia has sought to disclose information by creating national policies for community involvement, teacher and principal professional development, and decentralization (Abdi, 2016; Gedifew, 2020; Meresa et al, 2019; Mitchell, 2015; Yohannes & Wasonga, 2021). Accordingly, the MOE of Ethiopia has strived to establish clear guidelines and expectations through rigorous recruitment and selection processes intended to assign school principals that possess and renovate leadership skills and knowledge by maintaining gender equity (Ahmed, 2016; Feyisa et al, 2016; Gurmu, 2018).…”

“…Meanwhile, the MOE administered professional development for several principles to improve their leadership roles through instruction‐oriented behavior, but the principals have failed to adopt leadership practices (Ahmed, 2016; Demozie & Dessie, 2022; Gedifew, 2020; MOE, 2013; Solomon, 2016). Meanwhile, a great deal of literature has shown that school principals in Ethiopia are trained to reflect the political stance of the country and to be professionally oriented (Ahmed, 2016; Gurmu, 2018, 2020; Tsegaye, 2018; Yohannes & Wasonga, 2021), not focusing on discipline, which makes school principals lack substantial wisdom for improving teachers' instructional practices (Alemayehu, 2021; Angura, 2020; Gurmu, 2020; Haile & Smit, 2021). Most interestingly, emerging evidence affirms that mainstream principals obtain their positions not because of their competent educational attainment, solid educational leadership experience, and skills (Yohannes & Wasonga, 2021); instead, they obtain their positions from their teaching positions due to their political participation (Alemayehu, 2021; Dabesa & Cheramlak, 2021; Fekadu, 2009; Feseha, 2005; Haile, 2020; Haile & Smit, 2021; Tsegaye, 2018), which jeopardizes the professionalism of school principalship in Ethiopia (Gurmu, 2018, 2020).…”

Relationship between Principal Leadership Style and Student Achievement: A Comparative Study between Germany and China

“…Despite the well-documented impact of national policy on instructional leadership, a growing literature highlights the role that the national policy system plays in fostering transformational leadership in China’s schools (Dou et al, 2016; Sun et al, 2018). Within the top-down national policy process, the top/central policy makers demand the subordinate/local officials to attempt new ways to solve educational problems and expediate school innovation and then back into the formulation of national policy from down-to top (Heilmann, 2008; Lee & Chiu, 2017; Yohannes & Wasonga, 2021).…”