This thesis is a study of a leadership model for the effective management of Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in the Gauteng Province. This research was triggered by the need for quality and sound leadership skills highly needed in FET colleges. The vision of FET colleges lies at the heart of the integration of the country's education and training system. Leadership is the distinguishing factor in bringing about organisational transformation. A key contemporary issue in the development of a high quality education service relates to the new thinking about how best to pursue quality and excellence in FET colleges. Leadership, strategic planning and the need for alternative models of management lead, inevitably, towards a reconsideration of both staff competencies and continuing staff and organisational development. This research seeks to assist those who have the responsibility of leading and managing the further conceptualisation and implementation of further education and training. A qualitative research was conducted, in which a newly merged college in Pretoria was chosen as a case study for this research. The following constituted the broad aims of this study:  To examine the leadership strategies that should be employed for effective management of FET colleges;  To investigate the vision and mission development and implementation and the organisational structures established;  To determine the opportunities and challenges offered by the new large and multi-sited college; and  To investigate a leadership model for the effective management of FET colleges. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with the leadership of the college ranging from the senior managers, campus managers, middle managers to educators. Analysis of documents and observation notes was also done to supply more data about FET leadership. Data were analysed and interpreted by identifying themes and categories that would shed more light into the effective leadership of the college. The following recommendations were made:  A new approach to the leadership of the college should be adopted;  The leadership of the college should be more accountable and responsive to community needs;  More financial support should be allocated to FET colleges; and  More focus should be given to learner support. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Education Management)

This study focuses on the role of educators in the establishment and maintenance of effective discipline in the school and classroom. In a mainly qualitative investigation, empirical data from three secondary schools in the Nkangala region of the Mpumalanga Province were collected by means of focus group and individual interviews as well as observation. These data were analysed in accordance with accepted procedures for qualitative data processing. The study confirmed most of the views found in the existing body of knowledge on school discipline. In the dissertation, detailed attention is paid to the disciplinary problems those educators who were interviewed, experienced, the perceived origin of those problems and suggested solutions. The rights and duties of educators in regard to the management of discipline were also considered. To conclude the study, eight strategies to promote the establishment and maintenance of discipline in secondary schools were proposed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

This research investigates the instructional leadership role of the principal and its impact on learners' academic performance. A literature study investigated models of instructional leadership, characteristics of instructional leadership and instructional leadership as a managerial function. An empirical investigation used a quantitative research design to collect data from a purposefully selected sample of secondary school principals in the Vryheid region, South Africa. A questionnaire was used to gather data and statistical data analysis was conducted to calculate frequencies and test hypotheses. Findings indicated an indirect relationship between learners' academic achievement and the principals' practice of instructional leadership. Clearly formulated school goals, academic networks formed between low and high achieving schools and regular discussions between learners and teachers on their progress also contribute to improved academic performance. Finally, in-service training for principals and teachers, annual targets for academic achievement and the formation of school networks are recommended to improve practice. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of the study was to investigate the changing role of the secondary school principal in building sustainable communities. It is supposed that communities that are not sustainable affect secondary schools. The focus is on how the secondary school principal should go about building, sustaining and uplifting the school community. The direct and indirect involvement of secondary school principals in community issues, could contribute to sustainability within the community, which gradually becomes a reality. The task of the secondary school principal is realised through the results of effective educative teaching and learning practices. Through literature study it was found that the role of the secondary school principal in enhancing sustainable communities would contribute to the upliftment of communities. The qualitative approach was successful in obtaining information about how the changing role of the secondary school principal in building sustainable communities is viewed. Recommendations were made concerning research findings for stakeholders and officials to note. / Educational Studies / M.Ed(Education Management))

The general objective of this research was to do a comparative study of the Trust Audit results - obtained during 2000 - of three Business Units of a South African Company in order to determine whether there are any significant differences between them regarding the ”Big Five” personality dimensions and the ”Managerial Practices” dimensions. Trust has been found to be an essential ingredient in all organisations, providing the impetus for employers to gain a better understanding of the building blocks of organisational trust and to restore eroded trust. The intensity of any trust relationship will depend on certain facilitators of trustworthiness which may facilitate or impede the flow of trust. Research studies indicate that organisations with high levels of trust will be more successful, adaptive, and innovative than organisations with low levels of trust or pervasive mistrust. Positive results were indicated for all Business Units regarding the personality aspects. The most positive ”Big Five” dimensions were conscientiousness, extraversion and agreeableness while the lowest dimension was resourcefulness. Overall results regarding managerial practices indicated that not enough information sharing took place and that this had a negative effect within the work environment. The credibility dimension, being lower than the others, indicated that better credibility of persons that are reported to, could improve trust and optimal functioning within the working environment. Team management, work support and trust relationship were viewed positively by all Business Units. One of the main conclusions of this research was that managers/leaders have a pivotal role to play in creating high-trust organisations and engendering trusting relationships. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The people in the organisation are the key to quality and effective change and improvement in schools. A new paradigm in school leadership, namely teacher leadership, grounded in distributed leadership theory and supported by enabling policies, provides a platform for school wide capacity building where more and more people recognise the potential of other team members, promote it and thus give stimulus for significant change. The purpose of the research was to determine the perspectives, perceptions and readiness of educators in the Eden and Central Karoo Education District for teacher leadership, as well as educators’ perceptions regarding the school culture required for teacher leadership to be nurtured and sustained. A total number of 283 educators participated in this study, including principals, members of school management teams, veteran, middle, novice educators and district officials. A series of instruments were used to determine educators’ perspectives, perceptions and readiness for teacher leadership, including the Teacher Leadership Readiness Instrument (TLRI) and the Teacher Leadership School Survey (TLSS). Data revealed that educators held positive assumptions about teacher leadership; that educators were collectively ready for teacher leadership; and that they perceived their school cultures as healthy for teacher leadership practices. Educators used language of leadership which can be associated with the organisational and transformational leadership theory; indicated that they experienced barriers to teacher leadership; and that there is a need for professional development in relation to teacher leadership. A significant difference was found between the preliminary leadership and barriers to teacher leadership perceptions held by district officials and other educators (principal, member of school management team, veteran, middle and novice). A significant difference was also found between members of school management teams and other educators (middle and novice) in relation to their readiness for teacher leadership. Significant relationships were found between educators’ preliminary leadership and readiness for teacher leadership perceptions, as well as between their readiness for teacher leadership and their perceptions about a healthy school culture for teacher leadership. These findings have significant implications for leadership practices, collaboration, capacity-building and improvement in schools, educators’ self-esteem, motivation and productivity, as well as student outcomes. / Educational Studies / Thesis (D. Ed. Education Management))

