Autocratic Leadership as a Correlate of Job Performance among Public Primary School Teachers in Wajir County, Kenya

Abstract

Teacher job performance is a fundamental pillar in determining the quality of education in Kenya. However, evidence from Wajir County suggests a persistent decline in teacher performance. This trend is alarming, as it directly undermines student achievement and the overall effectiveness of public primary schools. The study's objective to find out the relationship between autocratic leadership and teacher’s job performance among public primary schools in Wajir County. Existing literature attributes teacher job performance to factors such as workload, remuneration, and working conditions. However, there was limited research on how autocratic style influence teacher performance, particularly in rural contexts like Wajir County, Kenya. The study was guided by Bernard Bass and Bruce Avolio's Full-Range Leadership Theory (FRLT). A correlational research design was adopted, and data was collected using the Leadership Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) and the Teachers' Job Performance Questionnaire (TJPQ). The target population consistes of 436 teachers from all public primary schools in Wajir South. The study involved a sample of 205 teachers drawn from nineteen public primary schools, selected through a combination of purposive, stratified and simple random sampling. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson's correlation. Findings revealed a significant negative correlation, r(202) = –.447, p < .01. The findings were expected to establish the nature and strength of the relationship between autocratic leadership and teacher job performance and propose a predictive model that could inform educational leadership practices and policy development in marginalized regions. The study recommended reduction of autocratic styles.