A strategic management analysis of mentorship for female education managers in Lesotho

Abstract

Females have made great strides and are reaching the upper echelons in significant numbers in forms of management participation in the Lesotho education system. Nonetheless, there are no ear policies and programmes established to empower these females, either before or in the process of their careers. It is against this background that an analysis of female education manaqers' mentoring experiences was undertaken within the framework of a transformative feminist perspective, utilising a mixed-method research. In-depth interviews with nine female education managers and one representative from the Ministry of Education and Training, focus group discussions with fifteen female Heads of Departments and questionnaires with fifty male education managers were valuable for both the production of raw data as well as for dressing feminist research goals. Data from the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were organised into over-arching themes. The results of investigations were combined to present a well substantiated framework. The major findings were that although there were disparities in the mentoring experiences of male education managers, the commonalties were that most female education managers did not obtain mentorship for coping in their management positions. Female education managers recoqnise that although they are capable of becoming competent managers, they need to be prepared for the position before and during the course of their careers. For most females, a commitment to contribute to making a significant difference in female education management in Lesotho's secondary schools became apparent. The findings highlight the necessity for the ministry of Education and Training and the education institutions in Lesotho to ensure that males are trained as mentors and protégés before accessing management positions in order to annihilate any potential incompetency.