Head-Teachers' Leadership Styles Effect on Pupils' KCPE Performance: A Case Study of Imaroro Ward, Kajiado East Sub-County, Kenya

This study aimed to find out how the leadership style of head teachers affected pupils' performance in KCPE exams in public primary schools in Imaroro ward, Kajiado East sub-county, Kajiado County. The study was motivated by growing concerns over declining KCPE performance, where head teachers’ leadership, teacher morale, resource management, and the ability to adapt to educational system changes were identified as major influencing factors. The study used a descriptive research design and the target population comprised 327 teachers and head teachers. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The study revealed that leadership styles significantly influenced the academic performance of pupils in KCPE exams, accounting for 51.4% of the total performance (R² = .514). Laissez-faire leadership style had the strongest positive effect on pupils’ KCPE performance (r = .727, β = .516, p = .035), followed by transformational leadership style (r = .689, β = .467, p = .024), democratic leadership style (r = .665, β = .387, p = .024), and autocratic leadership style (r = .335, β = .326, p = .008). While laissez-faire leadership enhanced teacher autonomy and performance, democratic and transformational styles fostered inclusivity, vision-sharing, and innovation. In contrast, autocratic leadership negatively affected teacher morale and performance due to traits like intimidation and lack of consultation. There is a need to implement regular evaluations of headteachers’ leadership styles to ensure alignment with best practices. Schools should promote a culture of innovation where headteachers encourage teachers to experiment with new teaching strategies and methodologies to improve pupil outcomes.