PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP STYLES AND DECISION‑MAKING IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BUEA

This article investigates how principals’ leadership styles shape decision-making processes in public secondary schools in Buea. A cross-sectional survey was completed by 629 staff (teachers and administrators) across 14 schools. Measures included a single best description of the principal’s leadership style and Likert-type items on leadership practices, teacher involvement and consultation, process effectiveness, influence on school culture, perceived student outcomes, and professional development. Transformational (39.6%) and democratic (38.2%) styles predominated; authoritarian (9.5%) and laissez-faire (12.7%) were less common. On core practices promoting contribution, providing clear directives, stressing cooperation, and communicating vision, 78–79% agreed or strongly agreed (mean≈3.67/4). Teacher involvement and consultation averaged 3.48–3.49/4, with ~78% reporting ‘Sometimes/Always’; risk-taking attracted 77.8% disagreement. Leadership style (35.0%) and teacher input (27.7%) emerged as the top decision drivers. Leadership was perceived to positively influence school culture (77.8% ‘Sometimes/Always’) and student outcomes (78.0% Positive/Very positive). The evidence is consistent with recent syntheses linking collaborative leadership with teacher engagement, organizational trust, and learning gains. Recommendations include institutionalizing professional learning communities, consultative forums, and short improvement cycles that de-risk innovation while protecting time for observation and coaching.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0989/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>