Close encounters of the leadership
kind: Developing school principals
in South Africa
Inba Naicker
Siphiwe Mthiyane
Vitallis Chikoko
Leadership development
• The task of being a principal is demanding,
requiring energy, drive and many personal
qualities and attributes... The expectations of
principals have moved from demands of
management and control to the demands for
an educational leader who can foster staff
development, parent involvement, community
support and learner growth and to succeed
with major changes and expectations (Conley
2011) .
Literature
• USA: more than 90% of the States require
prospective school principals to complete
state approved prep programme (Roberts,
2009).
• In England, the National Professional
Qualification for Headship (NPQH) is
mandatory for prospective school principals
(Olsen, 2007).
South Africa
• minimum qualification for school principalship: 3year post matriculation teaching qualification
(KZN Department of Education, 2008).
• Experience: minimum of seven years in ed (KZN
Department of Education, 2008).
• Educator without prior formal leadership and mgt
position- eligible for principalship.
• places school administration, management,
leadership and governance in hands of
‘technically’ unqualified personnel (Mathibe,
2007).
South Africa cont’d
• ACE (SL): initially for practising principals
• Such principals-currently recognised as
qualified
Research Qs
• Mother Q:
• What can we learn from principals’
experiences RE: sch. Leadership devt?
• Sub-Qs:
• How did the school principals experience the
ACE: SL programme?
• What do they say have been the gains or lack
thereof, of completing the ACE: SL
programme?
Methodology
• qualitative study located within the
interpretive research paradigm
• Three focus group interviews: rural (4), urban
(5), and township (4)
• Average-one hour interview for each at agreed
venue
• Analysed through data-driven themes
• Respondents code-named
Feelings re: participating in ACE
• I felt rather honoured to be chosen for the ACE
leadership programme... [because] there is no
training for principals. You train to become a
teacher or an educator... This… programme
where you are empowered to take on the duties
and… of principal. (GT)
• I was relieved that at last I might learn what to do
as principal...
• If I get the qualification I am going to get an extra
[salary] notch. (BT)
Content
• You could use the theory and apply it to
practice.
• I feel that the time spent on the content did
not do justice… there are so many aspects we
just scratched the surface. We didn’t go indepth and it is so important. (GT)
Teaching and learning
• We had one lecturer who was a head of
department. We found her wanting... she should
ask us about how you do this in school.
• Those [lecturers] that came from the school
background, who were ex-principals or practising
principals did a good job because they spoke from
experience
• My mentor was not from an ex-model C school. In
an ex-model C school there is so many
management structures... The mentor needs to be
somebody from the same type of school...
Teaching and learning cont’d
• Reflection has lots of benefits. You can’t write
certain things in your log book but you can write
your feelings in your reflective journal. It gave us
an opportunity to reflect on our own practice.
(GT)
• In the classroom we were about twenty… thirty
principals there… It is the combined knowledge of
looking at the issues and seeking solutions that
was a great opportunity.
Teaching and learning
• There was no feedback whatsoever.... In the
first year we did not get any feedback. We did
not even get our marks.
• My entire management had a hand in my
portfolio. Let us be honest it was the school in
a way being assessed not the principal…
Value added?
• Confidence... you can’t empower others if you are
not empowered. I feel so much more confident
and I think my staff can see this.
• We had the knowledge but it was reawakened. It
was like a renaissance in us....
• In my opinion if you have a beautiful painting and
it has got a horrible frame that will distract you
from the painting. The ACE course was a very
good painting but was spoilt by the lack of
infrastructure... the communication and perhaps
some tutors did spoil it. (GU)
Our story
• Principalship qualification-seems the way
forward
• Combination of lectures, mentorship &
portfolios-good; Ratios still unclear
• Practising principal-very sensitive. Comes with
lot of baggage
• SA principals-not a homogeneous group
• Incomplete until we gain knowledge about
impact on school performance