Context matters: Heads of Department's leadership practices in monitoring and supporting teachers in schools participating in Jika iMfundo

Abstract

Jika iMfundo, with its particular focus on curriculum coverage, is an intervention for systemic education change. In this paper we focus on the extent to which Heads of Departments (HoDs) are able to play an adaptive leadership role in supporting the teachers in their departments. We report on data generated from interviews with HODs in fifteen KwaZulu-Natal schools that had been part of the Jika iMfundo intervention from 2015 to 2017. While Jika iMfundo's aim is to shift HODs' leadership practices from being based on technical compliance to the achievement of a more developmental and supportive role, our findings show that the majority of HODs were not able to do this because of their heavy workloads and overwhelming administrative responsibilities. We argue that the theory of change based on the Programme for Improving Learning Outcomes (PILO) has unrealistic expectations of HODs as key levers of change for curriculum coverage and, furthermore, that this theory does not take into account the realities and variations of resourcing in different school contexts.

Factors Impacting Heads of Department’s Management of Teaching and Learning in Primary Schools: A South African Perspective

“…HoDs also lead in guiding and inspiring teachers within their departments to implement the curriculum effectively. Mthiyane et al (2019) emphasise that the role of the HoDs entails, inter alia, administration, management, supervision, staff development and leadership. HoDs' efficiency in managing teaching and leadership in promoting excellence in learner academic performance should become a deliberate process of design and achievement.…”

“…HoDs are vital components of the school management teams that provide instructional leadership as change agents in their respective departments (Leithwood, 2016;Mthiyane et al, 2019;Ogina, 2017;Sengai;2021;Simpson et al, 2016). As instructional leaders, HoDs are the necessary means for encouraging distributed leadership and expanding ideas and goals for the learners' performance beyond the principal to other teachers (Seobi & Wood, 2016).…”

“…Moreover, HoDs are accountable for guaranteeing that the vision and goals for the school are well established and attainable. Mthiyane et al (2019) suggest that instructional leaders are significant contributors to success in implementing change in teaching. Mampane (2017) contends that for educators to be able to head a department effectively, they need to be trained as professional developers, managers, overseers and administrators because they create the ideal conditions for change in teaching and learning.…”

“…Mampane (2017) contends that for educators to be able to head a department effectively, they need to be trained as professional developers, managers, overseers and administrators because they create the ideal conditions for change in teaching and learning. Mthiyane et al (2019) and Seobi and Wood (2016) assert that leaders, such as HoDs, make conscious decisions to be instructional leaders in their departments. HoDs manage and lead curriculum delivery at schools.…”

“…They are expected to help teachers set and achieve professional and personal goals to improve school academic performance. Mthiyane et al (2019) contend that an HoD's management is key to improving learner performances at schools. Naidoo and Petersen (2015) indicate that curriculum managers who happen to be HoDs are expected to be highly involved in enhancing instruction and curricula in their respective primary schools.…”