PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP PRACTICE AS PREDICTORS OF TEACHERS’ JOB COMMITMENT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated the predictive value of principals' leadership practice on teachers' job commitment in public secondary schools in Anambra State, Nigeria. Using a correlational design, data were collected from 801 teachers and analyzed using regression. The findings revealed that five key dimensions of leadership—transformational, instructional, participative, ethical, and authentic—all significantly predict teacher job commitment. The study's results demonstrated a strong relationship between each individual leadership practice and teacher commitment, with participative leadership showing the highest predictive power. Collectively, these leadership practices were found to be a very strong predictor, accounting for over 85% of the variation in teacher commitment. The study concludes that effective leadership is a critical factor in fostering a dedicated teaching staff and recommends targeted leadership training for principals to improve school performance.