Principals' Leadership Styles and Public Senior Secondary Schools Administrative Effectiveness in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study investigated the relationship between principals' leadership styles and administrative effectiveness in public senior secondary schools in Oyo State, Nigeria. The role of school principals is crucial in creating an environment that fosters effective teaching and learning, and their leadership styles have a significant impact on the overall functioning and success of the school. A mixed method approach is utilized, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Data from 629 principals and 4,204 teachers were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The study revealed a high level of administrative effectiveness (overall weighted mean = 3.47) among principals in planning (weighted mean = 3.48), coordinating (weighted mean = 3.39), and supervising (weighted mean = 3.47) activities in their schools. However, areas for improvement were identified, such as ensuring the provision of necessary resources, planning for maintenance of school infrastructural facilities, and deciding how the school budget will be spent. The prevalence of autocratic leadership (44.5%) among public secondary school principals in Oyo State was also found, but a significant proportion reported using democratic and digital leadership styles. The findings from the study indicate that there is a significantly high positive relationship (r = 0.958) between leadership styles and administrative effectiveness. The study suggested among others that there is a need for principals to explore alternative leadership styles that promote teamwork, collaboration, and shared decision-making.