School leadership and social justice: Evidence from Ghana and Tanzania

The implications of school improvement and school effectiveness research for primary school principals in Ethiopia

“…Poor attendance (UNESCO 2010c), participation in work (MoE 2012b) and low test scores (Poluha 2004) all contribute to grade repetition. In the context of Ghana, Bosu et al (2011) report on the action research of a principal who realised that the achievement of some Grade 6 boys was being negatively affected by regular absence on market days; she raised the issue with the students and their parents and organised catch-up classes for work they had missed, with the result that the students' attendance and attainment greatly improved, and all completed their primary schooling. While similar studies on school leadership in There is a general lack of research into teaching and learning in Ethiopia, domain 1 of the SIP.…”

Changing perceptions is one thing…: barriers to transforming leadership and learning in Ghanaian basic schools

“…Corporal punishment continues, as do inflexible rules and sanctions which fail to accommodate domestic routines and children's contribution to the family economy, through activities such as early morning fishing or household chores. Bosu et al (2011) and Essuman and Akyeampong (2011) argue for educational reform in Ghana that is values driven and reflects the everyday lives and priorities of communities. The emphasis on values is not only consistent with Arnot's (2008) emancipatory model but is also pragmatic, taking into account the importance of engaging practitioners at the centre of proposed reforms in order to ensure that pathways of reform are sustained through enthusiasm, collegiality and professional and personal commitment (Frost et al 2000).…”

“…In spite of its colonial history, conventions and potential barriers to change, those in positions of power across the Ghanaian educational system at government, regional and local levels are responding to the challenge to review and recast the nature of pedagogy and leadership for learning from primary through higher education (Akyeampong 2009;Bosu et al 2011;Bush, Kiggundu, and Moorosi 2011;Morley, Leach, and Lugg 2009). Bosu et al (2011) describe the process of exploring opportunities for innovation in Ghanaian education, where values can be explored and tested by those who will lead the way forward in encouraging sustainable community-focused change.…”

“…Bosu et al (2011) describe the process of exploring opportunities for innovation in Ghanaian education, where values can be explored and tested by those who will lead the way forward in encouraging sustainable community-focused change. Engaging the wider school community to support change in transitioning countries of sub-Saharan Africa is recognised as an essential component of providing meaningful, lasting change (Hoadley et al 2009).…”

A social work study on relationship between leadership style and organization change: A case study of Semnan high schools' teachers

“…According to their results, there was a parallel relationship between the effectiveness of schools and high leadership skills possessed by managers. Bosu et al (2011) performed an investigation on notions of leadership agency and 'social justice' within an African educational context, with a specific focus on the school level. The study presented some positive influences generated by the headteachers' actions and indicated ways in which these actions illustrated developments in areas of 'social justice' associated with fairness, equity, recognition, and redistribution.…”