LEADERSHIP SKILLS NEEDED BY HIGH SCHOOL PREFECTS IN THE MANZINI REGION OF ESWATINI Open Access

In schools, one form of student participation is through the school prefects. Paucity of information is available on the leadership skills needed by high school prefects in Eswatini. Therefore, this study sought to find out the leadership skills needed by prefects in the Manzini region of Eswatini. The design of the study was descriptive correlational, targeting prefects from secondary schools in the Manzini region in Eswatini. One hundred prefects from 10 secondary schools were randomly sampled. A self-administered questionnaire validated by three lecturers from the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension, University of Eswatini and one teacher from Ngwane High School was used for data collection. The inter-item reliability coefficient established using Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.79. Findings revealed that the leadership skills needed by prefects were: respecting other learners; ability to motivate other learners; ability to solve problems; responding to learners’ concerns; ability to manage resources, among others. The study concluded that prefects should be afforded leadership skills in interpersonal relationships, management of people, problem solving, resource management, counselling and motivational skills. Therefore, the study recommended that the school prefects should be empowered in these needed leadership skills.