How leadership capability influences students’ achievement in Tanzania public secondary schools

Abstract The influence of school leadership capabilities on educational organizations is broadly acknowledged, but it is uncertain how they are related to students’ academic achievements, particularly in high, moderate, and low-performing public secondary schools. The paper presents the results of a study that investigated the relationship between the leadership capabilities of school heads and the academic achievement of students in Tanzanian public secondary schools, with reference to the Temeke Municipality in Tanzania. The paper followed the skills theory of leadership and employed a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent triangulation design, involving 254 participants. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and documentary reviews. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis, while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. Generally, results revealed a significant relationship between school leadership capabilities and students’ academic achievement. The overall model was statistically significant (F(3, 250) = 76.42, p < .001), with strong explanatory power (R² = 0.479). The research finds that conceptual capability was the most influential predictor (β = 0.348, p < .001), and subsequently, technical (β = 0.326, p < .001) and interpersonal/soft ability (β = 0.301, p < .001). The research concludes that the capabilities of school heads play a central role in enhancing the academic performance of students in Tanzanian public secondary schools. Good leadership is anchored in a harmonious combination of leadership-related skills that play a critical role in maintaining the gains in the performance of public secondary schools.