A thesis submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education. Johannesburg 2016 / Instructional Leadership has been researched extensively in secondary schools in South Africa, and not much is known about it in South African primary schools. Instructional Leadership is concerned with teaching and learning and the behaviour of teachers in enhancing student or learner performance as the core business and function of schools. However, many principals in the low-functioning township primary schools do not conceptualise instructional leadership as such. Many of these schools continue to perform poorly academically. In a longitudinal study for the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) it was discovered that more than 500 school principals in Gauteng province did not conceptualise instructional leadership as their main role. The management of teaching and learning was ranked only seventh out of ten leadership activities. Principals shift their instructional leadership role to deputy principals and Head of Departments. This research explores principals’ structional leadership practices in relation to student achievement. This study employs a mixed-method approach which incorporates a qualitative and quantitative design and observation of principals’ instructional leadership practices. The participants in the study involve all levels of the teaching force which includes the principal, the deputy principal, the Head of Department (HoD) and the teachers in two township primary schools. The research findings reveal that school principals shift their instructional leadership to their lower level management colleagues. Key words: Instructional leadership, distributed leadership, student achievement, under-performance, curriculum management

Thesis (M.ED.) --University of Limpopo, 2008

The purpose of this study was to establish challenges associated with leadership and management in transforming township schools into learning organisations. The study examined the leadership and management styles that promote schools into learning organisations. Post apartheid South Africa heralded changes in society and the educational system as a whole. Both transition from the apartheid era and the advent of a democratic government in 1994 resulted in the restructuring of education in this country. School managers and leaders are faced with situations in which effective and efficient school management requires new demands and challenges. During the apartheid era educational managers were subjected to many forms of suppression, which favoured the previous government. The education system was characterized as being authoritarian, non-consultative and non-participatory. Educational leadership focused on technical and bureaucratic functions of the school, and greater emphasis was placed on vertical structures. Leadership and management in South Africa today calls for a different mindset. The challenge is for leaders to recreate schools as learning organisations that focus on results and accountability. Real transformation will depend upon the nature and quality of internal management and how principals execute, delegate, consult and participate with all stakeholders. Self-management is accomplished by an internal distribution of power within the school and in transformational leadership. School principals need to adopt a new paradigm of leadership in which leaders are intuitive and visionary. Democratic South Africa places emphasis on transformational leadership. The study recommends that principals need to align themselves with the values of the constitution of the country bearing in mind democracy, equality, human dignity, freedom and justice. The challenges and need for leadership and management are great if education is to be uplifted and transformed. One of the main findings of the research in the researched schools was that there was an understanding of transformational leadership and learning organisations. The study also showed that the understanding of these concepts help to translate school activities into better performance. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

This study focuses on the financial management role of principals of Section 21 schools. The research reports on principals working within such a regime. The South Africa Schools Act makes provisions for schools, through their school governing body, of which the principal is a member, to obtain funds from the community. Therefore the acquisition and spending of such funds has to be managed effectively and efficiently. This mini dissertation endeavours to study the changing role of principals with regard to the effective management of school finances and whether they have the necessary skills to perform these duties. Reference is made to similar situations of principals of schools in the United States, England, Australia and certain developing countries. The qualitative research method was used to elicit the perception of Section21 school principals. The research concludes with an attempt to make some recommendations for this new role of Section 21 principals. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

