Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Education in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / The poor matriculation results of the past number of years, as well the changing role of principals as school leaders raise concerns for the future of education in South Africa. One of the contributory factors is that principals who were trained under the apartheid school system often lack the skills and knowledge to lead democratically or strategically. This has major implications for the effectiveness of schools of learning. Although there is a wide range of theories on leadership styles, the area remains complex. The nature of what exactly makes some leaders and organisations successful and others unsuccessful is uncertain. There is a shortage of evidence about what precisely constitutes effective leadership, particularly in the area of disadvantaged schooling. The question that follows is: How do the different leadership styles of school principals influence the effectiveness of schools in low-income communities, and what other factors promote school effectiveness? If there is a particular style of leadership which could help to make schools more effective in such communities, it is the purpose of, and justification for, this study: to identify it, or its application, in such schools. The purpose of this research was to identify and characterise principals’ leadership styles and their influence on the effectiveness of four schools in low-income areas on the Cape Flats. This investigation identified the factors that contribute to a school being effective. Principals’ leadership styles were investigated in relation to factors such as availability or lack of resources, parental and community involvement, an environment conducive to learning, and learners’ academic performance on school effectiveness. Research was located largely in a qualitative paradigm, with limited use of quantitative data. It sought to achieve an in-depth and holistic understanding of interaction among principals’ leadership styles and other factors contributing to school effectiveness. Data was collected from four principals and four HODs from four schools in Mitchell’s Plain and Steenberg in the Cape Flats area of the City of Cape Town. The four schools were selected on the basis of their location in low-income communities. Methods of data collection included audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The results revealed that schools, at which principals adopted a participatory or contingency leadership style, where all stakeholders within the school community shared responsibility and decision-making, were more successful in terms of academic performance and overall school effectiveness.

M.Ed. / This study focuses on the performance of women principals in managing secondary schools. It emphasizes the styles of management and how it impacts on school effectiveness. Furthermore, the study highlights the barriers that hinder women performances especially, gender discrimination against women with regard to filling of senior post in secondary schools. One of the central themes that permeate studies on gender discrimination is the move towards eroding all forms of discrimination against women. Hitherto, women remain a minority gender in terms of management positions in education generally, and in secondary schools in particular. Attempts are made, through the implementation of policy documents to enforce the principle of gender equity. However, certain subtle discriminatory practices remain a barrier between the present state of affairs and a desired situation. This could be due to, inter alia, prejudice, stereotyping, cultural beliefs or even religious injunctions perpetuating women submissiveness. The amplified awareness of gender politics combined with challenges about gender equity in organizations such as schools remain a thorny concern in educational cycles. Today, women are becoming increasingly aware of the important role they can play in transforming of schools into institutions of excellence. This study has argued that although women may be discriminated against, they do possess essential tools to transform their schools into highly performing institutions. In an attempt to cross-examine the issue of gender discrimination, a qualitative research approach was employed to elicit the perceptions of women principals with regard to their management styles and how it impact on their performance. The research was conducted at different secondary schools in Johannesburg South district (D 11) of Gauteng. Purposive sampling was used for selection of the participants and the sites. Data was collected by means of individual interviews, supported by relevant research literature. The findings reveal that women principals in secondary schools are competent and do possess the necessary skills to manage secondary school effectively. With the necessary support to develop and enhance their management and leadership styles, women can become successful partners in transforming schools in institutions of learning.

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

M. Ed. (Education Management) / The problem of the exercisinq of authority by the headmaster, is twofold in nature. Firstly, many headmasters seem to be in doubt as to the limits of their authority. Secondly, the way in which the headmaster exercises his authority, has an effect on the motivation and work satisfaction of the staff and the pupils. Formal line authority is delegated to the headmaster in order to carry out the responsibilities concerning his post. This authority includes executive and legislative functions. The legislative function is related to the competence of the headmaster to create internal order in the school by the formulation and implementation of a school policy and rules. School policy and rules must be compatible with the government policy regarding educational affairs and must satisfy the requirements of law enforcement and legal practice. Headmasters' uncertainty about the extent and limitations of their formal authority is the result of the magnitude of statutory stipulations and prescriptions contained in official educational policy. Many headmasters also lack knowledge of law enforcement and legal practice. The dynamic nature of an authority relationship brought about by delegation, can also lead to the headmasters' uncertainty about the limits of their authority. Informal authority can be invested in the headmaster by the staff and the pupils, on account of their respect for and confidence in the headmaster. Two types of informal authority are identified: authority of competence and personal authority. It is of vital importance for the headmaster to achieve a high standard of informal authority, as the effective application of his formal authority is dependent on the quality of his informal authority.

