**3. The study context**

The study reported in this chapter took place in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Ghana is a west African nation with a population of 31 million distributed over 16 regions. Ghana was a former colony of the British Empire but got her independence in 1957 and became a republic in 1960. Schooling in Ghana is free from primary to secondary level, and students are supported through a school feeding programme. The Ministry of Education is the policy formulation agency for education whilst the Ghana Education Service is a government agency under the Ministry of Education responsible for implementing government policies that ensure Ghanaians of schoolgoing age irrespective of their ethnicity, gender, disability, religious and political dispositions receive quality formal education.

Pre-tertiary education is divided into difference phases as listed:


This study took place at the Junior high school level. The purpose is to find out from teachers and school leaders (headteachers) their understanding of effective leadership and how leaders lead in their schools.