There are few female teachers who hold principal positions in schools, especially in secondary schools. This study investigates teachers' perceptions of secondary school female principals' leadership abilities and styles.It also investigates whether teachers' perceptions are influenced either by their sexes or experience or lack of experience of working with female principals. The reseacher hopes that this research findings will help to either: develop and improve female leadership (where it is found to be wanting); and or influence authorieties to appoint more female teachers to head secondary schools. The literature surveyed revealed that the appointment of principals in seconday schools is discriminatory against female teachers. It further revealed that principals (mainly male) do not prepare female teachers for management and leadership positions. As a result female potential leaders become demotivated. This is unfortunate as research has found that female principals are as effective as leaders as male principals are. One disadvantage of having a small number of female leaders in education is that this results in an education that only reflects the male perspectives and values. This in turn alienates girls' perspectives from education. In order to establish teachers' perceptions of female secondary school principals a survey of the percptions of teachers in the Maphumolo circuit of female principals in this area was first carried out by means of a questionnaire. This was followed by a case study of one female principal. In depth, semi-stuctured interviews were undertaken with the principal and three teachers working with her in order to establish this principal's leadership style and the teachers' feelings towards her. A statistical analysis of the survey and a conten~ ~alysis of the case study were carried out. These revealed that the majority of teachers perceive female principals as effective and transformational leaders. These perceptions were found to be minimally influenced by either the teachers' sexes or experience of working with female principals. The..majority of those teachers who perceived female principals negatively tended to be males and to be from a group of teachers who had never worked with female principals. Recommendations for the increase of the number of female principals in secondary schools and for the improvement ofleadership in these schools are made.

In this study the problem concerning the contingency approach to the managerial tasks of the Black high school principal was investigated by means of literature study, interviews and observations. As a result the problems and challenges facing the Black principal were identified. The managerial tasks of the principal in the South Africa of the l 990's were identified and defined. It became clear that these tasks are performed under changing situational contingencies. The contingency approach, its basis, what it entails and its importance in the RSA of today was described. When the contingency approach was related to the managerial tasks, it became clear that under one set of circumstances one type of leadership style is effective. Interviews and observations were conducted in certain schools and with certain principals. Research findings revealed that the Black high school principal should be flexible in the face of many contingencies facing him. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

M. Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Ed. / The hour glass for the existing educational dispensation has run out and planning which has radically changed the face of the South African educational system within a very short period of time, has already been implemented (Mondstuk, 1993: 1). Never before in history have so many changes regarding education, social welfare, economy and politics taken place in a such a short period of time in the Republic of South Africa. The development of a Bill of Human Rights can be seen as the biggest development in the social-political field in the Republic of South Africa. This Bill of Rights can form the basis for a democratic and multi-cultural society where everyone can develop to their full potential. The Bill of Rights will, among other issues, promote the democratic transformation of the community, protect the variety of cultures and languages and maintain the rights of all learners, parents, teachers and principals. Within the framework of the Schools Act everyone who is involved in education will now have the opportunity to play a bigger part in the control, management and development of the school. The principal should thus always take the following entities and /or interest groups into consideration in his decision-making, namely parents; the governing body; learners; teachers; teacher unions or associations; administrative and service personnel; student organizations as well as the Department of Education. To be able to satisfy all these interest groups the principal will have to see to it that he has a workable knowledge of multi-cultural education, democratic and participative management and the Bill of Human Rights. Striving to reach a true democracy has been a vision many have dreamt about. Democracy has become a part of school management. If this change is implemented in schools, the status quo will be upset. Principals will have to take note that non-discrimination and equality are important building blocks of the Bill of Human Rights without which harmonious management will not be possible.

