PERCEPTONS OF STAKEHOLDERS ON THE APPLICATION OF PRINCIPALS’ TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE PRACTICES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NORTH CENTRAL GEOGRAPHICAL ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the perception of stakeholders on the application of
Principals’ Transformational Leadership Styles Practices in Secondary Schools in the 
North Central Geographical Zone of Nigeria. The objective of the study was to 
examine perception of stakeholders on the application of Principals’ Transformational 
Leadership Style Practices inSecondary Schools in North Central Geographical 
Zone, Nigeria. The research question and the null hypothesis is in line with the 
objective. Relevant literatures were reviewed. The study used a descriptive survey,
1the population of the study covered a total population of 92,089 which comprises 
3,167 principals, 61,825 teachers, 1,665 Ministry of Education officials and 25,432 
PTA officials. The total sample size was one thousand four hundred and twenty -six 
1,426 which consist of 345 principals, 382 teachers, 321 MOE officials and 378 PTA 
officials. Self-structured questionnaire was used to elicit responses from participants. 
It was pilot tested in two secondary schools outside the sampled schools with 
reliability coefficient of 0.72 using split half test. Perceptions of respondents were 
analyzed using frequency counts for research question answered and Analysis of 
Variance (ANOVA) for hypothesis analyzed to express the result of the findings. The 
findings show that principals that practice transformational leadership style creates a 
good and friendly atmosphere for teachers to perform effectively. The study concludes 
that transformational leadership style was found to be most common in most school’s 
secondary schools in North Central Geographical Zone, Nigeria. The study 
recommends that principals needs to shift to transformative approach of leadership so 
as to improve students’ performance and staff commitment.