School principals’ experiences of ethical leadership during times of accountability : complexities, dilemmas and dynamics.

Abstract

Several studies have highlighted the importance of ethical leadership during this era of accountability. Scholarship suggests that ethical leadership is at the heart of school life as decisions are underpinned by ethics. This study explored school principals’ experiences of ethical leadership. The study further examined why school principals enacted ethical leadership the way they do. Underpinned by the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative design and a case study methodology, six school principals were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Documents reviews were used to augment data generated through interviews. Multiple Ethical Paradigm Theory, Chaos Theory, Accountability Theory, and Stakeholder Theory were used as theoretical lenses to frame the analysis of data. Data was subjected to thematic cross-case analysis. To this effect, a meta matrix analysis tool and Document Review Schedule were used to thoroughly analyse data generated from interviews and documents respectively. The study found that school principals embrace ethical leadership in their leadership as school leaders because they are of the strong view that it yields many benefits in the entire school environment. Also, the findings of the study suggest that school principals have a clear understanding of ethical leadership; however, some still enacted unethical leadership practices. The study found that some school principals are conscious that ethical awareness is their responsibility as school leaders and the latter is enhanced through human interaction. To achieve this endeavour, the study found that some school principals believe in being exemplary and have taken upon themselves to enhance ethical leadership in their schools while others collaborate with other stakeholders like teacher unions, the DBE, Traditional Leaders and even Taxi Drivers’ Associations. This thesis concludes that the nexus between accountability and ethical behaviour remains elusive, as a result, ethical leadership for some school principals remains a pie in the sky; in some instances, it is a well-preached gospel that is hardly practiced. Since this study was conducted in one education district where six school principals participated in the study, I therefore recommend another study of the phenomenon to be conducted. To this effect, a mixed method study that will also include statistical data is recommended in order to allow for data to be extrapolated to a wider population.

Iqoqa.

Ucwaningo oluningana selukuvezile ukubaluleka kobuholi obunqubonhle ngalesi sikhathi sokuziphendulela. Ucwaningo luveza ukuthi ubuholi obunqubonhle buqhakambisiwe esimweni sesikole njengoba izinqumo zesekelwe kwinqubonhle. Lolu cwaningo luphenye izimo zabaphathizikole zobuholi obunqubonhle. Ucwaningo lubuye futhi lwahlola ukuthi kungani abaphathizikole beqhuba ubuholi obunqubonhle ngendlela abenza ngayo. Ngokwesekelwa ipharadaymu yomhumusho, uhlaka lwekhwalithethivu kanye nendlela yocwaningonto, abaphathizikole abayisithupha kwaxoxwa nabo ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo ezisakuhleleka. Ukubuyekzwa kwamadokhumenti kwasetshenziswa ukwengeza imininingo eyatholakala ezingxoxweni. Injulalwazi yepharadaymu yenqubonhle ephindaphindiwe, injulalwazi yobuxhaxhaxha, injulalwazi yokuziphendulela, kanye nenjulalwazi yababambiqhaza kusetshenzisiwe njengesisekelo sokubuka ukwakha uhlaka lokuhunyushwa kwemininingo. Imininingo ibe seyihlaziywa ngokwezindikimba zokubuka izinto ngokuqhathanisa. Ukuveza umphumela, ithuluzi lokuhlaziywa ngengxube yamamethriksi kanye nohlaka lokubuyekezwa kwamadokhumenti kwasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya ngokunzulu imininingo etholakale ezingxoxweni kanye nakumadokhumenti ngokulandelana kwakho. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi abaphathizikole bagomothela ubuholi obunqubonhle njengabaholi bezikole ngoba bakholelwa ekutheni kuholela emivuzweni eminingi ezizindeni zesikole zonke jikelele. Okunye futhi, imiphumela yocwaningo iveza ukuthi abaphathizikole banokuqonda okucacile ngobuholi obunqubonhle, yize noma kunjalo, abanye basenza izinto ezinobuholi obungenayo inqubonhle. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi abanye abaphathizikole banako ukuqonda ukuthi inqubonhle ingumsebenzi wabo njengabaholi bezikole nokukhuliswa ngokuxhumana kwabantu. Ukufinyelela kulo mkhankaso, ucwaningo luthole ukuthi abanye abaphathizikole bayakholelwa ekutheni babe isibonelo futhi bakubeke emahlombe abo ukukhulisa ubuholi obunqubonhle ezikoleni zabo ngesikhathi abanye behlanganyela kanye nabanye ababambiqhaza njengezinyunyane zothisha, i-DBE, abaHoli beNdabuko kanye neziNhlangano zabaShayeli bamaTekisi. Lolu cwaningo luphetha ngokuthi ukuvumelana phakathi kokuziphendulela kanye nokusebenza okunqubonhle kusahleli kungenakuqhathaniswa, okungukuthi, ubuholi obunqubonhle kwabanye abaphathizikole busayingxenye ephezulu esibhakabhakeni, kwezinye izimo, kuyintshumayelo ejwayelekile nengejwayele ukulandelwa. Njengoba lolu cwaningo lwenzeke esiyingini semfundo lapho abaphathizikole abayisithupha behlanganyele ocwaningweni, ngiphakamisa futhi olunye ucwaningo lwesimo esifanayo ukuthi lwenziwe. Ukuveza umphumela, indlela yocwaningongxube oluzobandakanya imininingo yezinombolo iyaphakanyiswa ukuze imininingo yedluliseleke emphakathini osabalele.