HIV and AIDS are casting a dark shadow over the future of many developing countries in the world. Since the first diagnosis of AIDS cases, South Africa has become one of the countries most infected with the HIV and AIDS pandemic, with about five million people living with HIV and AIDS. HIV prevalence is high in the age group 15 to 49 years, attacking people in the most productive years of their lives, Africans are the most significant racial group, affected and the Eastern Cape rates sixth in terms of HIV prevalence in the country. Demographically, HIV and AIDS affects the structure of the population, including learner and educator populations, as HIV and AIDS impact on the demand and supply of education. Schools are negatively and diversely impacted by the new challenges of the pandemic, preventing schools from achieving their goals. South Africa is struggling with a shortage of educators in the school system, especially the key areas of science and mathematics. The number of potential learners is expected to decline as AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children drop out of school, relocate, do not enrol, or are forced to withdraw from the school system. These factors lead to a poor morale and unproductivity among educators and learners, causing management problems in education for school principals and a decline in the quality and efficiency of education. While there is still no known cure for HIV and AIDS, the only solution in curbing the spread of the pandemic is through education and changing the social behaviours and mindset of people. However, HIV and AIDS prevention interventions have clearly been ineffective, as infection rates are soaring. As HIV and AIDS infection rates escalates, a more urgent response by school principals is needed to address the unique demands of the pandemic and establish where HIV and AIDS interventions will be most successful. The current study had three major aims. The aims were to explore how school principals in the Eastern Cape perceive the HIV and AIDS pandemic; describe in detail how school principals in the Eastern Cape respond to the HIV and AIDS pandemic; and to formulate recommendations based on the findings of the research that will assist school principals in effectively managing the pandemic at school level. The sample consisted of twelve school principals from different schools in the urban areas of Nelson Mandela Bay and the rural Keiskammahoek area. A qualitative method was selected to capture the unique experiences of school principals. In-depth, unstructured interviews were conducted to gather information. Thereafter, the interviews were transcribed verbatim, analysed and interpreted to gain a deeper understanding of the research phenomenon. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of school principals had limited knowledge only of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and perceived the pandemic in a non-constructive manner, as an imminent future problem. In fact, many school principals were ambiguous, contradictory and discriminatory in their discussion in their responses to the pandemic, first denying the presence of AIDS cases in their schools, then shifting the blame for the spread of HIV and AIDS in their schools to others. These school principals were clearly unaware that they were being discriminatory and secretive about the pandemic through denial and blaming others and that their attitudes were fuelling stigmatization and discrimination. The school principals acknowledged that much more still needed to be done in terms of management and leadership to effectively mitigate the effects of the pandemic in their schools. While school principals did their best in dealing with HIV and AIDS related problems at their schools, they clearly lacked the necessary skills, training and knowledge to devise long-term strategies to deal effectively and pro-actively with the problems related to the pandemic. Therefore a more transformational leadership and management approach is required by school principals in dealing with the pandemic in their schools, in order to render them effective leaders.

M.Ed. (Education) / Learning can be described as an infinite action which also implies training. There is no limit. no end to it. It is a continual process. These actions of learning and training can be applied to the teaching profession. No university or teachers' training college can fully train the prospective teacher during the pre-service training period. There is always new knowledge to be mastered. Theoretical knowledge and institute and school practice may prepare the student for his future career, but there is no guarantee for success. Having mastered the required skills at one of the above mentioned institutions, they must be put to practice in a real school or class situation. This is done during the school practice component of in-service training and once the student has started his career. Many kinds of problems may then be experienced by the student or recently qualified teacher. There may be problems in connection with matters such as adaption, administration, teaching methods or discipline. With the necessary guidance these problems may successfully be overcome. The person who is in the best position to provide this guidance is the head of the department. He may then act as a tutor or a mentor. Even experienced teachers who have been teaching at the same school for some time, newly appointed but experienced teachers and teachers returning to the profession, may encounter similar problems and may need guidance or in-service training. The headmaster is responsible for initiating an in-service training programme at the school. The different heads of department are to assist him in this, especially as far as subject matters are concerned. The ability to provide in-service training, to gain knowledge, to learn something new, however, also implies training. The headmaster and the heads of department should, therefore, receive the necessary training and guidance to enable them to successfully execute an in-service training programme. This training can be best provided by a training institution, such as a university or college. There should be a close link between these institutions and the different schools; between pre-service and in-service training. These two components of training should be presented as a continual process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the responsibilities of the head of department under the guidance of the headmaster, as far as the in-service training of the teachers in his department is concerned. This will provide the teachers with the oppurtunity of gaining knowledge and obtaining the required didactical skills. The possibilities of pre-service training are investigated with, among others, reference to content and modi, the link between these two kinds of training and between schools and training institutions. Recommendations are made in connection with the implementation of in-service training of didactical skills and the responsibilities of the head of department as far as in-service training of students and teachers at secondary schools is concerned. It is evident that the head of department, together with the headmaster, can play a very important part in the in-service training of teachers.