Response Rate
The study included 330 teachers from nine international schools in Nairobi County as
participants. 330 questionnaires were distributed using the 'drop and choose' method. A
total of 305 surveys were completed and returned, representing a 92.4 percent response
rate. Because the questionnaires were filled out and collected right away, there was a high
response rate. The researcher was on hand to discuss difficulties presented by the
respondents, lowering the number of incorrect responses. All nine of the principals were
interviewed, representing a 100 percent response rate.
Respondent Demographic Characteristics
The characteristics of the respondents who took part in the data collection to meet the study
objectives are referred to as demographics. The purpose of the study was to determine the
demographic characteristics of respondents, such as gender, age in years, degree of
education, and school position, as shown in table 4.1.
Respondents’ Age, Gender, and Level of Education
The respondents were asked to state their exact ages, which were divided into age groups,
and the results were documented in table 4.1.
Table Age, Gender, and Level of Education of the Respondents
Scale Frequency Percentage %
Age(years)
Teachers 26-35 136 44
36-45 139 45
46-55 23 8
>56 7 2
Headteachers 26-35 2 22
36-45 1 11
46-55 5 56
>56 1 11
Gender
Teachers male 131 43
female 174 57
Headteachers male 3 33
female 6 67
Level of education
Teachers diploma 140 46
degree and above 165 54
Headteachers degree 4 45
masters 3 33
PhD 2 22
The study's findings revealed that 136 respondents (teachers) were between the ages of 26
and 35 (representing 44 percent), 139 respondents (representing 45 percent of the
respondents) were between the ages of 36 and 45, 23 respondents (representing 8% of the
respondents) were between the ages of 46 and 55, and the remaining 7 (roughly 2% of the
respondents) were between the ages of 56 and above. These studies revealed that most
international school instructors in Nairobi County are middle-aged rather than elderly. The
age of the head teachers who responded to the survey was also determined, as shown in
table 4.1. The data revealed that 22 percent of respondents were between the ages of 23
and 35, 11 percent were between the ages of 36 and 45, 56 percent were between the ages
of 46 and 55, and 11 percent were between the ages of 56 and above. This demonstrates
that most international schools choose head teachers who are mature in terms of age and
experience, allowing them to lead sensibly. There is a need to include more young people
in these leadership positions to avoid leadership transition gaps and to mentor them.
The purpose of the study was to determine the gender of respondents, and all respondents
were asked to state their gender in the questionnaire, with the results provided in Table 4.1.
The findings show that males made up 43 percent of the teachers' respondents, while
females made up 57 percent. According to the findings, many international schools in
Nairobi County are run by women. As a result, more male teachers are required to avoid
gender imbalances. The researcher also wanted to know how the replies from the head
teachers were split up by gender. Table 4.1 shows that 67 percent of headteacher
respondents were female, and 33 percent were male. This implies that the appointment of
head teachers is unbalanced. By analyzing the effects of both male and female head
teachers on teacher job happiness, gender plays an important role in determining the effect
of a headteacher's leadership style on teacher job satisfaction.
The researcher wanted to know how well-educated the professors were. The findings revealed
that all the sampled teachers had had professional training, albeit at varying levels.
The study discovered that 54 percent of teachers had a bachelor's degree or more, with 46
percent having a diploma. This means they've learned the appropriate topic material and
methodology. In addition, the researcher wanted to know what the greatest degree of
education was among the head teachers who responded. The distribution of head teachers
according to their greatest degree of education is shown in Table 4.1. Table 4.1 shows that
most of the respondents (45%) had a bachelor's degree, while 33% had a master's degree,
and 22% had a Ph.D. qualification. This indicates that the head teachers in the international
schools studied are professionally qualified to run their respective institutions of learning.
Descriptive analysis
This section will show the descriptive statistics of the responses to the questions about
leadership styles and job satisfaction. To generate questionnaire items, all the study's
variables were employed. The amount of agreement and disagreement with respondents'
opinions of their head teachers' leadership styles was determined using a five-point Likert
scale. The scale of agreement and disagreement with respondents' opinions of their head
teachers' leadership styles was 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, and
5=Strongly Agree. The level of satisfaction of respondents was also measured using a 5-
point Likert scale: 1 indicates a very low extent, 2 indicates a low extent, 3 indicates a
moderate extent, 4 indicates a high extent, and 5 indicates a very high extent. The
descriptive data of this study were interpreted in the following way: Mean scores of less
than 3.0 suggest dissatisfaction with various aspects of leadership styles and job
satisfaction, whilst mean scores of more than 3.0 indicate moderate contentment with these
factors.
