Speaking in terms of the successful running of a school,various parties are

involved.Particularly,this will be the discussion of the roles and functions of the

headteacher.According to Kate Rousmaniere,The Principal's Office: A Social History of the
American School Principal (State University of New York Press; 2013)defines headteacher as the
staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the
school.Thus,the following are the roles and functions of the headteacher;

Colin Riches (Bush and West- Burnham, 1994, p.261) points out that Effective management has
to start from a full understanding of the details of how the communication process impacts on
every management activity”. Because of the headteacher’s influence, it is important that he or
she communicate effectively with the others. However, in order for good communication to be
achieved, communication channels should be open both ways. By this I mean that the principal
should be accessible to everyone in the school. Coursen and Thomas (Smith and Piele, 1991, p.)
write that “it is important for people to feel you are available and welcome personal contact
with them

Southworth( Bush and Middlewood, 1997, p.40) who writes that the heads take an active
interest in the teachers’ work and lives; they attend to teachers’ individual and collective needs
and interests; they establish ways in which staff can share and talk about their work in the
classrooms (e.g. showing assemblies, staff meetings, informal visits by the head to teachers in
their classrooms after school)”.Acting in this way, most of the headteachers seek to establish
and maintain an organizational culture that facilitate openness, sharing and communication in
their schools.

Head teachers are the most senior teachers and leaders of primary and secondary schools, and
are ultimately responsible for the smooth running of a school, the academic achievement of its
pupils and the management of its staff. Although they are usually teachers with many years’
experience, the emphasis of their role is to provide educational vision and direction rather than
teaching in classrooms. Head teachers lead, motivate and manage staff by delegating
responsibility, setting expectations and targets and evaluating staff performance against them.It
is a job which requires a strong presence around a school and in some cases the local
community, as well as a certain amount of desk work.The the roles of the head teacher which
are making the school more complex to manage due to social changes includes;formulating
overall aims and objectives for the school and policies for their implementation:The Head
teacher is an employee of the Governing Body and is required to carry out his/her professional
duties in accordance with the terms and conditions. He is responsible for the leadership,
internal organisation, management and control of the school and consult appropriately in so
doing. He also promotes and safeguards the welfare of children and young persons for whom
the school and Governing Body is responsible and those with whom

Management of school facilities,School facilities represent huge investments and symbolize the
community’s beliefs and values with regard to education. In other words, the kinds of
structures, plans for buildings, the money spent and the total ambiance created, all contribute
to form the communities value system.Such values translate in the conduct of the pupils and
staff that manifest either in good or bad conduct.In this area, therefore, the administration
must plan and manage. Planning is a critical aspect, as it must comply with the needs of the
school and fiscal capacity of the patrons.

School leadership is considered to be a key aspect of successful school improve-ment

worldwide, particularly in light of emerging paradigms that increase autonomy and school
accountability (Sergis et al. 2018). In this respect, the role of headteachers has come into the
focus of scientific discussions. Raelin (2016) recognises leadership as a practice that is
important for school life, as it influences its various aspects: it has both direct and indirect
impacts on the effectiveness of schools. The importance of school leadership stems from the
fact that leadership actions refer to targeting a set of goals by synchronising all the potential of
the institution in a competent manner. A headteacher, as a professional who holds a leadership
position in a school, can coordinate this process (Peko et al. 2016). In other words, a
headteacher is the staff member who has complete insight into the school’s func-tioning and,
therefore, the greatest opportunity to shape the culture of a particular school by cooperating
with other employees, students, and their parents
According to Mbiti (1974), the head teacher is held responsible for two categories of duties:
specific and general. The specific duties of a head teacher include supervision of teachers and
the school plan, management and development of the school, special services, such as
attending meetings both at local and national levels. General duties include making sure the
school has enough personnel, equipment and physical facilities.Among the responsibilities of a
school head teacher include that of supervising the educational activities in the school he or she
heads (Okumbe, 1999). The head of a school is the centre of both the teaching and the
administration processes, that is, he/she is the middle-person between the staff members and
the school board. In other words, the head teacher plays a bureaucratic role.

According to North and Kumta (2018, p.125), headteachers are the visionary context designers
of a school. This vision of the school is based on personal values, which are inseparable from
leadership (Barret 2017; Peleg 2012). The existing values are supported by educational policies
and are reflected in the school culture. The co-creation of a supportive school culture.The role
of a principal is to provide strategic direction in the school system. Principals develop
standardized curricula, assess teaching methods, monitor student achievement, encourage
parent involvement, revise policies and procedures, administer the budget, hire and evaluate
staff and oversee facilities. Other important duties entail developing safety protocols and
emergency response procedures.

