This study investigated the role played by School Management Team (SMT) members in the induction of novice teachers in rural schools. The study arose out of the challenges experienced by the researcher as a member of the SMT with regard to the lack of clarity and direction in the induction of novice teachers attached to his school and a high attrition rate amongst novice teachers.The researcher posed this primary research question: How do members of the SMT in rural schools induct novice teachers? A sample of six rural schools in the Limpopo Provincial Education Department that had recently employed novice teachers was purposefully selected. Particpants uncluded the principal or the Deputy Principal, the HOD or the senior teacher and a novice teacher. Research has documented an array of challenges that novice teachers encounter in schools and hence the high attrition rates. This study used a qualitative research approach and a case study design to investigate the problem. The study was framed by Feldman’s (1981) theory of organisational socialisation, which stated that newly employed incumbents need to be inducted into their new organisation by management in order to become effect employees. The findings reveal that SMT members in rural schools do indeed induct their novice teachers, but that their dutis and efforts in this regard are negatively affected by a lack of induction policy, lack of support from the Education Department personnel and a lack of training. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Education Management and Policy Studies / MEd / Unrestricted

This study aimed at establishing the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational-stress in Sedibeng West District primary schools in the Gauteng province. The investigation was conducted using a quantitative research approach. The changes in South African schools’ curriculum which did not have a life span of ten years post-apartheid; the rate of absenteeism pointed out by the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshega. She believed that these may be caused by serious illness; therefore it impressed the idea of investigating the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational stress. The study looks at the following two research questions:  What are the causes of teacher-occupational-stress?  What role can the school management teams play in managing teacher-occupational-stress? A questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection from primary schools in Sedibeng West district 8 in the Gauteng province. The researcher’s sample size was 32 (n=32). Findings were that the school management teams are playing their roles and supporting teachers. However, teachers find their teaching job to be stressful. The study found significant factors causing teacher-occupational-stress. One of the factors is failure by the school management team to acknowledge teachers hard work. Recommendations are outlined at the end of this study indicating how the Department of Basic Education can intervene and what the school management teams can do to manage teacher occupational stress. / Educational Management and Leadership

This research investigates the vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership in Ekurhuleni East District (Gauteng East District) and the existence of a vision of excellence in schools. A literature study investigated models of leadership related to vision of excellence and aspects of vision of excellence in school leadership. An empirical investigation used both a quantitative and qualitative research design to collect data from a purposefully selected and stratified sample of participants and secondary schools in the Ekurhuleni East District (Gauteng East Education District). A questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to gather data from the respondents. Data were analysed and interpreted using quantitative and qualitative approach. The findings of both the literature study and the empirical research on the above-mentioned vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership in Ekurhuleni East District revealed that there is a lack of support from school leadership and the School Management Team (SMT) in realising a vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership. The main challenges that were identified by qualitative method were the lack of support by both the district office and school management or school leadership. The realisation of the vision of excellence is dependent on how the information is managed and disseminated by the school leadership, principals and SMTs. It appears that the realisation of the vision of excellence would enhance the level of understanding of new developments in the education system including the curriculum change and technological advancement. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study aimed at establishing the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational-stress in Sedibeng West District primary schools in the Gauteng province. The investigation was conducted using a quantitative research approach. The changes in South African schools’ curriculum which did not have a life span of ten years post-apartheid; the rate of absenteeism pointed out by the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshega. She believed that these may be caused by serious illness; therefore it impressed the idea of investigating the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational stress. The study looks at the following two research questions:  What are the causes of teacher-occupational-stress?  What role can the school management teams play in managing teacher-occupational-stress? A questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection from primary schools in Sedibeng West district 8 in the Gauteng province. The researcher’s sample size was 32 (n=32). Findings were that the school management teams are playing their roles and supporting teachers. However, teachers find their teaching job to be stressful. The study found significant factors causing teacher-occupational-stress. One of the factors is failure by the school management team to acknowledge teachers hard work. Recommendations are outlined at the end of this study indicating how the Department of Basic Education can intervene and what the school management teams can do to manage teacher occupational stress. / Educational Leadership and Management

This research investigates the vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership in Ekurhuleni East District (Gauteng East District) and the existence of a vision of excellence in schools. A literature study investigated models of leadership related to vision of excellence and aspects of vision of excellence in school leadership. An empirical investigation used both a quantitative and qualitative research design to collect data from a purposefully selected and stratified sample of participants and secondary schools in the Ekurhuleni East District (Gauteng East Education District). A questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to gather data from the respondents. Data were analysed and interpreted using quantitative and qualitative approach. The findings of both the literature study and the empirical research on the above-mentioned vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership in Ekurhuleni East District revealed that there is a lack of support from school leadership and the School Management Team (SMT) in realising a vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership. The main challenges that were identified by qualitative method were the lack of support by both the district office and school management or school leadership. The realisation of the vision of excellence is dependent on how the information is managed and disseminated by the school leadership, principals and SMTs. It appears that the realisation of the vision of excellence would enhance the level of understanding of new developments in the education system including the curriculum change and technological advancement. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

