MUWONGE NKONGE SARAH

Topic Leadership and policy implementation in selected public universities in Uganda

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of leadership on policy implementation in selected public universities in Uganda. The overriding need for this study was due to the fact that despite the many efforts made to produce a well-trained skilled and marketable pool of human resources for social transformation and sustainable development, there are several complaints from the community that university education in Uganda ahs failed to effectively deliver to its expectations. Effective leadership to promote and implement educational policies has not been sufficient to produce changes in public universities. Strikes and staff turnover raise a challenge to the university leadership coupled with lack of cohesiveness, unity and commitment on the part of followers which directly affect day to day running of the universities. In view of these challenges, the study set out to examine the extent to which leadership affects the implementation of policies in selected public universities in Uganda.

The study was conducted using a descriptive cross sectional survey design from a cohort of leaders and followers at different levels in three public universities. The sample comprised of 234 respondents that included top management officers, academic staff and student leaders. Data pertaining to the objectives of the study was collected using self administered questionnaires and an interview guide. On the basis of the findings, it was concluded that: leadership characteristics have had a significant being on implementation of policies in public universities. In particular, in instances were leadership characteristics was perceived as being satisfactory, there was efficiency in staff recruitment. Promotion and on a number of other policy options. Secondly, the situation in which leadership is exercised was significantly associated with how well policies are implemented in public universities. Lastly, the revelations of the study confirmed that the characteristics followers affect the way policies are implemented in public universities. It was therefore concluded that valuing followers’ characteristics and their aspirations is one of the most important steps towards achieving changes in public universities by selecting, equipping, training, and influencing followers who have diverse aspirations, abilities and skills to the mission and objectives of the institutions.

On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that there is a need for democratization of decision making within the university so that all stakeholders are brought on board in the policy making process. With regard to the characteristics of the situation, university leaders need to create an environment that encourages adaptation to changing circumstances and this will ultimately need transformation of prevailing patterns of leadership into structures of participation and accountability to involve faculty, staff and students as responsible partners. Lastly, leaders in public universities should develop, train and empower followers to enable them become as effective as possible in ways of solving problems as well as allowing them to act without approval for every task. Once followers are empowered and encouraged to give feedback, they will be more committed to the vision and mission of the university as well as becoming more efficient in their work.