According to Memon (1998), the headteachers tend to play more administrative roles
rather than pedagogic leaders. The stakeholders‟ perceptions and document analysis both
show a higher expectation level than the current level of headteachers‟ performance for
student learning. However, headteacher seemed to emphasize more of her academic role
to bring a visible change in teaching and learning conditions (Fullan, 2001, 2007; Louis &
Wahlstrom .Sagala(2013)The headmaster conducts coordination with school residents in
carrying out their duties as administrators. The headmasters’ have important roles to play in
fostering these aims and objectives, among this roles include providing effective leadership in
schools, thereby enhancing better job performance among teachers. The effectiveness of the
headmasters’ leadership roles has been a matter of concern to many educationists (Wanjiru
2013).

Head teachers play critical role in human resource management, which includes not only
managing the teaching and non-teaching staff but also students and member of school
community in general. The key duty include motivating teachers, developing teachers’ skills and
knowledge improvement through further educations, mentoring students, and supporting all
members of school community.The Head Teachers further explained that their role as human
resource managers was vital in contributing towards enhancing the quality of education despite
feeling inadequate as they had not received formal training in human resource management.

Supporting and empowering teachers;For teachers to be motivated, they should be supported

and empowered in their professional practice. Indeed, according to LeMahieu, Roy and Foss
(1997:585), the principal’s role must be to challenge for quality in practice without dictating or
prescribing that practice. In other words, teachers must be given reasonable power concerning
decision-making and planning regarding school goals and policies. Principals who act as
facilitative leaders support the ideas of shared planning and decision-making, and attempt to
share power by encouraging teachers to exercise their professional judgement and accept
responsibility for the educational and organisational goals of the school. In accordance with this
view, Bergley and Leonard (1999:99) maintain that teacher empowerment occurs when
teachers willingly accept the invitation to share in the planning, organising and implementing
processes.

Lashway(2001),study explained that the role of the school leader has changed from that of a
manager or facilitator to instructional leader or lead teacher.An instructional leader unlike the
traditional school leader focuses on instruction program and the positive climate which is
believed to transform into an institutional success.Murphy and Hallinger’s(1985) in their model
of Instructional Leadership explained that the key role of instructional leaders in three
dimensions:Defining the school mission,managing the instructional program,and promoting a
positive school-learning climate.The role of the headteacher with regards to promoting a
positive school-learning climate, they defined that principals have five functions:protecting
instructional time,promoting professional development,maintaining high visibility,providing
incentives for teachers,and providing incentives for learning.Weber’s(1996) later reviewed the
instructional leader model by Murphy and Hallinger’s(1985).In the review he stressed on the
need for instructional leadership regardless of the school’s organizational structure.The model
extended Murphy and Hallinger’s(1985) Model of Instructional Leadership by outlining five
essential roles of instructional leadership based on his review of the literature.These
included:defining the school’s mission,managing curriculum and instruction,promoting a
positive learning climate,observing and improving instruction,and assessing the instructional
program.According to Weber(1996) the instructional leader promotes a positive learning
climate by communicating goals and establishing expectations.

Although the head teacher has the responsibility of managing the affairs of the school toward
expected goals, Adu-Yeboah (2007) argued that every school leaders’ management functions
operates within a given school environment, culture and with the available Teaching-Learning
Resources to bring about improvement in students’ academic performance. The role of the
head teacher is thus expected to influence all various aspects of the school climate needed for
improved performances. The section address the third research objective which seeks to
investigate the influence of the head teacher role in ensuring school climate on the school
climate conditions required for improved performances.

Ubben and Hughes (1992) stated that principals could create a school climate that improves the
productivity of both staff and students and that the leadership style of the principal can foster
or restrict teacher effectiveness. Definitely, a positive school climate can enhance staff
performance, promote higher morale, and improve student achievement (Freiberg, 1998)An
effective headteacher should have some basic characteristics that distinguish him from the
other staff of the school. As Smith (1993) implies, “an effective headteacher has a vision and a
mission for the school. He inspires commitment to the school’s mission and so gives direction
and purpose to its work. He coordinates the work of the school by allocating roles and
delegating responsibilities, encouraging staff involvement in professional development
programmes and makes use of the skills teachers acquire in these programmes”Effective
headteachers achieve the right balance between leading, managing, and administrating
competences (Male 2006).