In this study, the researcher explored the prevalence of distributed leadership practices in schools in Johannesburg South in order to illustrate how the principals in effective schools collaborated with different members of staff to ensure the school’s success. To this end, a literature study was undertaken on relevant theories and on the results of previous research on the issue. The study explored literature from local and international perspectives on distributed leadership to understand how this form of leadership impacted the functioning of primary schools in Johannesburg South. This was followed by an empirical investigation using judgemental and purposive sampling methods to select participants. A mixed methods research design was employed to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data from a single, structured questionnaire. Participants included 86 respondents from 9 primary schools. Throughout the research study, ethical considerations like keeping confidentiality of information provided and anonymity of research participants were upheld. Data analysis involved a mix of quantitative data analysis and content analysis. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the GDE and school principals on support needed by teachers if distributed leadership is to ensure school effectiveness. The study found that distributed leadership not only motivated teachers, but compelled them to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses, and contribute to school leadership by taking on roles that interest them. Schools in Johannesburg South have created a culture in which distributed leadership tends to flourish. Distributed leadership ensures that a myriad of well-developed teachers exist at all ranks of the school, who have the capacity to fill vacant positions when a need arises to ensure the smooth functioning of schools. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

It became known that South African learners’ learning outcomes rank poorly on the international stage, even if compared to less developed parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The root cause of this problem is assumed to lie with the concern of illiteracy, which was argued, could be combated inter alia by ensuring that every public school has a stocked and functional library serviced by a fulltime proficient librarian. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of principals in establishing and managing functional school libraries in the King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative investigation was done amongst school principals and their teacher librarians at five Dlangubo Circuit Schools. Data were collected by means of in-depth interviews and document analysis. The study revealed that the principals lack the training and resources to fulfil their role in establishing and maintaining functional school libraries. Recommendations were made on how principals might solve these problems in the future. / Dit het aan die lig gekom dat Suid-Afrikaanse leerders se leeruitkomste swak in die internasionale arena vertoon, selfs indien dit met minder-ontwikkelde dele van Sub-Sahara-Afrika vergelyk word. Daar word aanvaar dat die oorsaak van hier probleem vermoedelik die probleem van ongeletterdheid is, wat onder andere oorkom kan word deur te verseker dat elke openbare skool oor ’n toegeruste en funksionele biblioteek beskik wat deur ’n voltydse, bekwame bibliotekaris bestuur word. Hierdie studie ondersoek die rol van skoolhoofde in die vestiging en bestuur van funksionele skoolbiblioteke in die King Cetshwayo-distrik in KwaZulu-Natal. Daar is by vyf skole in die Dlangubu-streek ’n kwalitatiewe ondersoek met behulp van skoolhoofde en hulle onderwyser-bibliotekarisse gedoen. Data is met behulp van diepgaande onderhoude en dokumentanalise versamel. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat die skoolhoofde ’n gebrek aan opleiding en hulpbronne het ten einde hulle rol in die vestiging en handhawing van funksionele skoolbiblioteke te vervul. Aanbevelings is gemaak oor hoe skoolhoofde in die toekoms moontlik hierdie probleme kan oplos. / Kuvele ukuthi imiphumela yokufunda abafundi baseNingizimu Afrika isezingeni eliphansi mayikeliswe neyamazwengamazwe ngisho noma isiqhathaniswa neyezingxenye ezingaka thuthuki kahle zase- Sub-Saharan Africa. Umsuka walenkinga kusolwa ukuthi udalwa ukungakhuthazwa ukufunda izincwadi nokubhala ,okuyinto okuthiwa ingaqedwa phakathi kokunye ngokuqinisekisa ukuthi zonke izikole zomphakathi zinomtapo wolwazi onezinsizakufunda nezinsizakusebenza ezanele ezisezingeni labantwana nothisha futhi owenganyelwe uthisha oqeqeshiwe ngokusebenza komtapo futhi osebenza ngokugcwele ukuqondana nomtapo wesikole. Inhloso yocwaningo ukuphenya indima yothishanhloko ekusunguleni nasekuphatheni imitapo esebenza ngendlela efanele ezikoleni zase e-King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu-Natal. Uphenyo olunzulu lwenziwe kothishomkhulu kanye nakothisha ababakhethe ukuthi babuye babhekane nokusebenza nokuphathwa kwe -mitapo yolwazi ezikoleni zabo ezinhlanu ezise Dlangubo Circuit. Ulwazi lwaqoqwa ngama in-depth interviews kanye nokuhlaziywa kwezincwadi abasebenza ngazo ukuze umtapo wolwazi wesikole usebenze ngendlela efanele.Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi othishanhloko bashoda ngoqeqesho kwezokuphathwa komtapo wolwazi ezikoleni kanye nezinsizakufunda kubalwa nezinsiza kusebenza eziqondene nokusebenza kahle komtapo wolwazi ezikoleni ukuze bakwazi ukufeza indima yabo ekusunguleni nasekuphatheni gendlala imitapo yolwazi esebenza kahle ezikoleni zabo. Izincomo zenziwe ezikhombisa ukuthi othishanhloko bangazixazulula kanjani lezi zinkinga esikhathini esizayo. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

