Author(s)

Wilson Mugizi^*, Grandford Tumuhaise, Bulhan Samanya, Augustina Ogaga Dafiewhare

Kampala International University Western Campus, Kampala, Uganda.

This study examined the relationship between the leadership styles and retention of teachers in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Uganda. Leadership styles were studied in terms of transformational, transactional and laissez-faire on a sample of 107 primary school teachers. The study adopted the correlational design and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential analyses. Descriptive results revealed that teacher retention was good. Nevertheless, while the use of transformational leadership was also good, there was moderate use transactional leadership and low use of laissez-fair leadership was lowly used. Regression analysis revealed that transformational leadership had a positive significant relationship with retention of teachers. Nevertheless, transactional leadership had a positive but insignificant relationship with retention of teachers while laissez-faire leadership had a negative and insignificant one. Therefore, it was concluded that transformational leadership is imperative for retention of teachers, transactional leadership is not the most probable leadership style for retention of teachers, and laissez-faire leadership is not a desirable leadership style. The recommendations of the study are that head teachers should make it a priority to be transformational in their leadership, should limit their use of transactional leadership style, and avoid laissez-faire leadership.

Leadership, Laissez-Faire, Retention, Teachers, Transformational, Transactional

Mugizi, W. , Tumuhaise, G. , Samanya, B. and Dafiewhare, A. (2019) Leadership Styles and Retention of Teachers in Private Primary Schools in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Uganda. Open Journal of Leadership, 8, 167-187. doi: 10.4236/ojl.2019.84009.