The out of field phenomenon, that is, educators who teach outside their field of expertise, adds complexity to the education environment. This growing phenomenon in South African schools impacts colleagues, learners, parents, governing bodies and school management. Teaching characteristics that ensure success in classrooms are threatened by the out of field phenomenon. It puts extra strain on school management's responsibility to provide quality management and jeopardises effective teaching and quality learning. This problem was investigated by a literature study and an empirical investigation using a qualitative approach. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with selected participants who shared their experiences of the phenomenon. Findings indicated that the existence of the out of field phenomenon should be recognised in order to provide substantial educator support and sufficient staff development programmes. It is recommended that new evidence-informed knowledge about the out of field phenomenon can contribute to improve effective decision making and policy developing in this regard. / Education management / M.Ed.

International teacher migration has emerged as one of the key policy challenges confronting many countries, particularly in Southern Africa, with Botswana, South Africa and Zambia experiencing variable degrees of the cross-border movement of teachers. The aim of this research was to develop a strategy for managing teacher migration in Southern Africa, and balancing the right of individual teachers to migrate internationally, while protecting the integrity of vulnerable education systems and their human resources. The research comprised a literature review and an empirical study based on a mixed-methods research design combining the quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The literature study examined international teacher migration, including its main concepts, theories, causes and effects, while the empirical study assessed the statistical scope of teacher migration in Southern Africa (Botswana, South Africa and Zambia), its causes, effects, and management. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data from education officials, school principals and migrant teachers, while personal in-depth interviews were used to elicit complementary qualitative data from some experts on migration, education officials, teacher union leaders, school principals and migrant teachers. The results of the study revealed that teacher migration statistics and data were generally patchy and incomplete in Southern Africa; that international teacher migration in the region was driven by three main causes related to economic, political and salary conditions; and that teacher migration had both positive and negative effects on the education systems of Southern African countries, migrant teachers and their families. The findings further revealed that improving the management of teacher migration in Southern Africa required a systematic and coordinated approach involving sending and receiving countries, with reference to a common policy and legal framework supported by comprehensive teacher migration data. In this regard, and based on the identification of key principles and guidelines for teacher migration management, a model is proposed for the viable management of teacher migration in the Southern African region. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The out of field phenomenon, that is, educators who teach outside their field of expertise, adds complexity to the education environment. This growing phenomenon in South African schools impacts colleagues, learners, parents, governing bodies and school management. Teaching characteristics that ensure success in classrooms are threatened by the out of field phenomenon. It puts extra strain on school management's responsibility to provide quality management and jeopardises effective teaching and quality learning. This problem was investigated by a literature study and an empirical investigation using a qualitative approach. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with selected participants who shared their experiences of the phenomenon. Findings indicated that the existence of the out of field phenomenon should be recognised in order to provide substantial educator support and sufficient staff development programmes. It is recommended that new evidence-informed knowledge about the out of field phenomenon can contribute to improve effective decision making and policy developing in this regard. / Education management / M.Ed.

International teacher migration has emerged as one of the key policy challenges confronting many countries, particularly in Southern Africa, with Botswana, South Africa and Zambia experiencing variable degrees of the cross-border movement of teachers. The aim of this research was to develop a strategy for managing teacher migration in Southern Africa, and balancing the right of individual teachers to migrate internationally, while protecting the integrity of vulnerable education systems and their human resources. The research comprised a literature review and an empirical study based on a mixed-methods research design combining the quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The literature study examined international teacher migration, including its main concepts, theories, causes and effects, while the empirical study assessed the statistical scope of teacher migration in Southern Africa (Botswana, South Africa and Zambia), its causes, effects, and management. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data from education officials, school principals and migrant teachers, while personal in-depth interviews were used to elicit complementary qualitative data from some experts on migration, education officials, teacher union leaders, school principals and migrant teachers. The results of the study revealed that teacher migration statistics and data were generally patchy and incomplete in Southern Africa; that international teacher migration in the region was driven by three main causes related to economic, political and salary conditions; and that teacher migration had both positive and negative effects on the education systems of Southern African countries, migrant teachers and their families. The findings further revealed that improving the management of teacher migration in Southern Africa required a systematic and coordinated approach involving sending and receiving countries, with reference to a common policy and legal framework supported by comprehensive teacher migration data. In this regard, and based on the identification of key principles and guidelines for teacher migration management, a model is proposed for the viable management of teacher migration in the Southern African region. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)