Teacher Leadership Roles and Leadership Capacity Development in Bayelsa State Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of teachers’ leadership roles on leadership capacity development in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. To guide the study, five objectives were stated, five research questions were posed, and five hypotheses were developed. The study was anchored on traits theory of leadership. A descriptive design was used to carry out the study. The population of the study consisted of 2,893 teachers in 147 public secondary schools from the 12 educational zones in the 8 local government areas in the state, with a sample size of 338 teachers. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Teachers’ Leadership Roles and Leadership Capacity Development Questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was validated and tested for reliability, with a reliability index of 0.816 derived through Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. Out of the total copies of 338 questionnaires distributed, 326 copies of the questionnaire retrieved were used for further analysis to achieve the specific objectives of the study. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while the null hypotheses were tested using independent t-test at the 0.05 significance level. The findings of the study revealed, among other things, that there is no significant gender difference in the perception teachers have about their leadership role in secondary schools in Bayelsa State, and there is no significant gender difference in the extent to which teachers' instructional leadership roles influence their leadership capacity development in Bayelsa State. The study concluded that teachers' leadership roles are crucial in promoting school effectiveness and student achievement, and that it is important for schools to provide opportunities for teachers to develop their instructional leadership capacity, mentorship capacity, and leadership capacity building through professional development programmes and other supportive measures. The study, therefore, recommended, among others, that administrators of secondary schools in Bayelsa State should provide adequate training and support for teachers to enhance their leadership skills and effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities in the classroom and school community