School leadership towards teacher job satisfaction: a case study in public secondary schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the public secondary school leadership styles and teacher job satisfaction in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A qualitative case study research design was employed to elicit the perception of principals and teachers to the issue under the study. Ten principals and twenty-four teachers were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data collection was done using semi- structured interview questions. Data analysis was done using ATLAS.ti version 8. The study findings revealed that there is state political interference in the public secondary school management system, the teaching-learning process and the selection of the principals. Principals were not appointed based on their qualifications and experience but rather were assigned to the position based on their political affiliation to the ruling party. The study respondents perceived that management structures such as the one to five groups, the developmental army/change army group and command post were the tools for ruling party to indoctrinate its political ideology. School secularism was not applicable; the ruling party members had continuous meetings in school and had a role in the decision-making of the school. Principals focused on political activities with teaching and learning activities being neglected and were not perceived as employing an instructional or transformational leadership style. Teachers perceived their levels of job satisfaction as very low with state political interference, bad leadership practices of principals, low salary and benefits, low social acceptance for teaching profession, bad behaviour of students, low achievement of students, government lack of attention for education and practice of corruption in other sectors being major factors. Recommendations were made and a suggested school leadership model was presented, to enhance school management effectiveness and to improve teacher job satisfaction.