The study sought to explore eight women school principals’ management experiences and challenges that these women encounter in their day-to-day management duties. It used semi-structured interviews, observations and document analysis as its methods of data collection. The findings revealed that women principals encountered the challenge of being caught in the middle of having to balance domestic chores (being mothers and wives) and work responsibility (as school principals). The simultaneous demands of domestic and work responsibilities ensured that the women principals were inequitably pressured in their roles as school managers compared to their male counterparts. Other challenges related to gender stereotypes (perceptions held by some teachers and parents that women are care-givers, nurturers, and therefore not suited for management positions) and lack of women role models in school management positions. Even though women principals were challenged in their management duties they engaged in empowering management approaches by means of involving all the staff members in the decision making processes. The study highlighted the challenges that women principals encountered in maintaining their identity as women (feminine) in a male orientated field of school management. In managing the schools they used different approaches of management depending on the situation, and these included the adoption of masculine and authoritarian management strategies. By and large, these women principals insisted on using management strategies that are associated with femininities, such as empathy, cooperation, pastoral care and so forth. These strategies seemed more appropriate in promoting democratic participation in schools, as stipulated in South African education policies. The study recommended that holding induction programmes, building women networks, workshops and seminars could be a useful strategy in supporting women school principals. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2010.

In Lesotho, as in any other country, women face many challenges stemming from the difficulty of simultaneously transcending and accommodating to gender stereotypes, prejudices and cultural beliefs perpetuating women submissiveness. Although, the government of Lesotho has made attempts through the implementation of policy documents of gender equity, the challenges and barriers that women experience in educational leadership and management positions are still prevalent today. The study aims to explore the experiences of female principals who are already in educational leadership positions. The study adopted the qualitative approach which based on an interpretive paradigm. The qualitative methods of data production were used to get a deeper understanding of the female principals’ experiences. Individual semi-structured interviews, with open-ended questions were used to collect data. Field notes were also used to capture the cues which the tape recorder could not show or in case the tape malfunctions. The study employed the contribution of feminist theories as a guide to the study in order to liberate women from practices and structures that perpetuate their unequal status. The purposive sampling was used for selection of the participants and the sites. Five primary school female principals and four deputy principals were selected in the Leribe district of Lesotho. Responses of female principals and their deputies were based on three key questions: What are the female principals’ experiences as school leaders when they assume the leadership positions in Lesotho primary schools? How do female principals’ experiences affect their leadership roles? How do female principals deal with the challenges and experiences as they carry out their responsibilities? Data was subjected to content analysis. The findings reveal that organizational factors and teachers’ negative attitudes towards female primary school leaders are some of the factors that hold up the effective school administration. The findings also reveal that women principals in primary schools are competent and do possess the necessary skills to manage the schools effectively. Furthermore, with the necessary support of leadership and management styles they use, women can become successful in transform schools into institution of learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women principals in high schools when executing their management functions at Obonjeni District. It is hoped that the study would contribute to the understanding of the challenges woman principals encounter on their work and how they dealt with them. The methodology used was qualitative. A case study method was adopted. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with two school principals, two deputy principals and four heads of department in two selected high schools. Documentary analysis was used to triangulate data obtained through the interviews. Two high schools at Obonjeni District were purposively selected for the study. The data gathered was transcribed, coded, organised into themes, categories and sub-categories. Finally, the data was analysed using content analysis technique. The study was located in feminist theory; this is because what is happening in high schools today can be explained in terms of assertions made in feminist theory. This theory provides an explanation as to why women are under-represented in management positions. Findings indicate that staff members that were of the view that women principals were incapable of leading based this view on gender stereotypes, societal norms and cultural factors. Furthermore, some staff members view female principals as capable of managing and providing effective leadership in high schools. The study also revealed that women principals experience challenges, but despite them, they managed to perform their official duties effectively and also provided good leadership quality in these schools. The study recommended that in-service training, sufficient workshops and seminars must be organised to empower women in leadership positions. Again, it was recommended that women principals must avail themselves with numerous educational opportunities to upgrade their knowledge. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Nina Bascia.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Edith Cowan University, 2006. / Submitted to the Faculty of Community Services, Education and Social Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Phil.(Education Management and Policy Studies))-University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: Elizabeth Higginbotham, Sociology. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Georgia Southern University, 2008. / "A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education." Directed by Saundra Murray Nettles. ETD. Includes bibliographical references (p. 142-157) and appendices.

Thesis (M. Ed. (Education))--Rhodes University, 2005. / In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters in Education (Education Leadership and Management.).