The relationship between emotional intelligence and effective leadership of headteachers in selected secondary schools of Rubaga South, Kampala District

Abstract

This study aimed at determining the relationship between emotional intelligence and effective leadership for head teachers of secondary schools of Rubaga South, Kampala District. The study was incited by high levels of non performance of schools despite adequate consideration of cognitive factors in leadership. Hence there was need to study the effect of non cognitive factors and particularly emotional intelligence. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from a pre-determined population of students, teachers and head teachers. A total sample of 310 respondents was studied and this was selected using random and purposive sampling techniques. The views from the respondents were captured using questionnaires, interviews to head teachers and observation of teachers, students and head teachers’ ways of conduct in relation to each other. The SPSS to analyse data and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to measure both the degree and direction of the relationship between the variables. Study findings revealed a low relationship between emotional intelligence and effective leadership which was interpreted and concluded to mean that head teachers of secondary schools in Rubaga South pay a little attention to non cognitive factors in their leadership function. Based on the findings and conclusions, several recommendations were suggested but basically, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education and Sports should include emotional intelligence competencies among the course content for all teachers and in higher institutions of learning, since these will later be the leaders of tomorrow.