Crucial management skills for principals of township secondary schools

English:Principals of secondary schools in townships are experiencing increasing management problems. Research indicates that principals with insufficient or non-existant school management skills may encounter management problems which impede academic success. The effectiveness of a principal’s management is probably the most important factor contributing to improved academic performance. This article set out to identify the management skills required by principals of secondary schools in townships and to establish their impact on academic performance. It found that training principals in the management skills identified as crucial would not only solve their management problems, but also improve the academic performance of their schools. The article also makes recommendations for certain changes in educational practice.