PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP STYLES AND TEACHERS’ ACADEMIC OPTIMISM AS FACILITATORS OF STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN EJIGBO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OSUN STATE

Odedokun Solomon Adekunle & Odekunle Mubarakat Omolola

Abstract

The study investigated principal leadership styles (Transformational, Transactional, Leader Member Exchange) and Teachers Academic Optimism as facilitators of Students academic success among secondary school students in Ejigbo local government area of Osun state. The research adopted a descriptive research design. Three hundred (300) copies of the questionnaire were distributed for administration, out of which 290 were returned, implies that 96.6% of the participants actually partook in the study. Three research questions were raised and answered. Data collected were analyzed using of Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and Regression analysis. The findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between principal leadership styles (transformational, transactional, leader member exchange),  teachers academic optimism and academic success.; transformational (r =.730, p<0.01), transactional (r =.329, p<0.01), leader member exchange (r =.710, p<0.01) and teachers academic optimism (r =.613, p<0.01) This implies that all the independent variables (principal leadership styles and teachers academic optimism) played significant roles on the student academic success. Further result revealed that the value of R =.337, R²= .114, while Adj. R² = .101. This implies that all the four factors combined together accounted for 10.1% variance in the prediction of student academic success. This implies that there was a significant contribution of principal leadership styles and teachers academic optimism to the student academic success among secondary schools students in Ejigbo area of Osun state. It is therefore recommended that, principals should increase their use of transactional leadership style in their management of schools to boost their student’s performance as well as their teachers’ confidence which could lead to excellent academic success.