The effects of the management of community primary schools on the educational attainment of learners in selected community primary schools of Kafue district

The study was undertaken to analyse the effects of the management of community primary Schools on the educational attainment of the learners in Kafue District of Lusaka Province. The study was guided by the research objectives which were: to identify the leadership styles used by the school management in selected community primary schools, to determine how the leadership styles used by the school management in selected community primary schools to enhance the educational attainment of learners, to establish the challenges faced by the school management in the implementation of leadership styles in selected community primary schools and to devise ways of how the school management can promote high educational attainment of learners in selected community primary schools of Kafue District. A qualitative methodology was used for this research and a descriptive survey design utilized. Data was gathered using Semi structured interviews for the headteachers, teachers and parents. Focus group discussions were held with teacher participants. An observation schedule was also used to collect information in the study. The main findings of the study revealed that the educational attainment of the learners in community schools was either poor or very poor. This poor performance was attributed to poor leadership styles practiced by the school management and most of the managers were not proactive but reactive and also lacked inclusiveness in their decision making especially on how to distribute meager resources. The findings further showed that the teaching and learning resources were scarce in the selected community primary schools and this was a result of the failure by school managers to encourage and entice stakeholders to come on board and have an input in the running of the selected community schools of Kafue District. A number of challenges were identified such as: lack of teaching and learning materials, absenteeism by both teachers and learners, poor communication, participation in the selected community primary schools of Kafue District. The main conclusion of the study was that there is a thin line between the leadership styles used by the school management in the educational attainment of learners. That leadership styles such as democratic can foster high educational achievement by the learners because the teachers are involved in decision making hence motivated to put in their level best to the learners’ advantage. The study made the following recommendations including that there was great need for government to take keen interest in the running of community schools. Furthermore, the study recommended that all the stakeholders should have an input so that the vulnerable children can access quality education provision like the leaners in private and government run schools to achieve desired educational attainment results