According to Sagala (2013: 136) educators carry out planning activities such as compiling
learning tools, management activities implementing effective and efficient learning strategies,
and evaluation activities improving learning systems, facilitating and encouraging teachers to
continuously improve their competencies. As an educator, the principal also functions to guide
students, teachers and other education personnel. The headmaster has several roles in
carrying out his duties. One of the roles of headmaster is as a manager. According to
Wahjosumidjo (2017), management is the process of planning, organizing, leading, and
controlling the business of the members of the organization and the utilization of all
organizational resources in order to achieve the stated goals. A manager or principal is
essentially a planner, organizer, leader, and controller. According to Asmani (2014: 184), the
following is the role of the principal as a manager,hold predictions on the future of the school,
Innovate by taking initiatives and creative activities for school progress,creating strategies or
policies to succeed innovative minds,arrange planning, both strategic planning and operational
planning,find educational resources and provide educational facilities.Planning is the first and
foremost duty of the head of a school.

Deal & Peterson,(1999)emphasis that,the roles of school heads influence every part of the
educational setting and create an environment for the exchange of social and professional
ideas.Without appropriate leadership the school culture/climate will be negatively
affected.Hoyet al(1990)clearly mentioned that studies have shown that schools that promote
appropriate leadership and collegiality provide a climate more conducive to student success
and achievement.The headmaster must share instructional work with the teachers.He should
consider himself teacher first and last.His teaching should be exemplary.This way he keeps in
touch with the work of the teachers and the achievements of students.The headmaster should
understand the problems of the teachers and the pupils better when he himself teaches.

plays roles in Supervision,when a supervisor is effective it fosters the relationship and

recognizes the role of the teachers allowing them to identify themselves the needs that they
have in order to assist the students, and accepts the assistance of the supervisor (Annan &
Ryba, 2013).Glickman (2010) mentions that “As supervisors gradually increase teacher choice
and control over instructional improvement; teachers will become more reflective and
committed to improvement.The head of a school should not simply sit in his office. He should
supervise the work of the school here, there and every where. He should supervise instructional
work. He may have a round of the class-rooms. However, it is not to be a fault finding
business.The headmaster should supervise the activities going on in the playground, hall, art
room, library, workshop etc. He must supervise the proper use and keep up of school materials.
In general, he should supervise the behaviour of students, provide facilities for them to
maintain cleanliness of the campus etc.

According to Wahjosumidjo (2017: 83), the headmaster can act as a functional teacher who is
given the task of leading a school where a teaching and learning process is held, or a place
where there is interaction between the teacher who gives lessons and students who receive the
lesson". In line with the definition above, the headmaster is someone who has the duty to lead
and be responsible in a school education institution. The headmaster is not simply a fault
finder. Wherever he finds defects, errors and inefficiency he should show the correct path to
the students. He must guide the teachers in the methods of teaching and organisation of
activities. Besides students are to be guided by him in matters of study, activities and personal
difficulties. A guidance cell may be organised in the school. Besides, the headmaster has to
guide parents and higher authorities etc.

The headmaster has several roles in carrying out his duties as a school leader. One of the roles
of the headmaster is as an administrator.According to Danim (2016), administration can be
defined as a process of cooperation between two or more people to achieve certain goals
productively. Productive contains effective and efficient meanings. Efficiency refers to work
processes, while effectiveness refers to results. While administrators are people who carry
out administration by carrying out activities relating to the implementation of wisdom to
achieve a goal.As the head of the school, the headmaster is responsible for all that is being
done in or by the school. He is to issue necessary orders and get their compliance. He must see
that the teachers and the pupils attend their duties punctually and regularly. He must ensure
that human and material resources of the school are adequate.

In conclusion,headteacher is a role model and so therefore their professional and academic

integrity should appeal to teachers, parents and pupils. Communication occurs at many, levels,
such as in activities,language and behavior.The head teacher’s role is informed and enriched by
knowledge from different fields, such as psychology, sociology,therefore must demonstrate the
kinds of values they profess to hold. As the public, donors and government is spending a lot of
money in schools, the head teacher must cultivate a winning image for the school.Since the
head act as an accountant,the management of the school finances entails skills that the head
teacher must take time to acquire. As much as most schools have accounting officers and
clerks, the head teacher must understand process of financial management.In this way, the
headteacher has a responsibility of co-ordinating the school as a whole.

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