Ensuring quality leadership and management in Ghana tertiary education

Abstract

This qualitative study explores "Ensuring Quality Leadership and Management in Ghana's Tertiary Education." The study was underpinned by transformational leadership theory. The researcher used in-depth semi-structured interviews and document analysis to explore quality leadership and management in Ghana's tertiary education, the leadership styles used the effects of the leadership styles in ensuring quality leadership and management, the challenges faced, and how they were addressed. The population of the study consists of leaders and managers, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff selected from six (6) Colleges of Education in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The total number of participants in the study was thirty-two (32). A constructivist interpretivist approach was followed to provide balanced, sound, and educationally accountable recommendations. The theory was an effective lens for gaining insight into the link between the study. This assisted in showing how leaders and managers in Ghana ensure quality leadership and management in tertiary education. The study adopted qualitative content analysis (QCA) approach to analyse the data obtained. The study revealed that leaders and managers in Ghana's tertiary institutions use different leadership styles in managing their institutions; however, they experience specific challenges as documented herein. Among the challenges experienced by the leaders and managers are political interference, ideological differences, capacity building, corruption, short tenure in office, management style adopted, change in government, lack of infrastructure, lack of human resource, and lack of flexibility in organisational structure and line of authority. In the same way the followers also had some challenges. These are but not limited to mentoring, effective communication, organisational development, delegation and coaching abilities. The study recommended measures such as less government intervention, avoidance of ideological disputes, infrastructure and logistics development, managerial skills training, acceptance of the TQM principle, capacity building and having a robust internal control system in place. As a result, policies, practices, and future studies need to critically examine leadership and management in Ghana's tertiary institutions. The study's unique contribution is that quality leadership and management can be achieved using a transformational leadership style, which is the primary situational determinant of leaders' behaviour towards subordinates, due to the different tertiary institutional contexts. Therefore, policies, practices, and future studies need to explore the dynamics and insightful results occurring in Ghana's tertiary institutions to ensure quality in leading and managing them.