No abstract

School principals in Kenya do experience stress mainly due to administrative related stressors than teaching stressors. Such stressors include: Limited opportunities for professional development, tight time deadlines for tasks, delayed disbursement of school funds, interpersonal relations, social support, expert assistance, work overload among others. Some studies have revealed that both male and female teachers experience same stress levels, while other studies have contradicted these findings by asserting that females experience more stress than males (Gebrekirstos, 2015; Bray, Camlin, Fairbank, Dunteman & Wheeless, 2001). Notwithstanding these contradictions, school principals must embrace coping strategies to function effectively. To collect data for the study, stressor coping strategies questionnaire was used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to estimate and describe the findings of the study. Accordingly, the study established that female principals experienced stress and used different strategies to cope. The relationship between coping strategies and levels of stress among female principals was strong and significant. The coping strategies accounted for 43.8% of variation in stress levels. The strategies were found to be significant predictors of stress among female principals; and that for one unit increase in the use of the coping strategies, stress level would improve by 0.523 units. The study recommended that stress management coping strategies should be adopted appropriately and used to sustain optimum stress levels among female principals. This is because optimum stress level is good for the functioning of men and women (Bray et al, 2001).

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate empirically the influence of principals' leadership styles on the organizational performance of primary teachers training colleges in Lake Victoria Region of Kenya. Independent variables comprised Laissez faire and autocratic leadership styles, while the dependent variable was organizational performance. The study employed a quantitative method approach with questionnaires as the instruments for data collection. The target population for this study was 245 tutors and 9 principals in the 5 public and 4 private primary teachers training colleges. The study sample was 225 tutors and the 9 principals. Leadership styles were measured using the adapted version of the Multi-factor Leadership Style Questionnaire. The study found that both Laissez faire and autocratic leadership styles were less exhibited by principals of PTTCs in Lake Victoria Region of Kenya. Laissez faire leadership style was least exhibited. The study also revealed that both Laissez faire and autocratic leadership styles negatively influenced the organizational performance of PTTCs. Lastly demographic characteristics did not have statistically significant influence on organizational performance of PTTCs in the Lake Victoria Region of Kenya.

Principals play a pivotal role in performance of students in secondary schools. In many instances, this calls for high professional and societal demands, and expectations. As a result, principals experience stress. Studies in countries like USA, Britain, Norway, India, Nigeria and Kenya have revealed that optimal stress among principals enhances students' performance in public examinations while excessive stress reduces students' performance. In Rachuonyo North and Homa Bay Sub counties, the mean scores for schools headed by female principals from 2010 to 2014 were 3.77 and 4.20 respectively compared to those headed by male principals whose mean scores were 5.05 and 5.67 for the same period. These performances were below those of Rachuonyo South Sub County which were 4.67 for female principals and 5.20 for male principals for the same period. The performances of schools headed by female principals' were lower than those headed by male principals. These studies have linked stress among principals to students' performance. The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing stress among public secondary school female principals in public secondary schools in Rachuonyo North and Homa Bay Sub counties, Kenya. This study established that female principals in Rachuonyo North and Homa Bay Sub counties were experiencing moderate stress at a mean (M) 3.37 and Standard Deviation (SD) 1.290 on a 5-point scale. Stress factors accounted for 52.9% of female principals stress levels. The factors that had highest influence on stress levels of female principals were working environment (M 3.67, SD = 1.287), pursuit for excellence (M = 3.65, SD = 1.033), conflicting demands from stakeholders (M =3.68), SD = 1.156), lack of time to teach and attend to administrative tasks (M =3.373, SD = 1.122), workload (M =3.54, SD = 1.260), uncertainty in job expectations (M =3.97, SD = 1.166), undisciplined teachers (M =3.58, SD = 1.357) and staff shortage (M =3.78, SD = 1.357).