Analyzing Gender Difference in Leadership Styles and Behaviour of Heads of Schools in Tanzania

Abstract

This study made a comparative analysis of leadership styles and behavior of male and female heads of primary schools in Kasulu District, Tanzania. One hundred and ninety participants were sampled purposively and randomly from 22 public primary schools. A multi-method data collection strategy including interviews, questionnaire and documentary analysis, was deployed. The data collected were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The descriptive statistics used included frequency tables, charts, mean scores, and t-test. Overall, results revealed that, participative, democratic, team management and authoritative leadership styles were deployed by both male and female heads of schools in running primary schools. Similarities and differences were observed in terms of frequency and manner in which those leadership styles were used by male and female school heads. Moreover, both male and female heads of schools were found with the same amount of task oriented leadership behavior. However, female heads of schools showed more task oriented leadership behavior than male heads. The study thus recommends addressing the situation of gender imbalance in schools leadership so as to utilize the revealed leadership talents and skills of female heads of schools as it has been done for male school heads.

Keywords: Gender and school leadership, leadership styles and behavior, primary school heads.