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Preparing school leaders in post-apartheid South Africa: a survey of leadership preferences of principals in Western Cape.(educational research)(Statistical Data Included)
Executive Summary
This study examined the self-reported leadership practices of a group of principals in South Africa. All subjects completed the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), which measured five characteristics of leadership practice; challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modeling the way, and encouraging the heart. ANOVA procedures revealed no differences (.05 level) between two groups of school leaders based on higher education institution attended. Age range was related to "encouraging the heart" and gender to "enabling action."
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This is a study to determine leadership preferences of school leaders in Mitchell's Plain, a disadvantaged area of Western Cape province. To better understand school leaders, their responses to the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) were evaluated based on institution of last degree, gender, union membership, race/ethnicity, age range, and whether they were principals or deputy principals (role). The null hypotheses are that there are no significant differences among the leaders based on these factors.
The Need for Change
Children in township schools are eloquent in expressing their fears of violence and hopes for the future. They demonstrate the need for change and the challenge that faces the education system. Here is an example of their stories, written in their own words toward the end of the apartheid regime. "When I am old I would like to have a wife and to children a boy and a girl and a gib house and to dogs and freedom My friends and I would like to meat together and tok" (Moagi, 8 years old).
This is representative of school children's voices in South Africa, taken from Two dogs and freedom: Children of the townships speak out, 1986 (pp. 6-55). The passage portrays students' state of mind and indirectly, the state of education in the townships less than a generation ago. These children indicate the need for a monumental restructuring of the education system before each person can feel safe, be educated, and feel like a contributing part of society.