Perceptions of Lesotho secondary school principals on their professional development needs to enhance leadership

Abstract

Skoolleierskap speel ’n kritieke rol in die doeltreffende bestuur van onderrig en leer. Skoolhoofde word met ’n groot verantwoordelikheid toevertrou om skole te bestuur, hoewel ’n verskeidenheid uitdagings hulle in die gesig staar om die skole effektief in die 21ste eeu te bestuur. Daarom is skoolhoofde se professionele ontwikkeling deurslaggewend in hul sukses as leiers omdat dit hul kennis uitbrei en hul werkprestasie verbeter. In die navorsing is die persepsies van skoolhoofde in hoërskole in Lesotho ondersoek om hul professionele ontwikkelingsbehoeftes vir leierskap te verbeter. Die konstruktivisme-paradigma is as ’n lens hiervoor gebruik. Die navorsing is gegrond op die teorieë van konstruktivisme en kompleksiteitsleierskap. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering en ’n veelvuldige gevallestudie is gebruik om data van twaalf individuele skoolhoofde van twaalf skole in te samel. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer en doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om kundige skoolhoofde te identifiseer wat hul insigte wou deel oor hul professionele ontwikkelingsbehoeftes. ’n Tematiese benadering van data-ontleding is gebruik om betekenis uit die versamelde data te onttrek. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die navorsing het aangedui dat skoolhoofde nie blootstelling aan professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme het nie, wat skoolleierskap nadelig beïnvloed. Die navorsing het ook bevind dat skoolhoofde bemagtig moet word met vaardighede in digitale geletterdheid, finansiële bestuur, regsake en bestuur- en onderrigleierskap. Die navorsing het ook bevind dat skoolhoofde verskeie uitdagings in hul leierskaprolle ervaar en dat dit ’n negatiewe uitwerking op hul prestasie het. Daar is ook finansiële beperkings en ’n gebrek aan ondersteuning van die Ministerie van Onderwys en Opleiding (MoET) aangesien sommige van die faktore die skoolhoofde se professionele ontwikkeling kniehalter. Die navorsing beveel aan dat professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme gereël word vir skoolhoofde om aan hul behoeftes te voldoen sodat skoolleierskap verbeter kan word. Kort opleidingskursusse kan deur MoET gereël word om skoolhoofde te bekwaam op die gebiede waar hulle nie vaardighede het nie. Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsing het bygedra tot kennis oor die professionele ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van skoolhoofde. Die navorsing het die potensiaal om bewustheid te verhoog van die professionele ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van Lesotho-hoërskoolhoofde, wat voorheen die fokusarea van navorsing in Lesotho was maar wat nie daarin kon slaag om dit aan te spreek nie. Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsing kan MoET help met die ontwikkeling van professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme vir nuut-aangestelde skoolhoofde om hul leierskapsvaardighede te verbeter. Om leierskap verder te verbeter, kan onderwysersopleidingsinstellings ook die resultate van hierdie navorsing gebruik om vooraf- en indiensleierskapsopleidingsprogramme op te gradeer, wat gebruik kan word om skoolhoofde in hul leiersposisies by te staan. Die resultate van die navorsing sal ook beleidmakers en die MoET in Lesotho help oor hoe om professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme te struktureer om aan die hoërskoolhoofde se behoeftes te voldoen.

School leadership plays a critical role in effective management of teaching and learning. Principals are entrusted with a huge responsibility of managing schools although they face a variety of challenges running the schools effectively in the 21st century. The professional development of principals is, therefore, crucial to their success as leaders since it extends their knowledge and improves their job performance. This study explored the perceptions of Lesotho secondary school principals on their professional development needs to enhance leadership. Constructivism paradigm was used as a lens for this study. The research was informed by constructivism theory as well as complexity leadership theory. A qualitative research approach was employed, and a multiple case study was adopted to gather data from twelve individual principals from twelve schools. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and purposive sampling was used to identify and select individual principals who were knowledgeable and had insights to share regarding their professional development needs. Thematic data analysis approach was employed to extract meaning from the collected data. The major findings of the study revealed that principals lack exposure to professional development programmes, and this adversely affects school leadership. The study further exposed that principals need capacitation in digital literacy skills, financial management skills, legal skills as well as management and instructional leadership skills. Additionally, the study found that principals experience numerous challenges in their leadership role, and these have a negative effect on their performance. It further revealed financial constraints and lack of support from the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) as some of the factors hindering principals’ professional development. The study recommends that professional development programmes be arranged for principals to address their needs to enhance school leadership. Additionally, short training courses could be arranged by MoET to capacitate principals in the areas where they lack skills. The findings of this research contributed to the body of knowledge on the professional development needs of school principals. The study has the potential to raise awareness of the professional development needs of Lesotho secondary school principals, which is the area of focus that previous research conducted in Lesotho failed to address. The results of this study could assist MoET in development of professional development programmes for newly appointed principals to advance their leadership skills. To further enhance leadership, teacher training institutions could also use the results of this research to upgrade pre- and in-service leadership training programmes that could be used to assist principals in their leadership positions. The results of the research will as well assist policymakers and the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho on how to structure professional development programmes to meet the needs of secondary school principals.

