An Assessment of Transformational Leadership and Teachers’ Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kilungu Sub-County, Makueni County, Kenya
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Date
2025-12-05
Authors
Joseph Muia Kasimu
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Publisher
PAC University
Abstract
This study assesses the relationship between transformational leadership style and teachers’ performance in secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-County, Makueni County, Kenya. It examined the extent to which principals in public secondary schools apply transformational leadership behaviors and the resulting effect on teachers’ performance. The study was guided by four specific objectives; to examine the effect of the principal's idealized influence on secondary school teachers’ performance, to assess the influence of the principal's inspirational motivation on secondary school teachers’ performance, to evaluate the relationship between principal’s intellectual stimulation on secondary school teachers’ performance and to investigate the consequence of principal’s individual consideration on secondary school teachers’ performance. The study was anchored in the Positivist Philosophy and guided by the Path-Goal Theory and the Transactional Leadership Theory. A descriptive survey design was employed, targeting principals and teachers in selected public secondary schools through stratified sampling – day schools, boarding schools, and day and boarding schools. The sample included 8 principals and 160 teachers selected through stratified sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 25 through both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings revealed that all four components of transformational leadership had a statistically significant positive effect on teachers’ performance: idealized influence (β=0.586, p=0.000), inspirational motivation (β=0.516, p=0.000), intellectual stimulation (β=0.589, p=0.000), and individual
consideration (β=0.504, p=0.000). Among these, intellectual stimulation emerged as the strongest predictor of teacher performance, F(4, 152) = 17.812, p < 0.05. However, despite the adoption of transformational leadership behaviors by principals, academic performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations has remained persistently low across most schools in the sub-county. This suggests that while transformational leadership positively influences teacher performance, other factors may be constraining improvements in student academic
outcomes.The significance of this study lies in its potential to inform school leadership practices and education policy in underperforming regions. By identifying intellectual stimulation as a critical lever for enhancing teacher performance, the findings offer actionable insights for educational leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders aiming to bridge the gap between leadership behavior and improved student outcomes. The study therefore recommends a holistic approach that combines effective leadership with broader systemic reforms to improve academic performance in Kilungu Sub-County