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Basic Education Headteacher Leadership in Ghana: A Review of Empirical Studies from 1994 to 2022

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Title: Basic Education Headteacher Leadership in Ghana: A Review of Empirical Studies from 1994 to 2022
Language: English
Authors: Philip Saagyum Dare (ORCID 0000-0001-9676-8951), Linda Henderson, Robyn Babaeff
Source: Educational Management Administration & Leadership. 2026 54(4):1471-1500.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 30
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Literature Reviews, Principals, Instructional Leadership, Elementary Secondary Education, Administrator Characteristics, Leadership Training, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, Educational Research, Educational Practices
Geographic Terms: Ghana
DOI: 10.1177/17411432241310555
ISSN: 1741-1432
1741-1440
Abstract: This review examines the landscape of Ghana's Basic Education (BE) Headteacher Leadership (HTL) literature, revealing essential insights from empirical studies conducted between 1994 and 2022. It originated from the lack of a systematic review summarizing evidence on HTL training, preparation, and practices implemented across the sector. However, research shows Ghana does not provide formal HTL training programs for BE Headteachers before recruitment. Employing the PRISMA framework, we analyzed 23 peer-reviewed empirical studies related to BE HTL, published across ERIC, ProQuest, Scopus, EThOS, and Web of Science databases. The purpose was to identify the key characteristics that define Ghana's BE HTL. Findings reveal the absence of formal HTL training before recruitment, non-conventional recruitment criteria, and diverse leadership practices, predominantly transformational leadership, shaped by international training programs like Leadership for Learning. The literature also offers cultural factors that may inhibit training programs' learning transfer and ways to mitigate them. A trend towards self-directed and informal professional development among Headteachers was identified, suggesting a resilient but unstandardized approach to leadership development to address these systemic gaps. These findings provide a reference for present and future Headteachers and point to the essential need for developing leadership frameworks tailored to Ghana's BE HTL context.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1509258
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Basic Education Headteacher Leadership in Ghana: A Review of Empirical Studies from 1994 to 2022
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Philip+Saagyum+Dare%22">Philip Saagyum Dare</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9676-8951">0000-0001-9676-8951</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Linda+Henderson%22">Linda Henderson</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Robyn+Babaeff%22">Robyn Babaeff</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Management+Administration+%26+Leadership%22"><i>Educational Management Administration & Leadership</i></searchLink>. 2026 54(4):1471-1500.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 30
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literature+Reviews%22">Literature Reviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Principals%22">Principals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Leadership%22">Instructional Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Characteristics%22">Administrator Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Training%22">Leadership Training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership%22">Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Qualities%22">Leadership Qualities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Research%22">Educational Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ghana%22">Ghana</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
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  Data: 10.1177/17411432241310555
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1741-1432<br />1741-1440
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This review examines the landscape of Ghana's Basic Education (BE) Headteacher Leadership (HTL) literature, revealing essential insights from empirical studies conducted between 1994 and 2022. It originated from the lack of a systematic review summarizing evidence on HTL training, preparation, and practices implemented across the sector. However, research shows Ghana does not provide formal HTL training programs for BE Headteachers before recruitment. Employing the PRISMA framework, we analyzed 23 peer-reviewed empirical studies related to BE HTL, published across ERIC, ProQuest, Scopus, EThOS, and Web of Science databases. The purpose was to identify the key characteristics that define Ghana's BE HTL. Findings reveal the absence of formal HTL training before recruitment, non-conventional recruitment criteria, and diverse leadership practices, predominantly transformational leadership, shaped by international training programs like Leadership for Learning. The literature also offers cultural factors that may inhibit training programs' learning transfer and ways to mitigate them. A trend towards self-directed and informal professional development among Headteachers was identified, suggesting a resilient but unstandardized approach to leadership development to address these systemic gaps. These findings provide a reference for present and future Headteachers and point to the essential need for developing leadership frameworks tailored to Ghana's BE HTL context.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1509258
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        Value: 10.1177/17411432241310555
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literature Reviews
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      – SubjectFull: Principals
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      – SubjectFull: Instructional Leadership
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
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      – SubjectFull: Administrator Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Leadership Training
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      – SubjectFull: Leadership
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      – SubjectFull: Leadership Qualities
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Research
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Practices
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      – SubjectFull: Ghana
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      – TitleFull: Basic Education Headteacher Leadership in Ghana: A Review of Empirical Studies from 1994 to 2022
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