Nexus between instructional leadership and teachers motivation on students academic performance in West Hararghe Zone secondary schools Ethiopia

This study investigated the nexus between instructional leadership, teachers’ motivation, and students’ academic performance in public secondary schools of West Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was employed, with quantitative data collected from 134 teachers via questionnaires and qualitative data collected from 15 principals, vice principals, and supervisors through semi-structured interviews, The findings addressed all five research questions as follows: (1) instructional leadership practices were perceived moderately positively, with managing instructional programs (aggregate M = 3.67) and developing positive school climate (M = 3.59) rated highest; (2) teachers’ perception of instructional leadership was moderately positive across all dimensions; (3) teachers’ motivation levels were moderate to high, with intrinsic factors such as using creativity (M = 3.92) and pride in student success (M = 3.87) rated highest; (4) students’ academic performance was perceived as low (aggregate M = 2.39), with challenges including poor study skills and low motivation; and (5) multiple regression analysis revealed that instructional leadership dimensions collectively explained 48.8% of variance in teacher motivation, with developing positive school climate as the strongest predictor (β = 0.830). The study concludes that fostering a positive school climate is paramount for enhancing teacher motivation and, by extension, student learning outcomes. Recommendations include targeted principal training on motivational leadership, collaborative school vision development, and systematic classroom observation feedback. Notably, developing a positive school climate emerged as the strongest positive predictor of teacher motivation (β = 0.830), while managing the instructional program also had a significant positive effect (β = 0.168). Conversely, defining and communicating the school vision showed a significant negative relationship with teacher motivation (β = − 0.070), suggesting potential issues with its implementation. A strong positive correlation was also found between teachers’ motivation and perceived student academic performance. The study concludes that while instructional leadership is a critical factor, the relational aspect of fostering a positive school climate is paramount for enhancing teacher motivation in the West Hararghe Zone context. It is recommended that school principals focus on building supportive, collaborative, and respectful school environments alongside effective instructional management to boost teacher morale and, by extension, improve student learning outcomes.