Principal’s Leadership Skills Effectiveness and Conflict Resolution in Secondary Schools in Southwest Region of Cameroon

The purpose of this study is to determine “Principals’ Leadership Skills Effectiveness in Conflict Resolution in Secondary School in South West Region, Cameroon”. The objective was used to set an overall research question which was formulated and transformed into two working Hypothesis. The study’s survey instrument (Questionnaire) was distributed to teachers from 65 secondary schools which comprise of public schools, denominational schools and lay private schools. Interviews were carried out with 20 principals in the south west Region of Cameroon. Descriptive measures of central tendency were used to analyses aspects of questionnaire data while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic approach or view point of principals. The result showed that every Principal should have the following leadership skills vision, influence, effective communication, motivation, problem solver, manage emotions, adapt to change, positive thinker, open to continuous learning, good decision maker has an effect on conflict resolution in secondary schools in Cameroon. The thematic analysis depicting how principals and teachers use their leadership skills in the identification of the conflict, active listening to the parties, open and honest communication, collaboration, problem-solving, managing emotions, exercised in the school environment to resolve conflicts.
Keywords: Principal’s Leadership Skills, Conflict Resolution, Secondary Schools, Southwest, Cameroon