4.2 Presentation of findings 63
4.2.1 Principals’ conceptualisations of their roles in supporting instructional
4.2.1.2 The school’s vision 68
Crucially, all four participants highlighted the importance of having a vision for the school. A vision provided a sense of direction for the principals and their schools. Mrs Naicker, Mr Nkosi and Dr Chetty espoused the Department of Basic Education’s (DoBE) vision of providing quality teaching and learning for all. This is well captured by Mr Nkosi of Albatross Secondary who maintained that:
Our vision is in line with the vision of the Department of Basic Education (DoBE), which is to provide quality teaching and learning. (Mr Nkosi)
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However, Dr Chetty cautioned that we should not just look at the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination as the sole benchmark for learner performance, but rather align the curriculum to the demands of the economy. Dr Chetty of Kestrel Secondary emphasised this by stating:
We also offer the packages where we believe that these students can get jobs. I believe that by offering Mechanical Technology, Civil Technology, Electrical Technology, and Engineering Graphics and Design – we may not be getting such a high percentage pass because they have to do those subjects with Mathematics and Physical Science ... But even those who fail have got a better chance of getting a job. (Dr Chetty)
Dr Chetty seems to have aligned Kestrel’s vision with South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP). The National Development Plan (NDP) is a blueprint for achieving socio-economic milestones such as increasing employment, reducing poverty and inequality, and improving living standards for the majority of South Africans. The National Development Plan (NDP) has diverse objectives such as providing quality education and skills development. Furthermore, it aims to match skilled, technical, professional and managerial posts to truly reflect South Africa’s racial, gender and disability profile (National Planning Commission, 2011). This shows that Dr Chetty is a visionary leader who is actively promoting the National Development Plan (NDP).
By offering technical and trade subjects, learners from Kestrel Secondary have a better chance of finding jobs as there is a dire shortage of skilled professionals in South Africa.
In addition, Mr Ramdin of Robin Primary explained that his school’s vision encompassed an invitational approach. He stated:
Our school’s vision – one can look at it as three parts: an input, a throughput, and an output. We look at an inviting environment that we want to create - so that is the input. The throughput – it is the experience of the child, and all the programmes that make up the school [the learning experience]. The output – whilst we cannot measure that, but we hope the child will be on his way towards being a productive citizen. (Mr Ramdin)
Findings from Robin Primary seem to suggest that Mr Ramdin employed different strategies to create an invitational approach. Firstly, teachers were supported in their efforts to deliver the curriculum to the learners. There were forums where teachers could air their views and receive
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feedback or feed-forward. Crucially, Mr Ramdin indicated that school programmes were constantly reviewed to check whether they were effective. Secondly, remedial programmes and guidance counselling were offered to learners who were in need of such services. Thirdly, Robin Primary initiated a parental skills workshop in order to improve parenting skills. Thus, Robin Primary actively lived its vision and mission statement, and this dovetailed with the school’s motto: ‘learn to serve’.
Similarly, at the SMT meeting held on 19/09/2013, Dr Chetty stressed that when planning for 2014, Kestrel Secondary needed to be true to the vision and mission of the Department of Basic Education (DoBE). With this in mind, Dr Chetty advised that learners be “empowered with computer skills to meet the challenges of the modern economy”. In addition, at a staff meeting held on 19/01/2013, Mrs Naicker indicated that Penguin Primary will prioritise “learning outputs and teaching inputs”. Furthermore, Mr Ramdin opined that the invitational approach of Robin Primary was encapsulated in its motto: ‘learn to serve’. Thus, the documents reviewed confirmed the findings deduced from the interviews.
Crucially, the Department of Basic Education’s (DoBE) Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025 envisions school principals being professional managers, implementing all curricular activities and departmental policies, and improving the standard of basic education (DoBE, 2010). Similarly, the first dimension of Weber’s (1987) instructional leadership model involves setting academic goals. Here the principal sets the vision and goals for the school with others, which invariably focuses on strategies and measures to improve learner achievement outcomes. Thus, the vision of Penguin Primary, Albatross Secondary and Kestrel Secondary focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning. On the other hand, Robin Primary’s vision of school improvement was based on an invitational approach. Scholars such as Nanus (1992), Fullan (2009) and Hallinger (2009) contend that it is vital for a school to have a vision in order to set a clear direction for the school and improve learning outcomes (Klar &
Brewer, 2013).
In summarising this sub-theme, the key finding that emerged was the importance of having a vision in order to provide a sense of direction for the school. Thus, the vision is invariably based on providing quality teaching and learning and maximising school improvement.
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