CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview
An introduction is the first part of research report which discusses the background to the problem, statement of the problem, objectives, research questions, significance of the study, scope of the study, limitations of the study, conceptual framework and operationalisation of key terms (Kombo and Tromp, 2006)
1.2 Background to the Problem
Governments in all countries of the world strive to provide education to their citizens with the understanding that it is essential, not only for economic growth but also for social stability (REPOA, 2008). Education is expected to produce graduates who are able to thrive in a fast challenging world, meet challenges and solve problems; be entrepreneurial and create jobs, critical and active citizens (TEN/MET, 2008). Cameroon like many other countries, has radically improved the state of education, particularly in terms of classroom infrastructure and enrolment through the introduction of SEDP in 2004. In enumeration, UNESCO (2011) points out that the rapid expansion of students enrolments, led to inadequate resources which resulted
into difficulties in creating expected outcomes. This has made school management to be more complex and difficult enterprise now than few decades ago. The school head is, therefore, in a difficult position, being expected to improve the students’ academic performance in a period of diminishing resources. However, achievement in students’ academic performance in community secondary schools cannot be achieved if schools head s are not in fully committed to play their roles effectively.

According to Coombs (1970) Education consists of two components. He classified these two components into inputs and outputs. According to him, inputs consist of human and material resources and outputs are the outcomes of the educational process. Both the inputs and outputs form a dynamic organic whole and if one wants to investigate and assess the students’ academic performance, effects of one component on the other must be examined. The school heads are the vital input in educational realm. MOEC (1997) points out that their major responsibilities in
schools is to provide professional leadership that would lead to the achievement of educational objectives which is revealed in terms of students outcomes (output).

Despite the fact that school heads lead these community secondary schools, students’ academic performance is still very low. For example, NECTA (2009-2011) report shows that national Form Four (SCEE) results in the six sampled community secondary schools declined remarkably. In the year 2009 a total of 310 candidates sat for the Certificate for Secondary Education, 24% scored division one to three while 61% scored division four and 15% scored division 0. In the year 2010, 913 candidates sat for examinations.In this year, only 11% students scored division i- iii while 45% scored division iv, the remaining larger number of (44%) students failed by scoring division zero. Further, the data revealed that in the year 2011 a total number of 1013 students sat
for the examinations in the surveyed community secondary schools. It is only (8%) students who scored division i-iii while (47%) students obtained division IV with the
rest (45%) obtaining division zero. Therefore, (92%) students failed.UNICEF (2001) states that, under poor leadership and administration, children perform poorly in national examinations and leave school ill prepared, lacking necessary skills to thrive in difficult social and economic environment and the capacity to contribute effectively to the society transformation. Such situation is alarming, bearing in mind that these schools were established to serve the social needs. Bennaars, Otiende, Boisvert (1994) point out that, incompetence among school heads is a big problem to the overall administration and management of education. Without proper leadership, which motivates others to accomplish their tasks effectively, high achievement in students’ academic performance cannot be realized in community secondary schools, even if an institution would have all the financial resources to excel.