Narratives of female principals’ leadership experiences of teacher development in the rural uMzinyathi District in KwaZulu- Natal.

Abstract

This study investigated black female principal’s leadership experiences of supporting teacher development in the rural uMzinyathi District in Kwazulu-Natal. A narrative inquiry methodology was used to explore principal’s lived experiences in rural schools in relation to supporting teacher professional development. Five black female principals form schools in the disadvantaged UMzinyathi District in the Tugela Ferry area, KwaZulu- Natal were selected as participants for this study. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit principal’s narratives of their experiences of supporting teacher professional development. Data generated was analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that to participants, being a school principal entails more than just influencing, regulating, and supporting the school or possessing specific traits. It also entails being aware of challenges and being prepared to overcome a variety of hurdles that they may experience. Findings revealed that whilst principals understood teacher professional development and the need to support this, they often faced challenges and non-cooperation by the teachers, which they perceived to be related to their gender. In addition, the study found that despite the barriers they experienced, female principals in the study demonstrated resilience as leaders who found ways to mitigate the barriers they experienced in their leadership roles. This study also identified the need to create more supportive platforms for female principals to reduce contextual factors that contribute to women's difficulties in their leadership practices. The main recommendation from this study is that principals in rural schools should be supported by the Department of Education, the school governing body, parents and the community and in fulfilling their responsibility to support teacher professional development, more especially in rural contexts given the challenges that characterize rural schooling.