that persons in local situations grapple with what broad principles look like in their own practice. Ownership depends on the degree to which the capacity building intervention has been internally driven, that is, the degree to which the institution has been able to exercise its own choices in terms of activities, processes and procedures.
New meaning and new learning for those who encounter them initially require time to assimilate them. Understanding as learning also puts ownership in perspective.
Ownership of a reform cannot be achieved in advance of learning something new. A deep sense of ownership comes only through learning. So, one of the propositions for success is to understand that all change involves learning and that all learning involves coming to understand and be good at something new. Thus, for local ownership of an intervention to be achieved, conditions that support learning must be part and parcel of any change effort (Fullan & Miles, 1992). This aspect of educational change calls not only for training, but for adequate opportunity to learn, embedded in the routine organization of teachers’ workday and work year (Little, 1993: 133).
in the schools are no longer seen as victims of change but as having the ability to take control of the process of change.
Second-order changes were described as those that seek to alter the fundamental ways in which organisations are put together, including new goals, structures, and roles.
Institutionalisation and sustainability of changes in schools resulting from interventions such as the IP was identified as one of the challenges in developing countries like South Africa. Factors that determine the institutionalisation and sustainability of such changes in schools were discussed. Institutionalisation and sustainability of changes in schools resulting from interventions such as the IP was identified as one of the challenges in developing countries like South Africa. Factors that determine the institutionalisation and sustainability of such changes in schools were discussed. There is therefore a need to find ways of ensuring that the changes achieved are embedded in the organisational structures so that they are not lost when intervention have stopped. This is not always easy in developing countries such as South Africa where financial resources are limited and many other backlogs in education exist.
It was noted that there have been changes in school improvement and change initiatives which have been accompanied by research studies to evaluate their successes and failures. These studies have led to improvement of successive initiatives. The current trend is to study change while involved in it.
The school-based approach to school improvement was discussed. Its focus on the process of decentralising decision-making concerning the allocation of resources to the school level and the democratisation of school governance and management and A move towards institutional autonomy.
The principals’ role in school change, school improvement and school management were discussed. The need to conceptualise the principal’s role as leader and manager as one of leading and managing school improvement was noted. However, it was noted that due to the legacy of apartheid which excluded some principals from black schools from opportunities for development, many principals in these schools were
For this reason it is imperative that any intervention makes professional development of teachers and other role players their focus, that is, develop their skills of managing change, financial management, and developing and managing community relationships that are conducive to effective teaching and learning.
The challenges of changing roles in school management in terms of the SASA were noted. The important role of the district office and the province in supporting, monitoring and evaluation of the schools indicates that central co-ordination, pressure and development are essential but so is corresponding school-based development on the part of principals, SMTs, SGBs and teachers as implementation decision-makers.
One of the problems in developing countries is lack of expertise related to poor training with both principals, teachers and district personnel who are supposed to work with schools - the need for development of at all level which makes school improvement a complex process and long-term.
The need for interventions not to focus only on structures but on managing teaching and learning because improvement in student achievement tends to reverberate to other areas in the school focus on improving teaching and learning.
The reciprocal nature of the management and leadership role of the principal was discussed. This conclusion is that the two should be in balance and complement each other in the person of the principal. While the principal’s functions such as developing a vision of the school, developing systems, processes and support structure, managing material and financial resources, establishing and strengthening school-community relationships, it was emphasised that the principal has to function both as an executive and a professional head, and that s/he can successfully do this with a collaborative framework. This means sharing decision-making and management in general with the SMT and other members of staff as much as possible.
• Pressure to maintain stability: need for principals to reflect on their roles-need to collaborate with and get feedback from other principals and teachers – action research
• Training coupled with continuous learning
• The dual role of the principal management and leadership and both as executive and a professional head- to achieve this she must develop a collaborative culture
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY