Doctoral thesis
This study investigated the effects of school leadership models on students‟ academic
achievement in ward secondary schools in Dodoma, Tanzania. The specific objectives of
the study were to identify the school leadership models practiced by heads of ward
secondary schools to influence students‟ academic achievement, assess the extent to which
the leadership models used by the school heads influence students‟ academic achievement
in WSS in Dodoma, Tanzania; and explore the strategies used by heads of WSS to cope
with the problems impacting upon the practices of their school leadership models.
Concurrent mixed design was used whereby cross-sectional survey was used in obtaining
quantitative data while multiple- case study was used for qualitative data. Methods of data
collection were close - ended questionnaires, semi - structured interviews and documentary
reviews. The study was carried out in seven districts of Dodoma region. A total of 250
respondents, consisting of 10 school heads, 120 teachers and 120 students in 10 well and
lowly performing WSS were involved in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed by
using content analysis while quantitative data were analyzed using inferential statistics.
However, Pearson correlation coefficient was carried out using the Statistical Package for
the Social Sciences (SPSS, Version 16) to determine the relationship between each school
leadership model and students‟ academic achievement. The study emerged with three
major findings. Firstly, the study identified six school leadership models among heads of
WSS.. Secondly, the study found that transformational school leadership model mostly
influenced students‟ academic achievement in the WSS. Finally, the study disclosed a
plethora of common school leadership strategies which heads of WSS used to cope with
leadership challenges. Further, subsequent studies should replicate this study through
private secondary schools to obtain a broader sample of school leadership models and
students‟ academic achievement in secondary schools in Tanzania.