The leadership role of school principals in facilitating capacity building for departmental heads in deprived contexts.

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the leadership role that school principals play in facilitating capacity-building of departmental heads (DHs). To realise the aim of the study, three critical research questions were formulated: 1.How do principals understand and experience their leadership role of facilitating capacity building of DHs?; 2.What factors do principals experience as affecting their role of facilitating capacity- building of DHs? 3. What strategies or actions can principals devise to enhance capacity building of the DHs? Literature on aspects related to the study was reviewed. As part of literature review, leadership for capacity-building, teacher attitude to capacity-building, contexts with multiple deprivations and capacity-building and strategies that enhance capacity-building were some of topics that were discussed. Transformational leadership theory was used to locate the study. The qualitative research method of individual face-to-face, semi-structured interviews used to generate data to answer the research questions. Five school principals who were purposively selected from a deprived rural context participated in the study. Findings reveal that participants have a clear understanding of what capacity building for DHs entails .Furthermore the study revealed that there are serious challenges or factors that inhibit facilitation of capacity-building in schools. Time constraints and heavy workload topped the list of inhibiting factors. The study proposes, amongst other things, that capacity-building for school principals should be prioritised by DBE. It is further recommended that school principals should audit capacities that require intervention or facilitation by consulting DHs regularly.