Ubuholi bezikole budlala indima ebalulekile ekuphathweni kahle kokufundisa nokufunda. Othishanhloko banikezwe umthwalo omkhulu wokuphatha izikole, nakuba bebhekene nezinselelo ezahlukahlukene ekuphatheni izikole kahle kuleli khulunyaka lama-21. Ukuthuthukiswa kothishanhloko ngobuchwepheshe kubalulekile empumelelweni yabo njengabaholi, njengoba kwandisa ulwazi lwabo futhi kuthuthukisa ukusebenza kwabo emsebenzini. Lolu cwaningo luhlolisise imibono yothishanhloko bezikole zamabanga aphezulu eziseLesotho ngezidingo zabo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe ukuze kuthuthukiswe ubuholi babo. Umbono wokwakha ulwazi (constructivism paradigm) iwona osetshenziswe njengengqikithi yalolu cwaningo. Lolu cwaningo lwaluholwa umbono wokwakha ulwazi kanye netiyori yobuholi obuhlukene kaningi (complexity leadership theory). Kwase kusetshenziswa indlela yocwaningo lwekhwalithethivu, kanti kube sekusetshenziswa isifundo sezimo eziningi (multiple case study) ukuqoqa idatha kothishanhloko abayishumi nambili abavela ezikoleni eziyishumi nambili. Kwenziwa izingxoxo ezihlelwe phambilini (semi-structured interviews), kwabe sekusetshenziswa isampuli yokukhetha ngenhloso (purposive sampling) ukuze kutholakale futhi kukhethwe othishanhloko ngabanye ababenolwazi kanye nemibono efanele ukuthi bangayiveza mayelana nezidingo zabo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe. Kusetshenziswe indlela yokuhlaziya idatha esekwe ezindikimbeni ezithile (thematic data analysis approach) ukuze kutholwe incazelo kwidatha eqoqiwe. Enye yezinto ezinkulu ezitholakele kulolu cwaningo ukuthi othishanhloko abajwayele ukuba sezinhlelweni lapho bethuthukiswa khona ngobuchwepheshe, futhi lokhu kubandakanya kabi ubuholi bezikole. Lolu cwaningo luphinde lwathola ukuthi othishanhloko badinga ukuqeqeshwa emakhonweni okusebenzisa intanethi (digital literacy skills), amakhono okuphatha imali, amakhono omthetho kanye namakhono okuphatha nokuhola kwezokufundisa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lolu cwaningo luthole ukuthi othishanhloko babhekene nezinselelo eziningi endimeni yabo yobuholi, futhi lokhu kunomthelela omubi ekusebenzeni kwabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lolu cwaningo luveze izinkinga zezimali kanye nokuntuleka kokusekelwa okuvela eMnyangweni Wezemfundo Nokuqeqesha (i-MoET) njengenye yezinto ezivimbela ukuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe kothishanhloko. Lolu cwaningo luphakamisa ukuthi kuhlelwe izinhlelo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe ukuze zisize othishanhloko ezidingweni zabo zokuthuthukisa ubuholi bezikole. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izifundo zokuqeqesha ezimfushane zingahlelwa yi-MoET ukuze ziqeqeshe othishanhloko ezindaweni ezibathintayo lapho beswele khona amakhono. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kwengeze emgodleni wolwazi mayelana nezidingo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe kothishanhloko bezikole. Lolu cwaningo lunamandla okugqugquzela umkhankaso wokwazisa ngezidingo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe kothishanhloko bezikole zamabanga aphezulu eLesotho, okuyindawo okugxilwe kuyo lapho ucwaningo lwangaphambilini olwenziwa eLesotho lungaphumelelanga ukukhuluma ngayo. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ingasiza i-MoET ekuthuthukiseni izinhlelo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe othishanhloko abasha abaqokiwe ukuze bathuthukise amakhono abo obuholi. Ukuze kuthuthukiswe ubuholi ngokwengeziwe, izikhungo zokuqeqesha othisha zingasebenzisa imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ukuthuthukisa izinhlelo zokuqeqesha ubuholi ngaphambi nangaphakathi kwezinhlelo zokuqeqesha, ezingasiza othishanhloko ezikhundleni zabo zobuholi. Imiphumela yocwaningo izosiza abakhiqizi bezinqubomgomo kanye noMnyango Wezemfundo Nokuqeqesha eLesotho ekubunjweni kwezinhlelo zokuthuthukiswa ngobuchwepheshe ukuze zihambisane nezidingo zothishanhloko bezikole zamabanga aphezulu.