In this study, the researcher explored the prevalence of distributed leadership practices in schools in Johannesburg South in order to illustrate how the principals in effective schools collaborated with different members of staff to ensure the school’s success. To this end, a literature study was undertaken on relevant theories and on the results of previous research on the issue. The study explored literature from local and international perspectives on distributed leadership to understand how this form of leadership impacted the functioning of primary schools in Johannesburg South. This was followed by an empirical investigation using judgemental and purposive sampling methods to select participants. A mixed methods research design was employed to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data from a single, structured questionnaire. Participants included 86 respondents from 9 primary schools. Throughout the research study, ethical considerations like keeping confidentiality of information provided and anonymity of research participants were upheld. Data analysis involved a mix of quantitative data analysis and content analysis. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the GDE and school principals on support needed by teachers if distributed leadership is to ensure school effectiveness. The study found that distributed leadership not only motivated teachers, but compelled them to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses, and contribute to school leadership by taking on roles that interest them. Schools in Johannesburg South have created a culture in which distributed leadership tends to flourish. Distributed leadership ensures that a myriad of well-developed teachers exist at all ranks of the school, who have the capacity to fill vacant positions when a need arises to ensure the smooth functioning of schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The role of the principal can no longer be viewed as merely being a manager and administrator but rather as learning-expert and lifelong learner. Principals are expected to establish appropriate preconditions for effective teaching, learning and assessment, and flow through with interactions aimed at improving teaching and leaning. The problem statement for this study was based on the researcher’s opinion that the lack of knowledge of effective assessment practices by principals as instructional leaders seemed to have a negative influence on teacher’s perceptions of the implementation of quality assessment practices in their respective classrooms. The reason for this challenge is because principals are not involved in the classroom assessment practices, to revise, support and manage the quality of assessment by indentifying teacher’s assessment to them. The purpose of this study was to design a proposed instructional leadership model/ framework to ensure effective and quality assessment practices at school level. This ILQA framework/model was designed from the literature review, findings and personal experience as a principal. The aim of this ILQA framework/model was to support principals understand their roles in the teaching and learning environment in ensuring quality assessment practices at school level. This study investigates how principals execute their roles as instructional leaders in ensuring effective and the implementation of quality assessment practices using structured questionnaire from a sample of 250 respondents and semi structured interviews with five primary school principals in the Free State Department of Basic Education. It was found that to ensure quality assessment practices, principals should understand their role in assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning and integrate them into classroom instruction as an important component of quality teaching and learning. In summary the researcher further hopes that when the findings and the recommendations of this study are implemented, it will add value to the school principals’ instructional leadership roles in ensuring quality assessment practices at school level. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Around the world, managing the behavioural rights of teachers and learners in schools remains a complex problem for all involved in the teaching and learning situation. From a legal standpoint, the crux of this study relates to why school managers and teachers feel disempowered by learners’ rights. Over and above the duty of all citizens not to infringe on other peoples’ human rights (e.g. the horizontal application of the Bill of Rights contained in Section 2 of the Constitution, SA, 1996), teachers also have a legal obligation to promote and protect learners’ rights (e.g. a vertical application of the Bill of Rights contained in Section 2 of the Constitution, SA, 1996). It is this extra mandate that results in teachers feeling disempowered by learners’ rights. Learners’ rights are protected because teachers are representative of the state and, as such, the vertical application of human rights arises where learners are protected against any possible abuse of power. Moreover, a further ‘imbalance’ is created by children’s rights (Section 28, SASA, 1996). In particular, their right to protection and to having their best interests is regarded as of paramount importance. The study examined the role of the principal, SMT, SGB and RCL in managing the behavioural rights of teachers and learners. A qualitative investigation at three public high schools in the North Metropolitan District of Cape Town was done. Data were collected by means of document analysis as well as by in-depth interviews with five teachers and five RCL members at each of the three participating schools. The findings of the study revealed that the behavioural rights of teachers and learners are managed by the school management leadership style, by the ineffective support from teacher unions, by the functionality of the SGB, by the muted voice of the RCL and in a conflicting manner by some parents. The study recommends that principals, SMTs, SGBs and RCLs be empowered in order for them to manage the behavioural rights of teachers and learners effectively. The principals, SMTs, SGBs and RCLs that adopt a democratic leadership style which favours support, collaboration and conflict resolution can thus take firm hold of a golden opportunity – the opportunity to sustain and promote the managing of the behavioural rights of teachers and learners. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Management)