Headteachers\u27 leadership practices in improving students\u27 learning processes: a case of pastoralist community secondary school in Monduli District Tanzania

This study focused on how the head teachers, leadership practices in pastoralist schools influences students’ learning processes. While there is a lot of research done on how the head teacher influences students’ learning processes. While there ia a lot research done on how the head teacher influences student’s learning processes especially in the context of developed countries, very little is known about school leaders in pastoralist schools in East Africa and how their practices influence students’ learning. This study was a qualitative research conducted in a government pastoralist community secondary school in Monduli District. The study used purposive method in selecting the school and participants. The methods of data collection were interviews, observations and document analysis. The study findings showed that the head teacher had the essential qualities of leadership and used various practices for promoting stdents’ learning resources in the school. Practices like ensuring availability of teaching and learning resources, providing motivation for teachers and students, proper planning and organizing of the time table for remedial classes and networking with other schools. Other practices include, the involvement of the parents, creating a positive learning environment like building hostels and staff houses and supervision of teaching and learning processes. This study therefore concludes that the head teacher practices were along four over lapping paths as identified by Leithwood et al. (2010). The paths namely are rational, organizational, emotional and family. These will help head teachers to effectively influence students’ learning processes and hence improve the performance in schools. Finally, the recommendations for further research are provided