School Heads’ leadership qualities as correlates of resource mobilisation in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Abstract

The research underscores the significance of resources in achieving success, especially in education, emphasizing the mobilisation of educational resources through acquisition, utilisation, management, maintenance, and accountability. Literature reveals that leadership qualities such as communication, integrity, knowledge, innovation, and creativity in isolation are crucial in resource mobilisation exploration. There is, however, limited research that integrates these leadership qualities as variables in a nationwide study in Ghana. This research aimed at investigating and deepening the understanding of the relative strength of each leadership quality and their combined impact on resource mobilisation prospects in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Employing quantitative method with a descriptive correlation research design, a self developed questionnaire was used to collect data from a stratified and random sample of 630 Senior High Schools teachers in leadership positions. A valid data set of 557 was processed using SPSS version 24 statistical software. The study, while correlational and not establishing causation, found that a significant portion (R² = 71.7) of the variance in resource mobilisation gains across schools could be ascribed to the leadership attributes of school heads. Consequently, it is concluded that the collective leadership qualities of school heads play a crucial role in resource mobilisation prospects. The study recommends that the Ghana Education Services should assess the leadership qualities of prospective heads prior to their appointment, and implement regular leadership capacity building programmes for both novice and experienced heads on effective resource mobilisation and quality education delivery, particularly in Senior High Schools.