To make education a profitable enterprise and contributor to social development requires that schools infuse values into schooling as part of the ethical construction of learners and citizenship building. This research used Kampala district as the case study to conduct a qualitative inquiry with grounded theory to examine the integration of values into the management of learners’ discipline in Ugandan schools. Using a sample of 60 participants, the researcher gathered data using personal interviews, focus group interviews, and documentary analysis. Through the analysis of this data, the researcher established that the School Governing Body (SGB), government, educators, missionaries and the community are stakeholders highly involved in directing the process of values integration into learners’ discipline. He also discerned that different schools impart moral, spiritual, academic, aesthetic, social and universal values into the learners. However with the 1963 Castle Report on Education that led to the nationalization and secularization of schools, denominational schools strongly felt that government robbed them of their powers to control and manage schools through the “principle of subsidiarity”. This seems to have led to the gradual erosion of values and breakdown of discipline in the denominational schools as well as the others. The central argument of this thesis is that integrating values into school discipline in Uganda would result into an inclusive education system that supports both theist and atheist attitudes towards formal schooling. Some respondents argued that values should be directly integrated into learners’ discipline while others opposed values integration. Those who supported values integration into school discipline pointed out that it is an integral part of life-education. On the other hand, those who oppose integrating values argued that values integration might be misused to impose secular influences on the learners. The existing avenues of optimal integration of values into school discipline include use of physical punishment and restorative justice, although custodial methods are widely condemned by human rights activists for being too harsh, punitive and retaliatory. Restorative justice methods used include the use of religious and social clubs as well as counseling and guidance. Collective stakeholder participation in school management is also widely used where school management, government, parents and the community take on a collaborative role in empowering and creating an environment for positive discipline. Finally, missionary educators play a significant role in learners’ behavioural modification. The challenges of values integration into school discipline, on the other hand, are policy-related; including poor school administrative styles, failure to define which values to emphasize in disciplinary management, lack of staff motivation and educators’ unethical behaviour. The classroom-related challenges were an over emphasis on academic values that, consequently, turn education into a theoretical rather than a practical exercise. This is compounded by the poor teaching methodologies used like rote-learning due to the problem of dealing with large classes especially in UPE and USE schools and the strict emphasis on an examination-centered syllabus. The social-related challenge observed was the negative influence of the media on young people’s life styles, consequently, leading to permissiveness, aggressive, violent and militant behaviours now common in schools. The study underscored the need to emphasise stakeholder responsibility in school disciplinary management, and the necessity to offer visionary and collegial leadership, identify a common set of values critical to the promotion of life-long learning, promotion of life-education to ensure formation of morally upright learners, and encourage inclusive education (UBUNTUISM). Government should draft a national education philosophy to guide schools in integration of values education, emphasizing secular, moral and religious values, as well as the need for restorative justice, and employing more pragmatic teaching methodologies. There is also the need to create role-models and staff motivation. All these are cardinal remedies in ensuring constructive school discipline. Finally, the central theory that explains the integration is an Integrated Values Framework (IVF) for Positive Discipline (PD). It advocates that discipline is a process of nurturing learners through the provision of inclusive education, life-long learning and citizenship building.

M.Ed.

M.Ed. / The aim of this dissertation is focused on how the knowledge of accounting concepts effects the financial management of schools. The aim of this research is divergent and contains the following aspects according to Mouton and Marais (1989: 43): • to gain new insight over an unknown domain; • to explore central concepts; • to set priorities for further research. Overall, the aim of this dissertation is: • identify those accounting concepts applicable to financial school management; • discuss these accounting concepts; • discuss the application and use of these accounting concepts; • discuss the implication of application of these accounting concepts on financial school management. Guidelines will be set how accounting concepts can be used in financial school management.

Die Inrigting ontwikkelings en ondersteuningsbeampte ( IOOB) in die departement van onderwys vervul ‘n belangrike rol om te verseker dat onderwys transformeer en dat die skool se bestuurspan georiënteer word om ‘n kultuur van onderwys en onderrig te bewerkstellig. Onlangse konsepte van onderwysleierskap demonsteer ‘n beweging weg van tradisioneel-outoritêre modelle, na ‘n meer demokratiese en deelnemende wyse. Die doel van die navorsing was om die persepsies van die skool se bestuurspan ten opsigte van die rol van die Inrigting ontwikkelings en ondersteuningsbeampte (IOOB) in the Ekurhuleni-Oos Distrik 5, te ondersoek. Die IOOB’s moet die skole se bestuurspanne toerus en ontwikkel, sodat die gehalte van onderwys en onderrig kan verbeter. ‘n Gestruktureerde vraelys wat bestaan uit 32 items is aan distrik 5 se skole se bestuurspanne uitgedeel, sodat hulle persepsies van die IOOB’s vasgestel kon word. Vrae is geformuleer in verband met aspekte van onderwysbestuur en onderrig. Die voltooide vraelyste is aan STATKON by the Universiteit van Johannesburg oorhandig, waar die data verwerk is. Die ontleding en interpretasie van die empiriese data is bespreek. Die konstrukgeldigheid van die navorsingsinstrument is deur middel van twee opeenvolgende faktoranalitiese prosedures ondersoek en sodoende is die 32 items tot twee faktore gereduseer, naamlik: • Die doeltreffende leierskap en bestuur van die IOOB, bestaande uit 14 items met ‘n betroubaarheidskoëffisiënt van 0,967; • Die ingrypingstrategie en ondersteuning van die IOOB, bestaande uit 18 items met ‘n betroubaarheidskoëffisiënt van 0,964.Die statistiese ontleiding van die navorsing is beperk tot ‘n vergelyking van een voorbeeld van twee onafhanklike groepe en een voorbeeld van drie of meer onafhanklike groepe. Hipoteses is gestel en meervoudige statistiese tegnieke is gebruik om die data te ontleed en te interpreter. Na hierdie oorsigtelike opsomming van die aspekte wat in die huidige navorsing aangeraak is, word belangrike bevindings wat uit die navorsing voorspruit gemaak. / Prof. B.R. Grobler

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