Principals’ narratives on balancing leadership, management and instruction in South African schools

Abstract

Agtergrond: Die rol wat ’n Skoolhoof in ’n skool speel, het baie ingewikkeld en baie veeleisend geword. Akademici soos Fullan (1991) het die veranderende neigings in die Onderwys gevolg en is oortuig daarvan dat die rol wat die Skoolhoofde in skole gespeel het, werklik ontwikkel het van onderrigleiers tot transaksionele leiers, en nou die afgelope tyd tot transformasieleiers. Mestry (1999) beweer dat Skoolhoofde se verwagtinge ontwikkel het van fokus op bestuur en beheer, na dié van die verantwoordelikheid om personeel te ontwikkel, ouerbetrokkenheid aan te moedig en te verhoog, en om gemeenskapsondersteuning en leerderprestasie te verwesenlik. Dit word ondersteun deur Blasé, Blasé en Phillips (2010), waar hulle beweer dat nuwe verantwoordelikhede en aktiwiteite saamgevoeg is op die reeds veeleisende rolle wat Skoolhoofde tans het. Aan die ander kant voer Naicker en Mestry (2013) aan dat die rol van Skoolhoofde deurspek geraak het met omstredenheid wat botsende eise behels. Vroeëre studies deur Hallinger en Murphy (1985) toon dat een van die hoofuitdagings van Skoolhoofde was om balans tussen administratiewe rolle en onderrigleierskapfunksies te bewerkstellig. Hulle beweer dat een persoon nie al die pligte van ’n Skoolhoof kan nakom nie, en gaan verder om aan te dui dat daar ’n behoefte was om ander te bemagtig om leierskap uit te oefen (Spillane, 2012; Katewa & Heystek, 2019; Peters-Hawkins, Reed & Kingsberry, 2018). Daarom het hierdie studie gepoog om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: Hoe gaan Skoolhoofde te werk om hul dubbele mandaat as onderrigleiers en -bestuurders in Suid-Afrikaanse skole uit te voer? Dit het ten doel om te ondersoek hoe ander Skoolhoofde slaag en ander nie, en wat is dit wat hulle onderskei. Navorsingsmetode: Hierdie studie is gewortel in instruksionele leierskap as ’n raamwerk, met behulp van gegronde teorie, binne die interpretatiewe paradigma. Ek het ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie gevolg deur die meervoudige gevallestudie-ontwerp (Creswell, 2013). Data is ingesamel deur waarnemings, onderhoude en dokumentontleding. Monsterneming: Vier Skoolhoofde, doelbewus gekies uit prominente hoëpresterende sekondêre skole in twee provinsies, die Vrystaat en Gauteng, het deelgeneem. Bevindinge: In ’n neutedop, die beleidstellings waarop die Skoolhoofde staatgemaak het, blyk ’n gemengde saak te verteenwoordig, met sommige wat meer van ’n bemagtigende konteks bied vir hulle om die bestuur- en onderrigleierskapseise met ’n mate van sukses te balanseer. Dieselfde beleidstellings vererger egter soms hul vermoë om hierdie balans in hul skole suksesvol te navigeer. Die bevindinge dui ook daarop dat toenemende druk onbedoeld op Skoolhoofde uitgeoefen word om op graad 12-leerders se prestasie te fokus, en dat Skoolhoofde op die onderwysers in hul personeel staatmaak om hul dienste buite die normale Skooldagprogram vrywillig aan te bied. Die studie beveel aan dat Skoolhoofde berading ondergaan om die hoë stresvlakke wat hulle daagliks teëkom, te hanteer.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: The role that a Principal plays in a school has become very complicated and very demanding. Scholars such as Fullan (1991) have been following the changing trends in Education and are convinced that the part played by the Principals in schools has truly been evolving, transcending from being instructional leaders to transactional leaders, and now lately to transformational leaders. Mestry (1999) asserts that Principals’ expectations have evolved from focus on management and control, to that of being entrusted with the responsibility to develop staff, encourage and increase parental involvement, and soliciting community support and learner achievement. This is supported by Blasé, Blasé and Phillips (2010), where they maintain that new responsibilities and activities have been compounded on the already demanding roles Principals currently have. On the other hand, Naicker and Mestry (2013) argue that the role of Principals have become riddled with controversy involving conflicting demands. Earlier studies by Hallinger and Murphy (1985) reveal that one of the main challenges of Principals was to establish balance between administrative roles and instructional leadership functions. They assert that one person cannot fulfil all the duties of a Principal, and go further to suggest that there was a need for empowering others to exercise leadership (Spillane, 2012; Katewa & Heystek, 2019; Peters-Hawkins, Reed & Kingsberry, 2018). Hence this study sought to answer the research question: How do Principals go about carrying out their dual mandate as instructional leaders and managers in South African schools? It is intended to explore how other Principals succeed and others do not, and what is it that sets them apart.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: This study is rooted in instructional leadership as a framework, using grounded theory, following interpretive paradigm. I followed a qualitative research methodology through the multiple case-study design (Creswell, 2013). Data were collected through observations, interviews, and documents analysis.

𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: Four school Principals, purposively selected from prominently high-performing secondary schools in two provinces, the Free State and Gauteng, took part.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: In a nutshell, the policies on which the Principals relied appear to represent a mixed bag, with some providing more of an enabling context for them to balance the management and instructional leadership demands with some degree of success. The same policies, however, sometimes compound their ability to successfully navigate this balance in their schools. The findings also suggest that mounting pressure is being exerted inadvertently on school Principals to focus on Grade 12 learners’ performance, and that Principals rely on the teachers in their staff to volunteer their services beyond the normal school day programme. The study recommends that school principals undergo counselling in order to deal with the high stress levels they encounter on daily basis.

Isendlalelo: Iqhaza elidlalwa uthishanhloko esikoleni selixakile futhi lifuna ukuthi basebenze kakhulu. Izazi ezinjengoFulan (1991) bezilokhu zilandela uguquko kwezeMfundo futhi ziyaqiniseka ukuthi indima edlalwa othishanhloko ezikoleni ibilokhu iguquguquka ngempela, isuka ekubeni ngabaholi bokufundisa yaba ngabaholi bokushintshisana, manje kamuva nje yaba ngabaholi bezinguquko. UMestry (1999) ugomela ngokuthi okulindelwe oThishanhloko kuye kwasuka ekugxileni ekuphatheni nasekulawuleni, kwaya ekuphathisweni umsebenzi wokuthuthukisa abasebenzi, ukukhuthaza nokwandisa ukubamba iqhaza kwabazali, nokucela ukwesekwa umphakathi nempumelelo yabafundi. Lokhu kusekelwa uBlasé, uBlasé kanye noPhillips (2010), lapho begcina khona ukuthi izibopho nemisebenzi emisha kuhlanganiswe nezindima zothishanhloko ezivele njengamanje ezibafuna ukuthi basebenze kakhulu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uNaicker noMestry (2013) bathi imisebenzi yothishanhloko isigcwele ukuphikisana okuhlanganisa izimfuno ezishayisanayo. Ucwaningo lwangaphambili lukaHallinger noMurphy (1985) luveza ukuthi enye yezinselelo ezinkulu zothishanhloko kwakuwukusungula ukulingana phakathi kwemisebenzi yokuphatha nemisebenzi yobuholi bokufundisa. Bagomela ngokuthi umuntu oyedwa ngeke akwazi ukufeza yonke imisebenzi kaThishanhloko, futhi baqhubeke nokuphakamisa ukuthi bekunesidingo sokuthuthukisa abanye ukuze bakwazi ukudlala indima yobuholi (Spillane, 2012; Katewa & Heystek , 2019; Peters-Hawkins, Reed & Kingsberry , 2018 ). Yingakho-ke lolu cwaningo belufuna ukuphendula umbuzo wocwaningo othi: Ngabe Othishanhloko bayenza kanjani imisebenzi yabo njengabaholi abafundisayo nabaphathi ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrikha? Kuhloswe ukubheka ukuthi abanye Othishanhloko abaphumelelayo benza kanjani kanti futhi nabanye abahlulekayo kwenzeka kanjani, nokuthi yini ebahlukanisayo. Indlela yocwaningo : Lolu cwaningo lugxile ebuholini bokufundisa njengohlaka, kusetshenziswa injululwazi eyivuso, lulandela ipharadaymu eqondayo. Ngalandela indlela yocwaningo oluyikhwalithethivu ngokusebenzisa umklamo wocwaningo lwezimo eziningi (Creswell, 2013). Ulwazi lwaqoqwa ngokucwaninga ngokuqaphela, izingxoxo, kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo. Isampula : Othishanhloko abane, abakhethwe ngenhloso ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme ezenza kahle kakhulu, ezifundazweni ezimbili iFree State neGauteng. Okutholakele : Kafushane, izinqubomgomo Othishanhloko abathembele kuzo zibonakala zimelela isikhwama esixubile, kanti ezinye zihlinzeka ngezingqikithi ezibavumelayo ukuze balinganise izimfuno zokuhola ngokufundisa kanye nokuphatha ngezinga elithile lempumelelo. Zona lezi zinqubomgomo ezifanayo, nokho, kwesinye isikhathi zihlanganisa ikhono labo lokwenza imisebenzi yabo ngempulelo ezikoleni zabo. Okutholakele kuphinde kuphakamise ukuthi ingcindezi ekhulayo ifakwa kuthishanhloko ngokungazi ukuthi bagxile ekusebenzeni kwabafundi beBanga le-12, nokuthi Othishanhloko bathembele kothisha kubasebenzi babo ukuthi bavolontiye ukusebenza ngaphezu kohlelo olujwayelekile losuku lwesikole. Lolu cwaningo luncoma ukuthi othishanhloko bezikole kumele belulekwe ngokwengqondo ukuze babhekane namazinga aphezulu engcindezi ababhekana nayo nsuku zonke.

