Exploring school leadership challenges of ‘presencing’ to the creation of societal value and nation building in South Africa

Abstract

The study examined school leadership in terms of ‘presence,’ sensing, and the influence of societal values in schools in Ekurhuleni South District, in Gauteng, South Africa. It also explored the value contribution of society to enhance nation building through school leadership. Challenges facing secondary schools are school leadership failures, lack of discipline, socio-economic conditions, and increasing instability. A selective case study approach was used, deliberately selecting fourteen (14) principals from secondary schools that participated on school leadership, mentoring and team effectiveness sessions and three (3) NGOs that work with schools on infrastructure, mentoring and curriculum improvement. The intervention involved structured interviews including conversations with the three NGOs. Scharmer’s Theory U provided a process to apply the concept of ‘presence’ through an inductive approach and interpretive research to analyse the responses and establish themes and categories that emerged. Such themes formed the basis to explore school leadership and societal values to build nation building. The study concluded that there is a need for creation of a school leadership framework that addresses the themes and the challenges of school leadership ‘presence.’ Such a framework provided a process of establishing a new awakening, and consciousness. The study, found that school leadership is an important factor for school functionality to inspire teaching and learning and to encourage appreciation and application of ‘presencing’ and societal value creation for nation building in South Africa.