Gender Differences in Instructional Leadership Style among Primary Head-Teachers: A Case of Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Literature has shown that leadership is an important factor influencing school and learner performance. Consequently, leadership exhibited at any institution of learning is widely deemed to be an important aspect. As such, research has repeatedly identified instructional leadership (IL) as one of the characteristics of effective leaders and that demographic characteristics of the head-teacher could have an effect on instructional leadership behaviors. Studies on the gender differences in instructional leadership behavior in Kenya are limited. Therefore this article presents some results of such a study carried out in Kiambu County. The study adopted a quantitative methodology, used a stratified random sampling technique and utilized Instructional Leadership Inventory (ILI) instrument to survey 198 head-teachers of both public and private primary schools in Kiambu County. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the relationship between IL behavior and gender of the head-teacher. On the overall, the study revealed that there was no significant difference between IL behavior and demographic characteristic of gender as measured in the dimensions of: Managing curriculum, supervising teaching, monitoring student progress, defining mission and promoting instructional development. As such Teacher Service Commission could downplay the gender factor in the appointment of head-teachers of primary schools in Kiambu County as no significant difference exists between male and female head-teachers.