Can variables of leadership and management contribute to institutional performance? A case of Limpopo secondary schools

Abstract

This paper interrogates how the presence of an impactful and quality leadership and management practices contribute to brilliant learner outcomes in the secondary schooling sector. This paper was motivated by diverse discourses and notions on the role played by leadership and management to the production of excellent educational outcomes by secondary school learners. The paper is conceptual and empirical in nature within the qualitative research paradigm. The question guiding this paper is: to what extent is impressive learner results produced in secondary schools attributable to the calibre of leadership and management practices applied in those educational institutions? Interviewing techniques and narrative enquiry were employed to generate data. Out of the population of 12 secondary schools in one of the circuits in Waterberg district in Limpopo Province, South Africa, 3 were conveniently sampled. In each of the 3 sampled secondary schools, School Principals, School Governing Body Chairpersons and Chairpersons for the Representative Council of Learners became research participants. Findings revealed that firstly, secondary schools perform poorly where there is lack of performance monitoring. Secondly, secondary schools perform poorly where leadership and management tolerate a culture of underperformance. Thirdly, secondary schools perform poorly where leadership and management do not have a performance developmental interventions. Fourthly, secondary schools perform poorly where leadership and management do not lead and manage at the behest of institutional incumbents. Fifthly, secondary schools perform poorly due to the paucity of capable and competent leaders and managers to lead and manage performing educational institutions. Lastly, secondary schools perform poorly owing to the absence of school management team members with legitimacy to lead and manage a performing school. The researcher recommends for the implementation and monitoring of concrete well-intentioned leadership and management practices that are directed to maintain schooling that is functional and high performing.