Heads of Department's role in implementation of History syllabi at selected Zimbabwean secondary schools: an instructional leadership perspective

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the school-based instructional leadership role of Heads of Department (HODs) in the implementation of different History syllabi. It seeks to establish the practices that History HODs carry out in order to improve the teaching and learning of the subject. HODs are subject specialists who are responsible for establishing and ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in their subjects. This study is a response to the claim that History HODs often fail to rise to expectations in ensuring effective curriculum implementation in the subject. Qualitative data was collected through the study of circulars and policy documents and by conducting structured, in-depth interviews with fifteen key informants sampled from selected schools in the Glen View/Mufakose district in Harare. The key finding from this study is that the HODs were the de facto instructional leaders during the implementation of the History syllabi and that their level of involvement determines the success and/or failure of History syllabi. The paper concludes by asserting that HODs play a critical role in the implementation of History syllabi, since they are at the chalk face and directly supervise the implementation of changes in the subject as illustrated at five secondary schools used in the study. Keywords: HOD; Instructional leadership; Implementation; History Syllabus; Supervision.

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

“…Principals alone cannot run a school in addition to being responsible for the teaching in the school. The involvement of HoDs in this sphere is undeniable, as they are the curriculum managers and influence teacher practice in the classroom (Lumadi, 2017;Mestry, 2017, Sengai, 2021Tapala et al, 2020). Research in the function, rationale, and growth of middle leadership in schools, results from principalship as a unique view of leadership to greater combined accountability for leadership in schools (Odhiambo, 2014).…”

“…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).…”

“…Therefore, instructional leadership's tasks are more related to the crucial purpose of school which entails teaching and learning and supporting teachers and learners towards educational excellence in a safe, supportive and collaborative work environment that stimulates creativity and innovative teaching strategies (Leithwood, 2016;Mthiyane et al, 2019;Ogina, 2017;Sengai, 2021;Simpson et al, 2016). Corrick and Reed (2019) maintain that a considerable weight of expectation is placed upon HoDs to develop, promote, implement and evaluate quality goals and regulations to attain expected academic performance within their schools.…”

“…Most research studies on school management focus on the leadership of school principals (Lumadi, 2017;Chabalala & Naidoo, 2021). Nevertheless, there is a rapidly increasing interest in the management and leadership of other members of the SMTs in schools, highlighting the changes and growing complexity of schools (De Nobile, 2018;Harris & Jones, 2017;Sengai, 2021;Tapala et al, 2020).…”

“…Their management and leadership in teaching and learning are fundamental to developing effective primary schools. HoDs are expected to manage comprehensively, control, and monitor teachers' work output to enhance teaching and learning (Bipath & Nkabinde, 2018;Mampane, 2017;Sengai, 2021). In South Africa, some primary schools are regarded as performing schools owing to their successful attainment of the district or provincial academic performance targets.…”