Study Of The Impact Of Principals' Leadership Styles On Junior Assistant Teachers' Performance In Myanmar's Magway Region

Background:Nowadays,Myanmar Government is striving for development in every area in accordance with the changing period.Myanmar Government also emphasizes education because it is a crucial role in human resource development and we can create a peaceful and developing country with educated persons.Therefore,the schools are essential because it is the primary source of producing well-educated people.Likewise,the principals and teachers who mold the young people act as the vital role.Thus,the principal's leadership and the teachers' performance is the central part in education.In Myanmar,teachers are also prospective principals because they can work as principals after performing the limited years and sitting examinations.In Myanmar,the impact of principals' leadership styles on junior assistant teachers' performance in Myanmar's Magway Region has never been studied.Similarly,most international research focuses on teachers and not mentioned junior assistant teachers.Therefore,this study focuses on the impact of principals' leadership style on junior assistant teachers' performance of Magway Region in Myanmar.Aim:The main aim of this study is to investigate the impact of principals' leadership styles on junior assistant teachers' performance of Magway Region in Myanmar.This study is based on path-goal leadership theory.Method:The current study was conducted on a descriptive survey research design using a mix-method.There were 65 principals and 520 junior assistant teachers by choosing the multistage sampling method in this study.We conducted descriptive statistics to investigate the dominant leadership styles and junior assistant teachers' performance in the quantitative survey.We carried out Pearson correlation coefficient to investigate the correlation between principals'leadership styles and junior assistant teachers' performance.Before conducting multiple regression analysis,the researcher worked out a preliminary analysis.We determine the predictions-dimension of principal leadership styles on junior assistant teachers' performance by multiple regressions.One-way ANOVA,Post-Hoc,and T-test are conducted to examine the significant difference in leadership styles by principal demographic variables,and junior assistant teachers' demographic variables,and teachers' performance by junior assistant teachers'demographic variables.For the qualitative study,eight principals and 14 junior assistant teachers have participated,and thematic analysis is applied to analyze interview data.Result:The quantitative study yields the most dominant leadership styles as perceived by principals and junior assistant teachers is supportive leadership styles.Besides,most teachers are better at the delivery of instruction than the others.And there is a positive correlation between directive leadership style,participative leadership style,supportive leadership style,achievement-oriented leadership styles and junior assistant teachers' performance.The multiple regression analysis results indicated that all predictor variables explained 45%in junior assistant teachers' performance.Regression analysis revealed that directive leadership,supportive leadership,and achievement-oriented leadership style significantly predict teachers' performance,but participative leadership does not significantly predict teachers' performance.The principal leadership style is not significantly difference by principals' gender,education qualification,and current service.However,principal leadership style is significantly difference by principals' total service.The principals' leadership style is not significantly different by teachers' gender,education qualification.Even though,the principals' leadership style is significantly different by teachers' age,total service and current services.In addition,teacher performance is significantly difference by junior assistant teachers' gender and current service but not significant difference by age,education qualification,and total service.In qualitative study,the dominant leadership style is also supportive leadership style and the principal utilized appropriate leadership styles.Most principals and junior teachers said teacher could perform their work well because of suitable leadership styles.The teachers' performance is also different between current services in the qualitative study.The results of the qualitative study are consistent with the quantitative study.A qualitative study revealed the possible explanation that teacher performance is significantly different by insuficient time and teachers instead of gender.The research also revealed that the principal considers the environmental characteristics and the situational characteristics,especially experiences,ability,interests,and the nature of the work to lead suitably.The difficulties that principals and junior assistant teachers meet are insufficient time,insufficient teachers,and insufficient teaching material,non-instructional overloaded work,and examination policy set up by the ministry.And the community and parents sometimes do not participate well.Conclusion:The current findings concluded that each principal's leadership styles positively affect junior assistant teachers' performance.That's why the present study suggested that the principal utilizes appropriate leadership styles according to the situations because each type has its advantages.No leadership style is the best for teachers and students.Moreover,there are difficulties that the principal and the teachers encounter when they work.The difficulties of principals and teachers can also impact teachers' performance,and thus teachers' performance is not all high.Therefore,it can be interpreted that these difficulties are intervening while the principal leads the teachers.Besides,the supervision and monitoring team should support for effective leadership and teachers' performance.