DEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / The study aims to compare the role of the principal in implementing the culture of learning, teaching and service (COLTS) in the effective, ineffective and schools experiencing fluctuating NSC results for the past five years. The study explores why secondary schools located within the same socio-economic environment, with the same resources, uniformly funded and controlled by the same government and ultimately there are commitment variation, hence effective schools, ineffective schools and schools with fluctuating results. Therefore, in an attempt to attempt to answer the main research question for this thesis: What role should be played by the secondary school principals in implementing the culture of learning, teaching and service? Other identified sub-questions were raised. Furthermore, a review of relevant literature was conducted and uncovered what makes a good and good school leadership, management and provision of quality service on international scale, that is, in developed, developing and under-developed countries. The Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) of Hersey and Blanchard was regarded as the most suitable theory since the theory proposes that individuals can change their leadership style (behaviour) depending on the situation and the readiness of the followers. Mopani District consists of 24 circuits and 6 circuits were purposively sampled and data was collected from these 6 circuits which have effective, ineffective and secondary schools experiencing fluctuating NSC results for the past five years. Quantitatively, a total number of 38 secondary school principals as key-informants subjects were given a questionnaire to respond on the set questions which was later analysed through the SPSS version 17.1 programme and empirical deduction was made. Additionally, qualitative method of data collection was used on 20 participants, on-site observation and document analysis. The researcher utilised the focus group (semi-structured) interview on 7 secondary school principals and 7 SGB members and one-on-one semi-structured interview on 3 Curriculum advisors and 3 Governance officers in order to gather rich qualitative data. The principle of anonymity was utilised on which codes were used in order to conceal the identity of the participants so that they could participate freely in data collection. The researcher analysed data collected from focus group interview and visited vi schools (on-site observation) of the principals who participated in the interview in order to verify the authenticity of data and also checked school records to validate collected data. All the collected qualitative data (from interviews) and confirmed through site-observation and school records. Collected data was analysed and themes were developed linked to the objectives of the study. A number of findings emanated from this study. The principals were found to be the final authority and accounting officer for the school on which teaching, learning and service is the primary duty. The study revealed that the principals play a substantial impact for the implementation of the culture of learning, teaching and service. The study recommends that principals must ensure that planning, monitoring and support of teaching and learning must be a priority duty of the principal. Furthermore, basic policies that are necessary for the school to be effective must be compulsory to all schools and the DBE must ensure that its implementation is strictly monitored, for instance school starting and departure time and school uniform. The researcher developed a model which contributes to the new body of knowledge which emphasises the support from different stake-holders that can contribute extensively towards the implementation of the culture of learning, teaching and service in schools. / NRF

DEd (Educational Management) / The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership role of principals in creating a culture of teaching and learning in rural public schools of Mopani District, Limpopo Province. The performance of learners below the expected standards in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, despite, massive resources that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is providing annually to schools to improve quality of teaching and learning, has raised public concern. When seeking answers to these schools’ dysfunctionality, focus, however, was laid on the leadership role of school principals in some rural public schools of Mopani District, Limpopo Province. The study was guided by Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership theory, complemented by Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. This study was conceptualised within the interpretive paradigm, subsumed under a qualitative research approach. A qualitative case study was used with four rural public high schools. A total of sixteen participants were purposefully selected, made up of four school principals, four deputy principals and eight Heads of Departments (HoDs). Research data were gathered through individual interviews, observations and documents analysis. Data from interviews were thematically analysed, and data from documents and observations were analysed descriptively in words. Findings from interviews revealed that school principals do not monitor and support curriculum implementation. In supporting the findings from interviews, the documents analysed revealed the absence of an administered class-visits monitoring-tool. Data from the observations revealed that schools were without vision and mission statements and had inadequate resources. The study recommended principals to monitor and support curriculum implementation, and develop staff professionally. Suggestions for further study were provided. A proposed model of Action-Based COTL was developed to assist school principals in creating a COTL in schools. / NRF