Transforming Learning Environments: Unraveling the Impact of Transformational Leadership on Secondary School Climate

Abstract

Emphasizing the requirement of a supportive environment to encourage students' academic achievement, this study delves into the significant impact of leadership styles on school climate. The research investigates the role of leadership behaviour in creating a secure, valued, respectful, and trusting school climate, expanding on the previous assumption. According to the study, leadership styles, collaboration, staff development, feedback, and incentives are critical components of an ideal learning environment, which draws on research on successful school leadership. The study's overarching goals are to make sense of secondary school principals' varying leadership styles and how those styles impact school climate. The study uses a survey methodology to describe its subjects, which included 1,190 teachers and 556 school administrators. The primary method for collecting data is a carefully designed questionnaire that includes 15 questions about leadership styles and 15 questions about the school's environment. The Cronbach alpha test is used to determine the questionnaire's reliability. Statistical methods, including percentages, means, differences, t-tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS version 21, provide fascinating insights when applied to the gathered data. Leadership styles and school climate are firmly related, according to the study. Unlike transactional leadership's negative impact, transformational leadership positively impacts the school environment. Regardless, the data shows that most secondary school principals prefer transactional leadership. Moreover, while there may be particular upsides to a hands-off approach to leadership, the educational environment could suffer as a result. The research ends by recommending that school principals participate in transformational leadership seminars. It argues that one must adopt a transformational personality to avoid a crisis in education. According to the research, there must be a change in leadership preferences towards types that improve the school atmosphere and students' educational experiences overall.