TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION AND UNDERSTANDING OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN RURAL NIGERIA

This study focused on teachers’ perception and understanding of school leadership in rural Nigeria. A qualitative research design was used. Two strategies were used; interaction (exclusion strategy) and interview (inclusion strategy). The interview instrument used was ‘open-ended’. The rural schools of Kogi State made up the study’s universe. For the purpose of the study, inclusive and exclusive criteria adopted. Based on the interview, data were gathered for qualitative analysis. The data were organized on the basis of responses. The data were systematically scrutinized and are organized based on similarity in the responses of participants. Findings revealed that his leaders are inspirational and are conscious of the goals of the individual teachers. Finding further showed that teachers have positive perception about their school leaders. The study concluded that leadership of schools in the rural areas of Kogi State is deduced satisfactory, and that majority of principals in the rural schools possess the common qualities of transformational leaders. The study recommended that stakeholders of education in Kogi State including the government should boost the principals’ leadership practices towards achieving effective teaching and quality learning in the rural schools, and that principals should adopt ‘transformational leadership practice’ in the rural schools of Kogi State.