Transformational leadership and teachers’ well-being in Tanzania: Evidence from Lindi Region

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of transformational leadership on teachers’ well-being in public primary schools in Lindi Region, Tanzania. The study was guided by Transformational Leadership Theory and adopted a mixed-methods approach, with a convergent parallel design, integrating quantitative survey data with qualitative interviews to develop a comprehensive understanding of how leadership practices shape teacher well-being. The target population comprised primary school teachers, head teachers, and Ward Education Officers (WEOs) in public primary schools in Lindi Region. Using simple random sampling for teachers and purposive sampling for head teachers and WEOs, a total of 366 respondents were involved, comprising 360 teachers, 4 head teachers, and 2 WEOs; of the questionnaires administered to teachers, 356 were fully completed and used in the quantitative analysis, while all 6 head teachers and WEOs participated in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively using frequencies and percentages, and inferentially using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression, while qualitative data were analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step approach. Findings revealed that transformational leadership significantly influenced teacher well-being. Individualised consideration (χ² = 14.14, p < .0001; AOR = 2.27, 95% CI [1.19, 4.35], p = .013) and intellectual stimulation (χ² = 11.78, p = .001; AOR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.09, 4.71], p = .027) emerged as the most consistent and statistically significant predictors of teacher well-being, both in bivariate and multivariate analyses, indicating that teachers experience improved motivation, resilience, and job satisfaction when they receive personal support and opportunities for professional creativity. Inspirational motivation showed a significant positive relationship at the bivariate level (χ² = 5.84, p = .016; COR = 2.02, p = .017) but became non-significant after adjustment (AOR = 1.75, p = .108), suggesting that its influence is mediated by other leadership dimensions. Idealised influence was not significant in either model (χ² = 0.74, p = .39; AOR = 0.43, p = .19), indicating that charisma and role-modelling alone are insufficient to improve teachers’ psychological and professional experiences in resource-constrained school environments. Qualitative findings reinforced these results, showing that teachers feel more valued, empowered, and emotionally supported when leaders actively engage in mentoring, collaboration, and problem-solving. The study concludes that transformational leadership enhances teacher well-being most effectively when it is practical, supportive, and intellectually engaging rather than purely inspirational or symbolic. The study recommends that educational authorities strengthen leadership development programmes for school leaders, emphasising individualised support, instructional collaboration, and intellectual stimulation, which are essential for improving teacher well-being, reducing burnout, strengthening commitment, and ultimately enhancing the quality of education in public primary schools in Tanzania.