Against the backdrop of literature reviewed, I observe that formal schooling in South Africa began approximately 150 years ago. Over the past 50 years, school education has both
nationally and internationally, become an integral area for policy development in governments and education departments across the world. With this in mind, I believe it is useful to trace how schools, as learning organisations, came into inception, and to describe their function, a description of which follows shortly. The history of schooling, according to Kruss (2008), began when western powers colonised other countries, a role fulfilled by missionaries who were keen to spread religion. In arguing that schools are constantly evolving, it is observed that schools emerged during the transition when societies were conventional and grew to becoming contemporary and industrialised. Coutinho and Lisbôa (2013) claim that schools operated as socialisation agents, in that the norms and values inherent in the home were perpetuated in the school.
Likewise, as the financial status of the county changes, schools prepare individuals for a variety of work through programmes that allow for the acquisition of skills and knowledge so that participation in modern economies may be fulfilled (Kruss, 2008). In view of the above, the political agenda post 1994, saw a determination to abolish that which was associated with apartheid, and to launch a variety of policies to fulfil the compound needs of South Africa (Du Plessis, Conley & Du Plessis, 2007), as schooling had been in dire straits for many years. In addition, Nongxa (2010) posits that the unfortunate tragedy is that, despite South Africa boasting a rich economy, learners’ scholastic performance is rated amongst the poorest in comparison to others in the continent. Christie, et al. (2007) posit that currently, schools focus on developing school knowledge through formal and abstract thinking, teaching reading, writing and Mathematics in a manner that requires learners to practice mastery through repetition and recitation. Similarly, Bloch (2009) views schooling within the South African context as being an important vehicle by which previously disadvantaged communities may overcome adversaries and improve their circumstances in their hunger for a better life.
Taking into consideration that the education system during the pre-democratic era was structured to propagate and sustain the ideology of apartheid, leaders of a post-apartheid South Africa found it necessary to restructure the state education system in their quest to build a new and democratic social order (McKinney & Soudien, 2010). Thus, when South Africa attained democracy in 1994, the South African Constitution, embodying the values, became an Act.
Furthermore, the new government attempted to bring about changes through the introduction of reform legislation and policy changes, namely the South African Schools’ Act (Act No. 84 of 1996), which is the underpinning policy defining this study. Whilst under the apartheid
regime, the principal’s role was confined to being administrators who facilitated the agenda of the state.
Presently, this post-apartheid education system requires the principal to play a dual role, firstly as being a member of the governing body, and secondly, as being responsible for professional matters (Naidu, Joubert, Mestry, Mosoge & Ngcobo, 2008). It is thus imperative that the school management team (SMT), as leaders of schools as learning organisations, focus more intensely on teaching and learning with a view of improving learner achievement (Bloch, 2009). In light of this, learners’ weak scholastic performance nationally and globally, has prompted educationists to seriously review the principal’s role as the key player in developing and maintaining academic standards of the school (Mestry & Singh, 2007; Naidu, et al.,2008;
Kallaway, 2009).
Jantjies and Joy (2012) additionally protest that the apartheid South African education system were fraught with inconsistencies that adversely impacts on the present post-apartheid system.
Thus, whereas most schools take for granted their adequate supply of learner-teacher resources, proper classrooms, well-stocked libraries and computer stations, together with professionally qualified teachers, these are scarce in most farm and township schools. To this end, the South African Schools Act (SASA), Act 84 of 1996 (ss. 34) (RSA 1996) purports that the state is responsible for funding public schools through capital cost allocations, whilst making attempts to remedy past ills by providing a high standard of education to its learners (Jantjies & Joy, 2012). I highlight that since the central concept underpinning CPD encompasses ‘learning’, this is further deepened through the perpetuation of the notion of schools as learning organisations. Thus, the following figure by Brandt (2016) demonstrates the relevant characteristics of schools as being systems open and aligned to the economic, social and political conditions associated with learning (Brandt, 2016).
2.2.1 Table 1: Characteristics of schools as Learning Organisations (Brandt, 2016)
√Their incentive structure encourages adaptive behaviour.
√Their shared goals are achievable but challenging.
√Their members acknowledge the organisations developmental stages accurately.
√They use relevant information to promote their needs.
√Knowledge is employed for the creation of innovative developments.
√An exchange of material with pertinent sources occurs.
√Evaluation on their teaching and learning service provision is elicited.
√Their basic processes are continuously refined.
√They enjoy a supportive organisational culture.
The figure below by Brandt (2016) demonstrates learning that takes place by individuals, as compared to learning by organisations.
2.2.2 Table 2: A comparison of learning by individuals and organisations (Brandt, 2016)
Learning by individuals Learning by organisations
1. These individuals learn what is personally meaningful to them.
2. Individuals learn through their acceptance of challenging goals.
3. They proceed through developmental stages.
4. Their learning is individualistic.
5. They use old knowledge to construct new knowledge.
6. Individuals learn through interacting with others.
7. Feedback is required.
8. Strategies of learning how to learn is designed by individuals.
9. A harmonious emotional climate lends itself to their learning.
1. The incentive structure encourages them to adapt behaviour accordingly.
2. Their shared goals are challenging but achievable.
3. Their members are able to accurately identify the organisation's stages of development.
4. Based on their purposes, they gather, process, and act upon information accordingly.
5. New ideas are created based on their institutional knowledge.
6. Information is frequently shared with relevant sources.
7. Feedback on products and services is acquired.
8. Their basic processes are continuously refined.
9. A supportive organisational culture is enjoyed.
10. These individuals learn intentionally and unintentionally from the whole environment.
10. Their organisations are open systems which are sensitive to the social, political, and economic conditions found in their external environment.
Now that a comparison between learning by individuals and learning by organisations has been expounded, the link between teachers’ professional development and school improvement, will be briefly ventured into. The SMT is urged to examine their own performance and to employ self-improvement strategies such as peer coaching and adopting new partnerships in professional learning communities (Pratt, 2014). Against the above historical background of the evolution of education, this chapter proceeds with a discussion on school improvement within the COLT, as laid down in the Employment of Educators’ Act (South Africa, 1998). It is envisioned that in so doing, it will aid me, the researcher, to develop a theoretical framework to examine and analyse elicited data on the role of the SMT as instructional leaders. Hence, I will bear in mind that an integral function of the school as a learning organisation encompasses members of the SMT forging school improvement through the professional development of teachers under their care. In view of the above, an examination of present debates on the above phenomenon of professional development and school improvement, follows.