The purpose of this study was to undertake an investigation into the investigation into the management of Grade 3 mathematics curriculum in a Transformational leadership Approach in Johannesburg East public school which is in D9 District of the Gauteng Department of Education. The role of the Leader in the school is to make sure the educative function us carried out to the desired level. Curriculum management referred to the provision of effective leadership and supervision by HOD's and other education managers of the activities of teaching staff in a school in order to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency with which the curriculum is delivered. The managers must ensure that quality teaching and learning is being provided and it is the responsibility of all education managers. A qualitative approach was undertaken to enable the researcher to explore the experiences, feelings and perceptions of the educators, Heads of department (HODs) and Deputy Principals to have a wider and richer assortment of current, valid and relevant data of how management of Grade 3 Mathematics in curriculum in Transformational Leadership approach. The quality of teaching in schools strongly influences levels of pupil motivation and achievement, Fullan (2001). The managers in schools has been consistently alluded to as the most significant factor in the success and quality of the school’s improvement process (Petersen, 2001: 159) The data collected for the research was analysed by using qualitative techniques and the findings showed that through the responses from the educators, Heads of Department, Principals showed that not enough support was given by the Department, workshops presented were not enough and educators , HOD and Deputy Principals were unable to implement as required. Educators felt that they did not receive proper and enough support from the SMT as the SMT was not fully equipped to support them. The HOD and Deputies responded that they felt limited in taking part in the Grade 3 mathematics curriculum transformational approach as educators were confined to a classroom management style of thinking. The deputy principal, the heads of department and subjects heads in primary schools as formal leaders, all have crucial responsibilities in assist the principal in meeting the school’s instructional goals. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study was to find out the perceptions on the principals’ implementation of instructional leadership in the Amajuba District of KwaZulu-Natal with a view to provide guidelines that may be employed to enhance the execution of this role. Scholars believe that instructional leadership can assist in the transformation of schools into effective schools with consistent high learner achievement. In the Amajuba District schools show fluctuation in their grade twelve results, hence the need to investigate the principals’ implementation of instructional leadership. The grade 12 results were used because it is assumed that the variance is indicative of the differences in the principal’ leadership roles in these schools. This qualitative study examines the principals’ instructional leadership role. Data was gathered by means of literature study and focus group interviews. Four interviews were held: three with Deputy Principals and Heads of Departments, and the fourth one comprised of principals of the six selected secondary schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

. This investigation focuses on the leadership role of the principal in managing and supporting curriculum change in South African schools. The results reveal that principals are required to initiate change and to lead the curriculum change process in schools. Principals are expected to monitor, manage and evaluate the implementation of OBE in their schools. They also need to provide ongoing support to colleagues and are further required to acquire and employ skills, qualities, characteristics and a management style that is suitable for the OBE leader. This investigation recommends that for principals to manage and support curriculum change effectively in South African schools: • Principals are in need of more training and ongoing support • Commitment and support to the outcomes based curriculum is called for • Skills and qualities, for effective leadership, needs to be acquired and employed • A strategy to manage, monitor, support and evaluate curriculum implementation in the school is needed. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

Legislators are placing increased pressure on mining companies to improve their safety performance. The importance of safety leadership is highlighted by its role in safety culture and improving safety performance. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the impact of a coaching program on safety leadership. The main constructs namely safety culture, safety leadership and coaching was conceptualised along the humanistic paradigm, with theoretical definitions and models. In this study, safety culture is employees’ shared attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values about safety that affect their behaviour in the workplace. Safety leadership is the interpersonal influence that a leader exercises to achieve the organisation’s safety performance goals. Coaching is an interpersonal interaction that aims to improve individual performance through increased selfawareness and action plans. A theoretical model was developed to explain the elements that constitute effective safety leadership. A coaching program was developed based on executive coaching and leadership development principles. The empirical investigation was conducted in an organisation in the South African mining industry. A nested mixed methods design was followed. In the quantitative study, a 360 degree survey was employed to assess the ratings of a purposive sample (n=54) along eight dimensions before and after the coaching. Data was analysed with descriptive and inferential analysis. Results showed statistically significant improvements on accountability, collaboration, and feedback and recognition after the coaching. The results reflected differences in 360 degree ratings according to gender, race, job level, age and geographical location. The most significant improvements were for females, Africans, management, age 51-60 years, and site 2. In the qualitative study, a semi-structured interview was employed to study four cases to investigate managers’ personal experiences and changes in attitude toward safety. Data was analysed utilising thematic analysis. The findings revealed that coaching was a positive experience and contributed to changing managers’ attitudes toward safety. The research added to the field of organisational behaviour by presenting a theoretical model that enhances the understanding of safety leadership, the development of a coaching program and providing empirical evidence that the principles of coaching and leadership development can be applied to improve safety leadership. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)