PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP SUPPORT, PARTICIPATION IN STAFF COMMITTEES AND JOB SATISFACTION OF TEACHERS IN GOVERNMENT-AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MASAKA CITY

The study assessed the combined influence of perceived leadership support and participation in staff committees on job satisfaction of teachers in government-aided secondary schools in Masaka City. It was guided by one objective, to assess the combined influence of perceived leadership support and participation in staff committees on teachers' job satisfaction. The study adopted a cross-sectional correlational research design and a quantitative approach supplemented with qualitative data from key informants. A sample of 160 respondents, comprising teachers and headteachers, was drawn from a target population of 296 using Yamane's (1967) formula, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire and an interview guide. Quantitative data were entered into SPSS version 26.0 and analysed using multiple regression, while qualitative data from interviews were analysed thematically. Results revealed that the interaction between perceived leadership support and participation in staff committees had a positive and statistically significant effect on teachers' job satisfaction (β = 0.684, t = 9.233, p < 0.001), jointly explaining 46.2% of the variation in job satisfaction (Adjusted R² = 0.462, F = 85.247, p < 0.001). Qualitative findings from headteachers corroborated the quantitative results, indicating that leadership support and committee involvement reinforce one another in shaping teachers' satisfaction. The study concluded that perceived leadership support and participation in staff committees are critical, mutually reinforcing determinants of teachers' job satisfaction. It was recommended that school leaders and education stakeholders develop integrated initiatives that simultaneously strengthen leadership support and teacher participation in staff committees, and that periodic evaluations be conducted to monitor their combined effect on teachers' job satisfaction.