Headteachers’ Perceptions of Transformational Leadership in the Management of Public Primary School Committees’ activities in Dodoma City

Joshua Dotto Masaba and Upendo P. Biswalo
St John’s University of Tanzania
Email: joshuamasaba18@gmail.com

Abstract: Transformational leadership is widely recognized as a critical approach for enhancing school effectiveness by empowering stakeholders, strengthening collaboration, and improving governance in educational institutions. However, despite its recognized importance, limited empirical evidence exists on the perceptions of headteachers on transformationalleadership in the management of public primary school committee activities in Dodoma City. This study was guided by Transformational Leadership Theory. A qualitative research approach was employed, using interviews and document review. Data was analyzed thematically. The study’s findings revealed that transformational leadership practices enhance school committee performance by improving participation in decision-making, accountability and transparency, commitment and responsibility, teamwork, and collective problem-solving. However, challenges such as limited training opportunities, inadequate incentives, and resource constraints were identified as barriers to fully effective committee performance. The study concludes that transformational leadership plays a significant role in strengthening school governance and enhancing the effectiveness of school committees in public primary schools in Dodoma City. It recommends strengthening leadership training,improving capacity-building programs for school committees, and ensuring consistent implementation of participatory governance policies to enhance school effectiveness and accountability.