Boetapele ba sekolo bo na le seabo sa bohlokwa bakeng sa tsamaiso e ntle ya ho ruta le ho ithuta. Baokamedi ba fuwe matla a ho tsamaisa dikolo leha e le hore ba tobana le diqholotso tse ngata tsamaisong ya dikolo hantle nakong ya ngwahaketekgolo ona. Kgodiso ya botsebi ba mosebetsi ya baokamedi, ha ho le jwalo, ke katleho ya boetapele; kaha e hodisa le ho matlafatsa mokgwa wa tshebetso mosebetsing. Diphuputso tsena di sibolotse tjhadimo ya baokamedi ba dikolo tse bohareng naheng ya Lesotho mabapi le kgolo ya bona ya tsebo ya mosebetsi ho nyolla boetapele. Katamelo ya ho haha e sebedisitswe e le leihlo la ho sheba boithutong bona. Diphuputso tsena di hlakisitswe ke lewa la ho haha (Constructivist) le lewa la diqholotso tsa boetapele (Complexity leadership). Mokgwa wa diphuputso ka ditlhaloso le ona o sebedisitswe e le mokgwa wa dikarolwana tsa diphuputso, mme o sebedisitswe ho bokella ditaba ho baokamedi ba dikolo ba leshome le metso e mmedi ho hlaha dikolong tse leshome le metso e mmedi. Dipotso tsa patlisiso tse sekgeqe di ile tsa etswa, le kgetho ya baokamedi ka bonngwe ba nang le ditsebo le ba arolelanang lesedi ka ntshetsopele ya ditlhoko tsa bona tsa tsebo ya mosebetsi. Manollo ya ditaba ho ya mookotaba le yona e sebedisitswe ho ya ka moetlo ditabeng tse bokelletsweng. Ditshibollo tsa motheo tsa diphuputso tsena e bile ho pepesa hore ho se be leseding ha baokamedi ba dikolo ka mananeo a ho ntlafatsa mosebetsi ke tshitiso ya tsamaiso e ntle ya dikolo. Diphuputso tsena di boetse hape di pepesa hore baokamedi ba dikolo ba lokela ho hlomellwa ka ditsebo tsa tshebediso ya marangrang, tsebo ya tshebediso ya ditjhelete, ditsebo tsa molao ekasitana le ditsebo tsa tsamaiso le ditsebo tsa botsamaisi bo tsebang ho fana ka ditaelo. Ka hodimo ho moo, boithuto bona bo fumane hore baokamedi ba dikolo ba thulana le diqholotso tse ngata mosebetsing wa bona wa ho tsamaisa mme tsena di etsa hore ba hlolehe ho etsa mosebetsi hantle. Boithuto bo simollotse hape hore ho na le mathata a ditjhelete le ho hloka tshehetso ho tswa ho lekala la thuto le kwetliso (MoET) e leng tsona ditshita tse sitisang ntlafalo ya bosebeletsi ba baokamedi ba dikolo. Diphuputso tsena di kgothaletsa hore mananeo a ntshetsopele ya bosebeletsi a hlophisetswe baokamedi ba dikolo ho arabela ditlhoko ho nyolla boetapele bo botle ba dikolo. Ho feta moo, mananeo a nakwana a hlophiswe ke MoET ho hlomella batsamaisi moo ba nang le dikgaello tsa tsebo. Ditshibollo tsa diphuputso tsena di na le seabo ho tsebo ka tlhokeho ya ntshetsopele ya basebetsi ba baokamedi ba dikolo tsa thuto e bohareng naheng ya Lesotho, e leng karolo eo e sa leng bafuputsi ba e sekisetsa. Ho tswela pele ho hodisa boetapele ba baithuti ba nako yohle le ba ithutang ba ntse ba le mosebetsing ka mananeo a kwetliso ya baetapele a ka sebediswang ho tshehetsa baokamedi ba dikolo maemong a bona a botsamaisi. Diphetho tsa diphuputso tsena di tla tshehetsa baetsi ba maano le lekala la thuto le kwetliso naheng ya Lesotho ka ho ba le sebopeho sa mananeo a ntshetsopele ya mosebetsi ho arabela ditlhoko tsa baokamedi ba dikolo.