Kakaretso: Mosebetsi oo mosuwehlooho a o phethang sekolong o rarahane haholo ebile o batla boiteko bo bongata. Ditsebi tse kang Fullan (1991) di nnile tsa fuputsa mekgwa e fetohang ya thuto mme di kgodisehile hore karolo e bapalwang ke mesuwehlooho ya dikolo e hlile e ntse e fetoha, e feta ho tloha ha e ne e le baetapele ba thuto ho ya ho baetapele ba neheletsano, mme hona jwale morao tjena e se e le baetapele ba phetoho. Mestry (1999) o tiisa hore ditebello tsa batsamaisi ba dikolo di fetohile ho tloha ho tsepamisa maikutlo ho tsamaiso le taolo, ho ya ho boikarabelo ba ho ntshetsa basebetsi pele, ho kgothaletsa le ho eketsa ho nka karolo ha batswadi, le ho kopa tshehetso ya setjhaba le katleho ya baithuti. Sena se tshehetswa ke Blasé, Blasé le Phillips (2010), moo ba phehang kgang ya hore boikarabelo le mesebetsi e metjha di ekeditsweng hodima mesebetsi eo batsamaisi ba seng ba ntse ba na le yona. Ka lehlakoreng le leng, Naicker le Mestry (2013) ba pheha kgang ya hore karolo ya mesuwehlooho e se e potapotilwe ke ditabataba tse kenyeletsang ditlhoko tse hanyetsanang. Diphuputso tsa pejana tsa Hallinger le Murphy (1985) di senola hore e nngwe ya diphephetso tse ka sehloohong tsa barupelli e ne e le ho theha tekano dipakeng tsa mesebetsi ya tsamaiso le mesebetsi ya boetapele ba thuto. Ba tiisa hore motho a le mong a ke ke a phetha mesebetsi yohle ya mosuwehlooho, mme ba tswela pele ho fana ka maikutlo a hore ho hlokeha hore ba bang ba kgothalletswe ho ba baetapele (Spillane, 2012; Katewa & Heystek, 2019; Peters-Hawkins, Reed & Kingsberry, 2018). Ka hona, diphuputso tsena di batla ho araba potso ya ho fuputsa: Mesuwehlooho ya dikolo e phethahatsa mosebetsi wa yona o habedi jwang jwaloka baetapele ba thuto le batsamaisi dikolong tsa Afrika Borwa? E reretswe ho hlahloba hore na ho tla jwang hore eb baetapele ba bang ba atlehile ha ba bang ba sa atlehe; le hore na ke eng se ba qollang. Mekgwa ya ho etsa diphuputso: Thuto ena e thehilwe boetapeleng ba thuto e le moralo, ho sebediswa lewa le thehilweng fatshe, ho latela kutlwisiso ya tlhaloso. Ke ile ka latela mokgwa wa ho etsa dipatlisiso tsa boleng ka moralo wa dithuto tse ngata tsa mehlala ya diketsahalo (Creswell, 2013). Dintlha di ile tsa bokellwa ka ho shebella, ho buisana le batho le ho hlahloba ditokomane. Ho sampola: Ho ile ha nka karolo mesuwehlooho ya dikolo tse nne, e kgethilweng ka boomo dikolong tse phahameng tse hlahelletseng diprovenseng tse pedi, e leng ya Freistata le ya Gauteng. Diphihlello: Ka bokgutshwanyane, maano ao mesuwehlooho e itshetlehileng ka ona a bonahala a emela taba e rarahaneng, e leng hore ba bang ba ithehela maemo a ba nolofalletsang ho lekalekanya ditlhoko tsa taolo le boetapele ba thuto ka katleho e itseng. Leha ho le jwalo, ka dinako tse ding maano a tshwanang a eketsa bokgoni ba bona ba ho laola ho lekalekana hona ka katleho dikolong tsa bona. Diphihlello di boetse di bontsha hore mesuwehlooho ya dikolo e ntse ba hatellwa ka ho eketsehileng hore ba tsepamise maikutlo mosebetsing wa baithuti ba Kereiti ya 12, le hore mesuwehlooho e itshetlehile ka matitjhere basebetsing ba bona hore ba ithaopele ho fana ka ditshebeletso tsa bona ho feta lenaneong le tlwaelehileng la letsatsi la sekolo. Diphuputso tsena di kgothaletsa hore batsamaisi ba dikolo ba fuwe keletso e le hore ba sebetsane jwang le kgatello e matla eo ba tobanang le yona ka letsatsi le letsatsi.