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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 5

Publication Date: May 25, 2021

DOI:10.14738/assrj.85.10066.

Nyame, G., & Minadzi, V. M. (2021). Preparation and Role Performance of Heads of Secondary Schools in the Ashanti Region of

Ghana: Lessons to Draw. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(5). 473-486.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Preparation and Role Performance of Heads of Secondary Schools

in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: Lessons to Draw

Gloria Nyame

Institute for Educational Planning and Administration

University of Cape Coast Ghana

Vincent Mensah Minadzi

Unit of Education Programme University of Cape Coast Ghana

ABSTRACT

This study examined how Senior Secondary School heads were prepared for their

roles and if their preparation have bearings on their role performance. The

research design adopted for this study was descriptive survey. In all, a sample of 51

heads of Senior Secondary School in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were purposively

selected and assessed. A 21-item questionnaire consisting of both open and close

ended items was used. The data was analysed using percentages and chi-square.

Analysis of the data showed that majority of the heads have not had any advanced

preparation for their roles and that they faced challenges in their day to day

performance of their roles. The recommendations made among other things are

that there should be succession plan for prospective heads of institutions so that

when they eventually assume heads positions, they are not found wanting. More so,

there should be manuals for heads of institutions to guide the newly appointed.

Lastly, it is recommended that regular seminars and in-service training be

organised for heads of institutions so that they share ideas and learn from best

practices.

Keywords: Heads, Institution, Performance, Preparation, Roles

INTRODUCTION

The roles of heads of secondary school institutions are very crucial because they occupy

frontline position of their respective institution. There is belief among academics and

educationists that heads can improve the teaching and learning environment by providing

conducive atmosphere improved curriculum management (Kiat, Tan, Heng, & Lim-Ratnam,

2017). If the institution’s performance is outstanding or otherwise, it can be attributed to the

leadership roles played by the head. The role of heads of secondary schools across the world

and Ghana for that matter is complex and hefty. For academic work to go on well, heads need

to plan, direct, co-ordinate, manage both human and physical resources at their disposal. This

therefore implies that the heads’ role in educational set up is enlarged than before (Cuban as

cited in Bayar, 2016). It is held that effective leadership of heads provides an antidote to the

challenges of how to organize collective efforts, a key element in organizational enhancement

(Hogan & Kaiser, 2005). Louis (2010) says leadership in totality is about organizational

improvement in which there is establishment of collective worthwhile directions for the

organizational improvement and support of people to move in those directions. Preparation of

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 5, May-2021

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

an individual for any task is one of the most critical factors which can determine the person’s

achievements on the task. Heads as academic and administrative leaders at the senior high

school level are strategic to the fulfillment of the second circle institutions goals and the need

for thorough preparation for them cannot be ignored. This is so because heads are required to

carry out different assignments which demand skills and consideration. Within this context,

Young (2006) asserts that the ever-increasing responsibilities of school leaders for ensuring

the quality of schools, school leadership has recently become one of the central concerns of

educational policy makers in many countries. The pivotal role of the school leader as a factor in

effective schools has been corroborated by findings of school effectiveness research over the

last two decades. Huber, (2004) citing (Sammons et al., 1995) regarding a meta-study of the

University of London, indicated that other factors for school effectiveness mostly fall within the

influence of the school leader because a prepared leader acquired skills such as sharing vision

and goals, unity of purpose, consistency of practice, collegiality and collaboration. The prepared

leader provides among other things an orderly atmosphere, which attracts good working

environment concentration on teaching and learning time, academic emphasis, focus on

achievement and clarity of purpose, which lead to the attainment of organizational goals.

The critical role played by heads of secondary schools in Ghana has been called into action with

the recent introduction of free senior high school. Many are those who think that challenges of

heads of secondary schools have increased due to increment in enrollment. There has been

scanty study with regard to finding out challenges faced by heads of secondary schools in the

Ashanti region. Given the significance of the preparation in effective job performance and the

fact there is no known study on the preparation of heads of secondary schools in Ghanaian

senior high school institutions in Ghana, the choice of this topic becomes crucial. In the context

of this, attempts has been made to find out (i) the level of preparations head of senior high

school institutions have? (ii) identify the relationship between preparations of the heads and

their role performance? This study sought to contribute to literature as far as challenges faced

by heads of secondary school in Ashanti region are concerned.

The study was guided by the following research question and two hypotheses:

RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What challenges do heads of secondary schools in Ashanti region face?

Hypotheses

The study was guided by the following hypotheses:

1. There is no significant association between years of experience of academic heads and

the challenges faced.

2. There is no significant relationship between preparations of the heads and their role

performance.

LITERATURE REVIEW

It has been established that when individuals assume the position of headship, experience

drastically changes in their work life adding to the tensions of academic life (Wescott, 2000).

The change in roles sometimes goes with extra burden which demands some preparations to

enable the school leaders to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and values in order to

maintain efficiency and effectiveness (Yan & Ehrich, 2009). Bowman (2002) stresses the fact

that headship preparations impart leadership capabilities such as problem-solving skills,

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Nyame, G., & Minadzi, V. M. (2021). Preparation and Role Performance of Heads of Secondary Schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: Lessons to

Draw. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(5). 473-486.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.85.10066

cultural management skills and coaching skills in leaders. This follows that individuals who are

prepared to ascend headship positions must acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will

be necessary for their leadership activities. On the part of Siccoone, (2012), educational leaders

need to be trained in communication skills to enable them build positive relationship with both

outside and within the school. This means that with good communication skills, leaders can

create a shared vision and promote team work for the attainment of organizational goals. When

subordinates realize that their leaders value them and recognize their expertise as such, they

give off their best and it goes a long way to promote their creative thinking skills which is

necessary for problem solving and thoughtful decision making.

The government of Ghana (GoG) considers school leadership as important because of the

fundamental roles it plays in the country’s education development strategies. This is evident

when the ministry of education stresses the enhancement of the quality of leadership among

managers of education institutions as one of the qualities of leadership among managers of

education institutions as one of its objectives in the strategic plan. Against this background, the

government of Ghana in the 1970s obtained assistance from UNESCO to establish a permanent

training institution in Ghana for the training of educational planners, administrators and other

specialist. Eventually, the institute for Educational Planning and Administration was

established in 1975 at the University of Cape Coast to train educational leaders through the

joint efforts of the Government of Ghana and UNESCO (Vice Chancellor’s Annual Report to the

48th Congregation,2015).

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework upon which the study is founded.

Figure 1: Authors’ construct on preparation of Head

The study is based on four key assumptions that when school heads are provided with an

enabling environment through their preparations on their roles they will be equipped with the

necessary cognitive, psychomotor and affection required for them to perform creditably. This

view was echoed by Okoko, Scott and Scott (2014) where they admitted in their study that

school heads are backbone for successful schools because they see to the teaching and learning

environment in order to boost students’ outcomes. And that heads need appropriate cognition,

affection and psychomotor domains to be effective heads and that they should not be de- emphasised.

Challenges heads faced are the concerns of researchers, administrators, policy makers as well

as academics globally. A study was conducted by Abdulrasheed and Bello (2015) in Nigeria to

examine challenges secondary school principals encounter. The study revealed that

heads/principals of secondary schools in the northern Nigeria faced challenges in the area of

funds and infrastructural facilities. The finding also corroborate with the study by Olujuwon

(2013) who also found same challenges. A study conducted by du Plessis (2014) in South Africa

School Heads Preparations

on roles

Psychomotor

Cognitive

Affective

Performance

output