Leadership Styles and Students’ Motivation in Art and Design Education: Evidence from Selected Secondary Schools in Ibanda District, UgandaLeadership Styles and Students’ Motivation in Art and Design Education: Evidence from Selected Secondary Schools in Ibanda District, Uganda

Abstract

Students’ motivation in Art and Design education remains a key determinant of creativity, skill acquisition, and academic success in secondary schools. However, evidence from Ugandan education contexts indicates persistent low motivation and declining enrolment in Arts-related subjects compared to sciences. For instance, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB, 2023) reports consistently lower performance and participation rates in Arts subjects, reflecting weak learner engagement and limited institutional support. This paper examines the influence of leadership styles on students’ motivation in Art and Design education, with reference to selected secondary schools in Ibanda District, Uganda. Drawing on existing literature, the study explores how transformational, democratic, autocratic, and laissez-faire leadership styles shape school climate, teacher practices, and student motivation. Evidence from studies in Uganda and East Africa (Ssekamwa, 2021; Katusiime, 2022) shows that supportive and participatory leadership approaches enhance learner motivation, creativity, and active participation in Arts education, while authoritarian leadership styles tend to suppress innovation and reduce student confidence. The paper argues that leadership is a critical but often underemphasized factor in explaining low motivation in Art and Design subjects. It concludes that strengthening transformational and instructional leadership practices can significantly improve student engagement and performance in Arts education in Ugandan secondary schools.

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