Democratic leadership style and Job Satisfaction
The first objective of the study was to examine the effects of the democratic leadership
style on job satisfaction among teachers in selected international schools in Nairobi
County. The researcher subjected the respondents to a questionnaire where they were
asked to indicate the extent to which they believed their head teachers were exhibiting
democratic leadership. The findings are shown in table 4.1.
Table 4.2: Teachers’ Response to Head teachers’ use of Democratic Leadership
Style
Statement Mean SD
My leader supports two-way communication
My principal’s behavior inspires staff to work together.
The school's principal requests my thoughts and opinions on impending
plans and projects.
My leader communicates with me frequently and is supportive.
I am involved in the decision-making process
The school principal assists me in accepting responsibility for my work
completion.
3.73 1.12
3.89 1.07
3.05 1.53
3.7 1.04
2.56 1.35
3.82 1.07
n=305
Table 4.2 shows that, apart from one item, the mean score for democratic leadership was
over 3.0, indicating that the respondents considered their head teachers' leadership style
was democratic. The majority of teachers agreed that the head teachers' behavior promotes
employee teamwork (M=3.89, SD=1.07), that the head teachers assisted them in accepting
responsibility for completing their work (M=3.82, SD= 1.07), that the head teachers
encouraged two-way communication (M=3.73, SD= 1.12), that they received frequent and
supportive communications from their head teachers (M=3.7, SD= 1.04), that the head
teachers asked for their ideas and input on upcoming plans and projects (M=3.05,
SD=1.53), and we are part of the decision-making process (M=2.56, SD= 1.35) with the
lowest average points. This implies that a huge proportion of teachers were excluded from
the decision-making process.
According to 83 percent of the respondents, head teachers used the democratic leadership
style. Instructors believed that the head teachers' behavior enhances staff teamwork, as
seen by the high mean scores. The headteacher also assisted the teachers in accepting
responsibility for their work completion. The head teachers asked teachers for their input
and recommendations on upcoming plans and projects. This method, according to one of
the trainers:
It bridges the gap between the workforce's extremes. This is because they can be
accommodated, and their opinions are valuable. The fact that teachers in
international schools come from diverse cultures and backgrounds, with unique
beliefs, can ensure that the headteacher accommodates everyone by allowing them to
participate fully in planning the projects. (T 4)
The heads of the schools mirrored the same sentiments. One principal stated:
It is easier to put policies in place when instructors get together and exchange their
perspectives because they suggest different ways to challenges. They will work
together to achieve success, especially in the areas of curriculum implementation,
such as teaching, exam setting, invigilation, and marking. (HT 5)
The head teachers communicated with the students regularly and were always encouraging.
The following sample from the teachers' questionnaire's open-ended section reveals some
of their communication attitudes and beliefs:
The principals are accommodating and keep lines of communication open and honest.
Schools, for example, have official school WhatsApp groups with all the teachers in
which all information is exchanged. The information is then delivered to individual
instructors' school emails for clarity and record keeping. (T 10)
All the interviewed head teachers agreed on this. As one headteacher put it|:
As the principal, it is vital to communicate clearly with the faculty about the school's
vision and goals, as well as your yearly calendar and what must be done when. Then
feedback is critical since it will reveal which areas need to be addressed and which
parts may be tough to complete. This is done quickly using the school's official
WhatsApp group, where any instructor can respond to the material presented. (HT 1).
On the contrary, some teachers believed that the head teachers did not exhibit democratic
leadership characteristics because they were not part of the decision-making process. One
of the teachers stated:
It should be the preferred method, but school administrators oppose it because they
do not want to be challenged or questioned in any way. (T 150)
Similarly, the head teachers agreed to not allow the teachers to be part of the decision-
making process. One headteacher said:
I am also in a pickle since I must communicate with the board of management
before making any decisions, stated one principal. I'll have to explain what we're
doing and the desired modifications to them, and if they don't agree, the board will
have to decide. (HT 3)
After evaluating how much the teachers thought their head teachers displayed democratic
leadership, the researcher moved on to determine how much they thought their head
teachers displayed authoritarian leadership.
