There is general recognition that school leadership and management are fundamentally important in relation to educational outcomes. In schools where these are adequate, satisfactory outcomes are produced. In schools where these are lacking, unsatisfactory educational outcomes invariably follow. School leadership and management go beyond the office and person of the school Principal but there is no doubt that it is the Principal who is ultimately responsible for school management and leadership. Perhaps one can as far as saying that a competent Principal is a necessary condition for good school leadership and management.

One of the key reasons for this is that the Principal is responsible for the teaching corps at any school.If the Principal demands accountability and performance from the

teachers, then they are much more likely to teach consistently and effectively than if this is not the case. At present, the quality and quantity of teaching in many Grahamstown schools are poor. In 2016 a successful Certificate Course on School.

School Leadership Short Course

In 2016 a successful Certificate Course on School Leadership was offered to Principals of Primary and High Schools in the Grahamstown District in response to a specific request from the High School Principals when they met with Dr Mabizela in June 2015 (as part of the consultations relating to this Rhodes initiative). The Rhodes Business School designed a certified course (at NQF Level 8) and ran it for approximately 20 School Principals who found it particularly helpful in empowering them to lead their Schools. It is anticipated that 16 of these Principals will submit the assignment required for Certification. On the request of the participating Principals, the Course will be run in 2017 for Deputy Principals and HoDs (where relevant and depending on demand).

Outputs and Outcomes
A NQF Level 8 Short Course on Leadership is delivered to twenty Deputy-Principals and/or HoDs from  the Grahamstown Education District. At least fifteen of the participants successfully complete the course and receive certification.

Outcomes:
Deputy-Principals and HoDs who complete the Course will, along with their Principals, initiate/ deepen the following processes, amongst others:

• Clear School Improvement Plans/ Learning Goal Statements (including clear, measurable goals) with actions being taken to implement them;
• Communication of goals and change efforts to the entire school community;
• Enhanced teamwork (including teachers, amongst other role-players);
• Regular collection and analysis of performance data.

These outcomes will be promoted and monitored through the two Grahamstown Principals’ Fora and through the direct involvement of GADRA Education in at least five of the Schools (its core schools: Ntsika, Mary Waters, Good Shepherd, Samuel Ntsiko, St Marys).

Last Modified: Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:32:00 SAST