Leadership Styles and School Improvement in Malawi: A Qualitative Exploration

Leadership styles play a crucial role in school improvement efforts across Malawi's educational landscape. Qualitative data collection methods were employed, including semi-structured interviews with educators and administrators, observations of school environments, and document reviews. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Interviews revealed that leadership styles significantly influence educational outcomes such as student engagement and teacher morale, with a notable proportion (60%) indicating positive impacts from supportive and inclusive leadership approaches compared to directive or autocratic methods. The study underscores the importance of adopting more collaborative and supportive leadership models for enhancing school improvement in Malawi's education sector. School leaders should prioritise building a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and shared decision-making to foster an environment conducive to student success and teacher satisfaction. Leadership styles, School improvement, Educational outcomes, Qualitative study, Malawi