Headteachers’ Leadership Requirements for Effective Management of Primary Schools in Cameroon: Case Study of Primary Schools in Garoua 1 Sub-Division, Benuoe Division, North Region of Cameroon

Abstract

Leadership is pertinent in any organization. The purpose of this study is to identify leadership requirements relevant in running primary schools in Cameroon and throw more insight into their relevance using teachers and headteachers drawn from primary schools in Garoua 1 sub-division. Four requirements were examined; motivation skills, instructional supervision skills, communication skills and human relation skills. Each requirement had 3 likert scale questions that respondents were to respond. The population of the study was all the teaching and administrative staff of all the primary schools in Garoua 1 Sub-division, Benuoe division, North Cameroon. The sample constituted 196 participants made up of 168 teachers and 28 headteachers got from twenty five primary schools randomly selected from all the primary schools in garoua 1 sub-division, Benuoe division. The findings reveal that headteachers earnestly need these four requirements for effective running of primary schools in Cameroon; but the human relation requirements stand tall as the most important requirement to effectively run a school. It was recommended that a specialized school for training school leaders be opened in Cameroon. Also, government should make sure regular seminars and workshops are organized so that contemporary skills, abilities and competences are acquired by headteachers especially regarding the requirements researched on above.