Leadership Style of Head Teachers of Basic Special Schools as Correlates of Retention of Special Needs Educators in Southern Ghana

Authors

Felix Kwame Kumedzro, M.Phil. (Ph.D. Candidate), Dr. Nelly Otube, Dr. Chomba Wamunyi, Dr. Mary Runo
  • Felix Kwame Kumedzro, M.Phil. (Ph.D. Candidate) (Author) University of Cape Coast, Ghana image/svg+xml
    Felix Kwame Kumedzro (Ph.D. Candidate): Mr. Kumedzro graduated in June 2003 from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana with B.Ed. (Psychology) and majored in Special Needs Education. He later gained admission to read M.Phil. (Special Needs Education) in the same university and completed in 2008. After his master’s degree, he was employed as a lecturer at the College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast. Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate in special needs education at Kenyatta University, Kenya. He had successfully defended his final thesis and waiting for graduation in July, 2016.
  • Dr. Nelly Otube (Author) Kenyatta University, Kenya image/svg+xml
    Nelly Were Otube (Ph.D.): Nelly is head of Special Needs Department and lecturer of special needs education at Kenyatta University. She holds a PhD in special education from Hamburg University, Germany. Previously, she has been involved in other administrative duties at the university including coordination of post – graduate special education students, research, departmental linkages and examinations. She is a member of many departmental and faculty committees. She is a teacher trainer involved in supervision of teacher trainees for both primary and secondary schools. Nelly has received many education research awards from among others; Africa Social Sciences Research Organization (CODESRIA), Senegal, DAAD, and FORD Foundation. Nelly is a researcher with research papers presented and published ranging from inclusive education, school safety for children with special needs to relevant assistive technology for learners with special needs. SIPROSA School with benefit from her teacher supervision skills and experience in managing children with special needs.
  • Dr. Chomba Wamunyi (Author) Kenyatta University, Kenya
    Dr. Chomba Wa Munyi: Dr. Chomba is a senior lecturer at the Department of Special Needs Education, Kentatta University. He holds B.Ed from the University of Nairobi, M.A, from Michigan State University, USA and D.Ed, University of Marylebon, UK. He has published articles I various peer reviewed journals of special needs education.
  • Dr. Mary Runo (Author) Kenyatta University, Kenya
    Dr. Mary Runo: Dr. Mary Runo is a senior lecturer in the Department of Special Needs Education – Kenyatta University. She is currently the Director, Kitui Campus of Kenyatta University. Dr. Runo has successfully supervised so far 5 Ph.D students and over 10 masters’ students from Kenyatta University. She is a researcher in various areas in special needs education and has so far published about 10 articles in peer reviewed journals. She is an external examiner in a number of universities both in East and South Africa.
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.320
The study aimed at establishing relationship between leadership style of head teachers and retention of special education teachers in Southern Ghana. The study was purely quantitative and utilized descriptive correlation design which allowed the researcher to establish the strength and direction of the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. Data was collected with questionnaire from 140 teachers from nine special schools. Data was analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The study found a significant positive correlation between the leadership style and retention of special needs education teachers. Head teacher’s leadership style was also found to have a statistically significant impact on retention of the teachers. It was recommended that head teachers of special schools should involve their teachers in the decision making process regarding the progress of the school so as to enhance teachers’ job satisfaction and retention.

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Kumedzro, F. K., Otube, N., Wamunyi, C., & Runo, M. (2016). Leadership Style of Head Teachers of Basic Special Schools as Correlates of Retention of Special Needs Educators in Southern Ghana. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 11(3), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.320

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  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted September 13, 2016
  • Published October 15, 2016
  • Issue Fall 2016
  • Section Articles
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