TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF PRINCIPAL'S LEADERSHIP STYLES AND THEIR JOB SATISFACTION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN WEST WOLLEGA ZONE.

MAJOR ADVISOR: LELISA CHALA (PhD) CO. ADVISOR: KEBEDE NEMOMSA (PhD) The purpose of this study was to investigate the teacher’s perceptions of principals’ leadership styles and their job satisfaction in secondary schools in West Wollega Zone. The study used correlation coefficient to uncover the associations among the variables considered. The target population for this study were 450 teachers from 9 secondary schools with 9 principals one from in West Wollega Zone. To collect data, a set of structured questionnaires were used as an interview guide. Before the actual data collection, piloting of questionnaires was done in one secondary schools in West Wollega Zone. Then 270 questionnaires were distributed to teachers, but only 244 of them were properly filled and returned. To establish the reliability of the instrument, the researcher used the test-retest where the second test administration was done one week after the first one. The results of the study intended to favor the principals to improve their theoretical knowledge and skills of leadership through dealing with leadership styles that might enable more teachers’ job satisfaction in their work place. Through improved teachers’ job satisfaction teaching learning improved which favors students to improve their educational results. In addition, mean and standard deviation also used to carried out see the extent of leadership styles and teachers’ job satisfaction. The Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationship between the independent variables; which are principals’ leadership styles and the dependent variable; teachers’ job satisfaction. The study therefore concluded that the principals exercised a high level of democratic leadership. The principals rarely style laissez-faire leadership style as they are concerned about group performance. On job satisfaction the working conditions are relatively good. However the teachers were also not happy with issues to deal with training, in-service courses and recommendation for study leave by principals. On administration and supervision issues of concern to teachers included job appraisal styles employed by principals. The study recommends improvement of working conditions. The principals should encourage and offer equal opportunities for training, seminars/ in-service courses. Keywords: Leadership; Leadership style and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction.