Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This investigation form part of an international about the facilitative role of school management regarding the emergence of immigrant children at schools The purpose of this study is to determine how selected school communities respond to their role with regards to the management and facilitation of immigrant learners in schools. In order to accomplish this, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. Descriptive survey techniques were applied on the basis of their flexibility. Questionaires, informal discourse, formal interviews and the case study were utilised to establish the opinions, attitudes, preferences and perceptions of communities regarding the immigration of learners. This was done against the backdrop of an extensive and comprehensive literature review. Throughout the study an attempt was made to remain as faithful as possible to the facts through empirical research, and to minimise prejudice, stereotyping and preferences through using rational thinking. Internal testing was used to ensure validity and reliability. According to the current research, the responses regarding migration by learners are very diverse. The responses are realised within the following contexts: accessibility or inaccessibility of schools, culture, politics, ideology, ethnicity, religion, language and even racial classification. Although geographical location is not a significant factor, social stratification patterns as well as the status play a role in this regard. The researcher concludes that the targeted school communities still lack the expertise, experience and ability to handle, facilitate and settle issues relating to multi-cultural diversity. Research findings show that this state of affairs is largely due to a lack of undestanding of transformation in the school context as well as regarding the implementation and execution of this transformation.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Bibliography / This study is an investigation of the link between the current South African Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) as an assessment process and teacher professional development in South Africa. A review of literature confirms that teacher assessment should and could facilitate teacher professional development. However, how teacher assessment affects teacher professional development has not been fully recognized. There is, however, little empirical research available on how teacher assessment affects teacher professional development. Steyn and van Niekerk (2002) have noticed that little is known on the kind of support that teachers should receive as a result of teacher assessment. As a result, people are unclear on how teacher assessment should be implemented in order to yield effective teacher professional development. Though the government took numerous efforts to ensure greater teacher accountability and functional schools over some years via policy interventions such as IQMS, there are still deep-seated challenges that hamper these interventions from working effectively. Therefore, the qualitative case study has used three secondary schools in Limpopo, Capricorn District as the research sites to explore the role of IQMS in teacher professional development. The results from the participants indicate that IQMS is effective but only if a numbers of issues can be considered. Participants highlighted issues like, if every teacher can be trained, and there could be quality training with competitive facilitators, also, if there could be a conducive culture and the climate of the school then that could impact positively on teacher development.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the aim of promoting learner achievement, development is regarded as indispensable for the teaching and learning process. Many schools however, face the challenge of teachers who are not willing to participate in development activities. Motivation is viewed as a catalyst that may aid in teachers‟ participation in development activities, as motivation provides a reason to display certain behaviour. In the case of this research behaviour refers to the behaviour to participate in development activities. Participation in development activities refers to teachers‟ inclination to submit to self-development, engage in daily development activities of the school or engaging in formal development activities arranged by the school or Department of Education. This research addressed some of the factors that motivate staff in underperforming secondary schools to participate in staff development activities. Schools are categorised as underperforming if they do not obtain a pass rate of at least 60% in the National Senior Certificate examinations. Underperforming schools are mainly townships schools with peculiar contexts. This study focuses on the particular context of underperforming schools and the role of the principal in staff‟s motivation to participate in development activities as these are important aspects in the development of a school from an underperforming to a performing categorisation. The literature was reviewed on aspects of activities of staff development, the motivation theories and adult learning principles. Teachers are adults and therefore the factors that motivate adults to participate in development activities are important as they require a different approach than children‟s learning. Qualitative research was conducted with the principal and four teachers from each of two township schools located in the same education district, but two different circuits. Both schools were categorised as underperforming two years ago, but have developed to performing schools. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that teachers in this study are intrinsically motivated to participate in development activities. Factors such as passion, empowerment, collaboration and the child‟s wellbeing are mentioned as factors that motivate these teachers to participate in development activities. Despite these intrinsic factors, teachers mentioned extrinsic factors that impact on their inclination to participate in development activities. These factors include contextual and organisational factors. The role of the principal is emphasised as the principal is accountable for the development of staff. Furthermore, the principal, having the highest authority at a school has an influence on the factors that motivate staff as well as those factors that may deter staff from participating in development activities. Recommendations for the motivation of staff and staff development activities are made, as well as recommendations for further studies. This research is significant as it indicates factors that motivate staff and factors which impact on their motivation to participate in development activities. These factors are important in the pursuit of development from an underperforming to a performing school. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkeling het ten doel om leerder prestasie te verhoog. Dus word ontwikkeling beskou as onontbeerlik vir die onderrig en leer proses. Baie skole staar egter die uitdaging van opvoeders wie onwillig is om deel te neem aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite in die gesig. Motivering kan beskou word as 'n katalisator wat assisteer in die deelname van opvoeders aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite, aangesien dit aan opvoeders 'n rede verskaf om sekere gedrag ten opsigte van ontwikkeling te openbaar. In hierdie navorsing verwys gedrag na die gedrag om deel te neem aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite. Deelname aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite verwys na die neiging van opvoeders om hulself te verryk deur selfontwikkeling, deelname aan die daaglikse aktiwiteite van die skool of aan formele aktiwiteite wat deur die skool of Departement van Onderwys gereël word. Hierdie navorsing addresseer sommige van die faktore wat personeel in onderpresterende sekondêre skole motiveer om deel te neem aan personeel ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite. Skole word gekategoriseer as onderpresterend indien hulle „n slaagpersentasie van minder as 60% verkry in die Nasionale Senior Sertifikaat eksamen. Onderpresterende skole is kenmerkend van die informele nedersettings met hul sonderlinge agtergrond. Hierdie studie fokus op die bepaalde agtergrond van onderpresterende skole en die rol van die prinsipaal in die motivering van personeel om aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite deel te neem. Hierdie word beskou as belangrike aspekte in die ontwikkeling van 'n skool vanaf onderpresterend na presterend. Die literatuur oorsig is gedoen op aspekte van aktiwiteite van personeelontwikkeling, motiveringsteorieë en volwasse leer beginsels. Opvoeders is volwassenes en daarom is die faktore wat volwassenes motiveer om aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite deel te neem belangrik, aangesien hulle 'n verskillende benadering as kinders se leer benodig. Kwalitatiewe navorsing was gedoen met die prinsipale en vier opvoeders van elk van twee skole wat informele nedersettings bedien. Die skole is geleë in dieselfde opvoedkundige distrik, maar uit twee verskillende kringe. Beide skole was twee jaar gelede as onderpresterend geklassifiseer, maar het in die tussentyd tot presterende skole ontwikkel. Data was deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesamel. Die bevindinge toon dat opvoeders in hierdie studie intrinsiek gemotiveer is om aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite deel te neem. Faktore soos passie, bemagtiging, samewerking en die kind se welstand word genoem as faktore wat die opvoeders motiveer om aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite deel te neem. Behalwe hierdie intrinsieke faktore het opvoeders ook ekstrinsieke faktore genoem wat 'n impak het op hul ingesteldheid om aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite deel te neem. Hierdie ekstrinsieke faktore sluit in kontekstuele en organisatoriese faktore. Die rol van die prinsipaal word beklemtoon aangesien die prinsipaal verantwoordbaar is vir die ontwikkeling van die personeel. Verder, aangesien die prinsipaal die hoogste gesagsfiguur is in die skool, het hy/sy 'n invloed op die faktore wat die personeel motiveer, sowel as daardie faktore wat personeel mag weerhou van deelname aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite. Aanbevelings rakende die motivering van personeel en personeel ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite word gemaak, sowel as aanbevelings vir verdere studie. Hierdie navorsing is noemenswaardig aangesien dit faktore aandui wat personeel kan motiveer, asook dit wat 'n invloed het op hul motivering om deel te neem aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite in die strewe na ontwikkeling vanaf 'n onderpresterende na 'n presterende skool.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis focuses on the critical role of the new principal as agent of change. “New principal” in this context is a principal who has been at a specific school for between one and five years. He or she may have been promoted from a post at the same school or have been a principal at another school beforehand. The thesis highlights the tangible changes these principals made during their time at these schools, from raising the morale of educators, to improving academic results of learners, to increasing the level of involvement of parents as well as community members. The literature survey focuses on change in school contexts where urgent and far reaching change is necessary. It shows how complex the process is and the various stages that are involved. The literature underlines that change and resistance are sides of the same coin. It seems that successful change requires that the principal as an agent and initiator of change has a clear set of strategies to handle the inevitable resistance to the process. The literature review also explores the different stages of resistance and the considerations necessary to ensure that the change process leads to a peaceful conclusion that benefits the school as a whole. The main collection instrument used in this qualitative research is a semi-structured interview on the theme of change. The study uses the narratives of four principals, two from secondary schools and two from primary schools from dysfunctional and low-performing schools that emerged, to explore the reasons for their success. Findings show all these ‘new’ principals were at schools affected by socio-economic factors that had a negative effect on the academic results of learners. The attempts these principals made were initially met with resistance, particularly from educators who had been at the school for some time, who did not see any need to make changes at the school. It seems the findings show that the principals in this study always had an appropriate strategy to deal with the situations that arose. This makes them truly transformational leaders, i.e. leaders with the necessary expertise who can enable their followers to perform better than they thought they could and work for the good of the institution rather than their own self-interest. These are the type of leaders that schools need to make our education system as effective as it needs to be. In the interests of making dysfunctional or poorly performing schools a better place of teaching and learning for all learners and educators, further research should build on the work done here. Particular attention should be given to the management style of effective school such as the new principals at these particular schools. This will provide us with better academic “lenses” to observe the necessary passion and commitment with which these changes are made, and the ways in which principals are able to endure and overcome any resistance to change. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis fokus op die kritieke rol van die “nuwe prinsipaal (skoolhoof) as agent van verandering”. “Nuwe prinsipaal” in hierdie konteks bedoel prinsipaal is ''n persoon wat tussen een en vyf jaar by n spesifieke skool was. Hierdie persoon kan in hierdie pos as prinsipaal by hul hiudige skool bevorder geword het, of as prinsipaal by n ander skool in die pos as prinsipaal gewerk het. Hierdie tesis bring na vore die sigbare veranderings wat hierdie prinsipale aangebring het gedurende hul termyn by hierdie skole, van die opheffing van die moreel van onderwysers tot die verbetering van die akademiese uitslae van leerders, tot beter betrokkenheid van ouers en gemeenskaplede by die skool. Die literere navorsing fokus op verandering binne die skool konteks waar dringend en vergaande verandering 'n noodsaaklihheid geword het. Dit bewys die komplekse aard en die verskillende stadiums verbind daarmee. Die literatuur beklemtoon die feit dat verandering en weerstand twee kante van dieselfde muntstuk is (gaan saam). Dit blyk suksevolle veranderings verg van die prinsipaal as agent en inisieerder van verandering, duidelike strategiee om die onafwendbare of onvoorspelbare weerstand te bestuur in die proses. Die literere oorsig ondersoek die verskillende stadiums van weerstand endie nodige vermoens om die proses van verandering te ondersteun, en tot voordeel van die skool as geheul te bevoordeel. Die vernaamste instrument wat in die kwalititiewe navorsing gebruik is, was n semi-struktuere onderhoud gebaseer op die tema van verandering. Hierdie studie gebruik die verhalende aard van die vier prinsipale, twee van sekondere skole, en twee van primere skole, almal van disfunktionele en lae-voerende skole, wat die rede vir hul sukses bepaal het. Bevindings wys dat al die “nuwe prinsipale” by skole was wat beinvloed was deur sosio-ekonomiese faktore wat 'n negatiewe uitwerking gehad het op die akademiese uitslae van leerders. Die pogings van die prinsipale was aanvanglik met weerstand gepaard gegaan, veral van opvoeders wat vir 'n aantal jare by die skool was, en nie die nodigheid vir veranderings gesien het nie. Bevindings in die studie toon dat die prinsipale altyd gereed was met die gepaste strategie om die situasie te hanteer. Die het van hulle ware transformele leiers gemaak, m.a.w. leiers met die nodige vaardighede, wat hulle in staat gestel het om hulle volgelinge bemagtig het om beter te doen as wat hulle gedink het hulle in staat was, en gewerk het tot die voordeel van die skool as instansie en nie tot hulle eie belange as prinsipale nie. In die belange en voordeel om van disfunksionele of swak akademiese skole 'n beter plek van onderrig en opvoeding vir alle leerders en opvoeders te maak, word voorgestel dat verdere navorsing onderneem word. Daar moet veral gefokus word op, die bestuursstyl van geaffekteerde skole soos die nuwe prinsipale van hierdie spesifieke skole. Dit sal ons met beter akademiese lense toerus om die nodige passie en toegewydheid te observeer waarmee hierdie veranderings gemaak was, en die maniere waarmee die prinsipale gevolhard het teen die stryd om weerstand teen te staan in die proses tot verandering.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The greatest challenge facing the Head of Department is how to successfully manage change. Since 1994 a plethora of changes have taken place in Education. Increasingly schools are being held responsible for every aspect of education. The department is the most appropriate and most important unit for change to provide sustaining quality teaching to learners. The Head of Department is the key to the development of a department or phase at school level. The responsibility of the Head of Department is to develop staff members and to ensure that learners are exposed quality teaching and learning. The Head of Department finds himself/herself in a unique position in that he/she is both a manager of managers and a leader of leaders. The HOD is seen as the driving force of the improvement of the learning process at school. The need for distributed leadership is clear because of the complexity of the management of a school. More staff members are required to lead and the extension of leadership leads to the development of educators. The aim of the study was to analyse and describe what the role of the distributed leadership style of the HOD plays in the development educators and the provision of sustainable quality teaching to all learners. I wanted to determine how educators and the HOD experience the distributed leadership style and to determine if the it enables the HOD to carry out the expected duties using this leadership style. I wanted to determine the appropriateness of distributed leadership and to explore the challenges in the execution of this leadership style by the HOD. The roles and responsibilities of the HOD and the accompanying challenges with the implementation of a distributed leadership style were explored. The experiences, interpretation and the perspectives of the HOD and the educators of the Head of Department’s distributed leadership style were analysed and described. The problem was investigated on the basis of the Head of Department and teachers’ personal experiences and opinions. The result will be of a descriptive, interpretive and analytical nature. The study had a qualitative perspective in the research approach and the research methods were used within an interpretative framework. The research methods that I used in this study were conceptual analysis and interviews. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The research findings generally indicated that with more distributed leadership style educators within the department or phase are given an opportunity to make contributions, to develop and to grow in self-confidence. Staff development is visible in the department to deal with the complexity of the education profession. Distributed leadership offers growth and development opportunities for individuals and the department to provide sustainable quality teaching to all learners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die grootste uitdaging vir die departementshoof is om verandering suksesvol te bestuur. Vele veranderinge in die onderwysberoep het sedert 1994 plaasgevind. Skole word al hoe meer verantwoordelik gehou vir elke aspek van opvoeding. Die departement is die belangrikste en gepaste eenheid vir verandering om volhoubare gehalte onderrig aan alle leerders te verskaf. Die departementshoof is die sleutel tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n suksesvolle departement en ‘n skool. Die departementshoof het die taak om die personeel te ontwikkel en kwaliteit onderrig en leer te verseker aan die leerders. Die departementshoof word blootgestel aan vele uitdagings om kwaliteit onderrig en leer te verseker. Die departementshoof bevind hom in ‘n unieke posisie dat hy ‘n bestuurder van bestuurders is en ‘n leier van leiers is. Die departementshoof word gesien as die dryfveer en dus die sleutel tot die verbetering van die leerproses by die skool. Die behoefte vir deelnemende leierskap is sigbaar weens die kompleksiteit van die bestuur van ‘n skool, meer personeellede word benodig en die verspreiding van leierskap lei tot die ontwikkeling van opvoeders. Die doel van die studie was om die rol wat die deelnemende leierskapstyl speel vir die departementshoof om opvoeders te ontwikkel om volhoubare gehalte onderrig te verskaf aan alle leerders te analiseer en beskryf. Ek wou vasstel hoe die opvoeders en die departementshoof die deelnemende leierskapstyl ervaar en die departementshoof instaat is om verwagte pligte uit te voer met ‘n deelnemende leierskapstyl. Ek wou die geskiktheid van die deelnemende leierskapstyl bepaal en die uitdagings in die uitvoering van die deelnemende leierskapstyl deur die departementshoof verken. Die pligte en rolle van die departementshoof en die gepaardgaande uitdagings met die uitleef van ‘n deelnemende leierskapstyl is verken. Die departementshoof en opvoeders se belewenisse, interpretasie en hul perspektief van die departementshoof se deelnemende leierskapstyl is geanaliseer en beskryf. Die probleem is ondersoek aan die hand van die departementshoof en opvoeders se persoonlike ervarings en opinies. Die resultaat sal beskrywend, interpreterend en ontledend van aard wees. Die navorsingstudie het ‘n kwalitatiewe perspektief beslaan in die navorsingsbenadering en navorsingsmetodes gebruik binne ‘n interpretatiewe raamwerk. Die navorsingsmetode wat ek in hierdie studie gebruik het, was konseptuele analise en onderhoude. Data is versamel deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Die navorsingsbevindinge het in die algemeen daarop gedui dat met ‘n deelnemende leierskapstyl die opvoeders van die departement geleentheid gegee word om ‘n bydrae te maak, te ontwikkel en te groei in selfvertroue. Personeelontwikkeling is sigbaar in die departement om die kompleksiteit van die onderwys-professie te hanteer. Deelnemende leierskap bied groei en ontwikkelings-geleenthede vir die indiwidu en die departement om volhoubare gehalte onderrig aan alle leerders te verskaf.

Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / During his presidency, Mr Nelson Mandela could not emphasise enough the rights of children and the conditions of children and youth in detention. In his first opening speech of Parliament in 1994 he made it quite clear that the rights of children had to be prioritised. In May 1995, a year after the Government of National Unity came into power, Mr Mandela recommended that an Inter-Ministerial Committee for Youth at Risk should be appointed to draft an improved system for Child and Youth Care. With regard to children who are guilty of lawlessness, drug abuse, gangsterism and juvenile delinquency, Places of Safety occupy an important position in the South African education system. In this research I conclude that the biggest stumbling block for the effective application of moral education in Places of Safety could be attributed to the fact that children admitted to these places are hardened street children. They form a sub-culture on their own, who could easily be influenced by the group of whom they are part. The multi-disciplinary teams who are responsible for the moral education of these learners are not always adequately trained to handle their tasks effectively, and do not always realise the necessity thereof. The limited time that these learners/children spend at Places of Safety also has an influence on the effective application of their moral education. The programmes at Places of Safety are specifically designed to support the regeneration of morality for children who stray from accepted social norms and values of society. The National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO) has support structures in the community in places which support children and youth, who are guilty of unacceptable social behaviour, such as violent crimes, house burglary and rape. One may refer to support structures as diversion programmes, and they are managed by NICRO to support institutions that are currently working with persons in conflict with the law.

The thesis explores the potential of African higher education institutions in assisting the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in its quest to affectively achieve its goals. My contention is that higher education institutions need to be favourably positioned in terms of institutional autonomy and academic freedom to assist the achievement of the NEPAD goals. Moreover, there is a need for deliberative democracy, if the NEPAD goals are to be achieved affectively, especially from the perspective of higher education institutions.

Thesis (PhD (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Information is a necessary resource, produced by information systems and is a key building block to the management and decision-making in any organisation. The National Department of Education’s guidelines to establish Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) in provincial departments is a recognition that proper management, planning and evaluation are contingent on quality data, data that is complete, relevant, accurate, timely and accessible. The lack of quality data and the lack of integration with other information systems hamstring the effective use of EMIS. This study addresses these limitations in three basic objectives: a) developing an information systems development model, b) applying the model in a real-life context of the development of the Western Cape EMIS, and c) applying quantitative methods on integrated data sets derived from the EMIS in the Western Cape and other information systems. The study culminates in the development of a four-phase process model for developing and using EMIS in an integrative manner that would provide a more comprehensive picture for policy and decision-making. It outlines the establishment of an information systems development (ISD) model that integrates innovative emerging trends, such as improvisation, bricolage and sensemaking, in designing and implementing information systems. These approaches postulate that beyond the numbers and quantifiable world there is a complex reality that traditional approaches do not always capture. These include, amongst other things, the atmosphere, culture and structure of an organization, together with the behaviour, emotions, knowledge and experiences of all the people who in one way or another interact with the information system. The research presents an empirical application of this developed ISD model in education management information system (EMIS) and underscores the role of information systems in everyday practice. This work practice (Practice-in-Action) approach is used to describe how the day-to-day actions and practical experiences of role players contribute to the design, development, implementation, testing, maintenance and improvement of the EMIS and is used as a lens for understanding ISD. The study further uses quantitative methods, namely education production function and learner flow-through models, to illustrate how the process of knowledge discovery in large data sets in EMIS could be facilitated. The education production function aims to identify those variables that could have a significant influence on the achievement of students in the matriculation examination. The learner flow-through models attempt to measure the effect of learner dropout and repetition on internal efficiency of the education system. Data analysis was facilitated through integration of data sets from various sources, and in turn illustrates the important role of bricolage in ISD. Through this analysis, the role of information systems of this nature to make sense of reality was highlighted. Policy making then can build on the findings from such data analyses to investigate in greater depth any trends or emerging problems, going beyond only the quantitative and macro level analysis by studies at the qualitative and micro levels.

Thesis (PhD (Education and Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / At the heart of this thesis is to debate and address the procedures of the past imbalances and inequalities in South Africa focusing on industrialization and Ubuntu worldviews. During industrialization, life changed for the indigenous peoples of South Africa. This forced people to change their way of living. They had to adapt to new ways of living in most aspects of their lives. Industrialization is viewed as one aspect that promoted the principles of individual self-sufficiency. Families were separated as the male breadwinners went away to work in industrial areas, e.g. in mines, leaving their families behind. This led to the fragmentation of homes and families. This study explores the nature of industrial society, and looks especially at the capitalist and colonial forms that South African society took. A great deal of this study is concerned with the assumption that certain characteristics and processes underpin industrial societies, and that as a result a set of universal propositions can be derived regarding these structures and processes. Industrialization was promoted by business leaders, industrialists and property-owners who wished to see a more thoroughgoing liberal reform of the economy. The industrial revolutionaries were primarily concerned with overthrowing a nominally feudal regime, which constituted a hindrance to industrial development. The study of industrialization is a complex field, which affects people's behaviour. An aim of this thesis is therefore the exposition of various discourses with regard to the relationship between classes within industrial sociology with special focus on origins, characteristics, effects, leadership, education, family life and religion. Leadership and management in education, as key concepts in this study, basically deal with human relations where problem solving, communication and decision-making are promoted. It is useful to think of leadership as a generic term that refers to the process characterized by the interrelationships among people as they work together in the formation and achievement of shared goals. South Africa's society in the emerging post-industrial era requires a new form of exceptional – almost heroic – leadership because the traditions, institutions, values and balances of a complex and divergent society need to be developed. The future hangs in a balance. As a traditional society, South Africa depends on the statesmanship, generosity and charity of leadership. This can be gained by understanding, accepting and practising the implications of the dual worldviews that are prevalent in South Africa society that is the Western view and Ubuntu. Ubuntu emphasizes the richness of people's cultural heritage and goes a long way in providing principles for application in practice, especially for whatever we engage in as participants in the world of work. At the same time, the philosophy of Ubuntu also challenges African societies to move away from the existing misunderstandings of different races and cultures. With its concern that people in South Africa should pay more attention to the strategic importance of education at this stage of transformation, this study explores the implications for educational management and leadership of an Afro centric heritage. African people need to discard a slave mentality and begin to develop a royal mind-set that has pride in its heritage of cultural diversity. Ubuntu is neither a narrow racial nor a trivial and sectional concept. It is both a uniquely African and a universal concept. This study does not envisage the supremacy of Ubuntu over Westernized knowledge systems. Rather it points the way to a combination of these two knowledge systems as the best option. The aim was to investigate and discover the differences and similarities of Ubuntu and Western worldviews. The study highlights that African leadership does not strive for challenges and excellence, but rather tends to conserve, stabilize and remain constant with the status quo. It does not strive for change or deliberately stimulate motivation or competition. Meanwhile leadership within a Western worldview actively promotes individualism rather than promoting team orientation. The main contention then, is that what is generally needed in South Africa is the transformational type of leadership that can occur when there is a marriage between these two worldviews.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study offers an analysis of the realization of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practices of rural school headmasters. It is a Bourdieuian study of leadership in the rural context in relation to the influence of neoliberalism. The focus of this study is the manner in which neoliberalism manifests itself in the leadership practices of headmasters functioning within a specific geographical context, namely a rural village. The conceptual question therefore focuses on the endeavour made by the headmasters with the manifestation of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practises of the headmasters in question. The point of reference of this study is that neoliberalism positions schools to function in a distinct way as the logic of the market, privatisation, deregulation and the individual's freedom of choice of school are manifested in the school as field. A further outcome of neoliberalism is that a particular leadership practice namely managerialism, use of data, efficiency, performativity and a focus on outcomes and achievements in the school is established in the field and proffered as norm. The discursive function of neoliberalism in the school as field has a direct impact on the leadership practices of headmasters as it effects a distinct logic of practice which endeavours to influence the headmaster’s leadership habitus in a certain way. Furthermore it tends to influence the headmasters reason to act directly in the form of policy changes and indirectly when proposed as the norm or standard of practice. In this study Bourdieu’s conceptual lenses of habitus, field, capital, strategy and practice are employed as comprehensive theoretical background and analytical lenses. The aim of this study is to understand what the neoliberal discourses entail, to interpret how they manifest themselves in the leadership practices of rural headmasters and to establish the consequences for the headmasters. The data was gathered by means of semi-structured one-on-one interviews during which each headmaster was granted the opportunity to contextualise in his own words, his experience of the effect that neoliberalism discourse has on his leadership practice in his particular rural school. The data of the twelve transcribed interviews (with the use of Atlas.ti computer programme) was coded by selecting segments of the primary documents to which codes were accordingly linked. By applying Bourdieu’s conceptual framework of habitus, field, capital and practice as “super codes”, the data was dealt with thematically and organised accordingly.This study offers an analysis of the realization of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practices of rural school headmasters. It is a Bourdieuian study of leadership in the rural context in relation to the influence of neoliberalism. The focus of this study is the manner in which neoliberalism manifests itself in the leadership practices of headmasters functioning within a specific geographical context, namely a rural village. The conceptual question therefore focuses on the endeavour made by the headmasters with the manifestation of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practises of the headmasters in question. The point of reference of this study is that neoliberalism positions schools to function in a distinct way as the logic of the market, privatisation, deregulation and the individual's freedom of choice of school are manifested in the school as field. A further outcome of neoliberalism is that a particular leadership practice namely managerialism, use of data, efficiency, performativity and a focus on outcomes and achievements in the school is established in the field and proffered as norm. The discursive function of neoliberalism in the school as field has a direct impact on the leadership practices of headmasters as it effects a distinct logic of practice which endeavours to influence the headmaster’s leadership habitus in a certain way. Furthermore it tends to influence the headmasters reason to act directly in the form of policy changes and indirectly when proposed as the norm or standard of practice. In this study Bourdieu’s conceptual lenses of habitus, field, capital, strategy and practice are employed as comprehensive theoretical background and analytical lenses. The aim of this study is to understand what the neoliberal discourses entail, to interpret how they manifest themselves in the leadership practices of rural headmasters and to establish the consequences for the headmasters. The data was gathered by means of semi-structured one-on-one interviews during which each headmaster was granted the opportunity to contextualise in his own words, his experience of the effect that neoliberalism discourse has on his leadership practice in his particular rural school. The data of the twelve transcribed interviews (with the use of Atlas.ti computer programme) was coded by selecting segments of the primary documents to which codes were accordingly linked. By applying Bourdieu’s conceptual framework of habitus, field, capital and practice as “super codes”, the data was dealt with thematically and organised accordingly. An analysis of the data revealed that the manifestation of neoliberalism results in the headmaster increasingly having to play a dual role namely that of manager plus that of professional educationist. The leadership skills or practises associated with those two roles are not always compatible. The latter places principals in a very difficult position where, on the one hand they are expected to act as Representative of the Department of Education (in which neoliberal ideas increasingly function), while on the other hand, as professional educationist, the logic behind these practices and its educational accountability may be questioned. Headmasters, however, despite the fact that neoliberalism seeks to enforce a uniform system upon them, respond in a unique, diverse manner to the manifestation of the neoliberal discourses in their leadership practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bied ‘n analise van die verwerkliking van die neoliberale diskoerse in die leierskappraktyke van plattelandse skoolhoofde. Dit is ‘n Bourdieuaanse studie oor leierskap in die plattelandse konteks in verhouding tot die invloed van neoliberalisme. Die fokus van hierdie navorsing is die wyse waarop neoliberalisme verwerklik word in die leierskappraktyke van skoolhoofde wat werksaam is in ‘n spesifieke geografiese konteks, naamlik ‘n plattelandse dorp en die konseptuele vraag fokus daarom op watter bemoeienis hierdie skoolhoofde met die neoliberale diskoerse maak, deurdat dit verwerklik word in die leierskappraktyke van die betrokke skoolhoofde. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat neoliberalisme skole posisioneer om op bepaalde wyses te funksioneer, soos wat die logika van die mark, privatisering, deregulering en die individu se vryheid van keuse in die skool as veld verwerklik word. Neoliberalisme het verder tot gevolg dat bepaalde tipe leierskappraktyke naamlik managerialisme, bestuur deur die gebruik van data, effektiwiteit, performatiwiteit en ‘n fokus op uitkomste en prestasie in die skool as veld gevestig word en as die norm voorgehou word. Die diskursiewe werking van neoliberalisme in die skool as veld het ‘n regstreekse inwerking op die leierskappraktyke van skoolhoofde deurdat dit tot gevolg het dat ‘n bepaalde logika van praktyke voorgehou word, wat poog om die skoolhoofde se leierskaphabitus op ‘n bepaalde wyse te kondisioneer. Dit poog verder om skoolhoofde se handeling en rede van doen regstreeks in die vorm van beleidsveranderinge en indirek, voorgehou as die norm van praktyke, te beïnvloed. In hierdie studie word Bourdieu se konseptuele lense van habitus, veld, kapitaal, strategie en praktyke as ‘n oorkoepelende teoretiese agtergrond en analitiese lense aangewend. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te verstaan wat die neoliberale diskoerse behels, te interpreteer hoe dit verwerklik word in die leierskappraktyke van plattelandse skoolhoofde en watter betekenis die skoolhoofde daaraan gee. Die data is versamel deur gebruik te maak van semigestruktureerde een-tot-een onderhoude, waartydens die skoolhoofde die geleentheid gebied is om in hulle eie woorde hulle skole te kontekstualiseer en hoe hulle beleef dat die neoliberale diskoerse in hul leierskappraktyke in die betrokke skole op die platteland verwerklik word. Die data van die twaalf getranskribeerde onderhoude is (met behulp van die rekenaarprogram Atlas.ti) gekodeer, deur tekssegmente in die primêre dokumente te selekteer en kodes daaraan te koppel. Deur Bourdieu se konseptuele raamwerk van habitus, veld, kapitaal en praktyke as ‘super kodes’ aan te wend, is die data op tematiese wyse benader en georganiseer. ‘n Analise van die data het aan die lig gebring dat die verwerkliking van neoliberalisme tot gevolg het dat skoolhoofde toenemend ‘n dubbele rol moet vertolk, naamlik die van bestuurder/bemarker en die van professionele opvoedkundige. Die leierskappraktyke verbonde aan hierdie twee verskillende rolle is nie altyd versoenbaar met mekaar nie. Laasgenoemde plaas skoolhoofde in ‘n baie moeilike posisie, waar daar aan die een kant van hulle verwag word om as verteenwoordiger van die onderwysdepartement die beleid van die Staat (waarin neoliberale idees toenemend fungeer) nougeset te implementeer, terwyl hulle aan die ander kant as professionele opvoedkundiges die logika daaragter en opvoedkundigverantwoordbaarheid daarvan kan bevraagteken. Skoolhoofde maak egter, ten spyte daarvan dat neoliberalisme poog om ‘n eenvormige sisteem op hulle af te dwing, op ‘n unieke, diverse wyse mee met die verwerkliking van die neoliberale diskoerse in hul leierskappraktyke.