Abstract
M.Ed.
More than before there is a growing awareness of the role of the school
principal in improving instruction and learning as illustrated by research on
school effectiveness (Everard, Morris& Smith, 1990: 88). However, a striking
aspect of efforts made to improve the managerial capabilities of school
principals is the neglect of the unique needs for school principals. Therefore,
the Education Action Zones team found that there was indeed a high sense of
awareness of the need to improve learners' performance in the Grade 12
level, through the induction of principals for effective curriculum management
and leadership (Nunn, 2000:1) According to Duke (1991: 271) only four of 45 principals have received formal
orientation to their positions in USA. Without formal orientation principals soon
begin to discover administration. So the visits by the EAZ team to the schools
may contribute in improving them through inducting principals (Nunn, 2000:1).
The Education Action Zone's intervention strategy has identified that schools
have problems that they are unable to analyse. Subsequently the EAZ team
was instructed to identify key problem areas that could be attended to in a
short period of time through inducting principals (Thembela & Walters,
1997:114). Unlike several European countries, such as Sweden - and most North
American jurisdictions that require formal managerial preparation for
principalship prior to appointment, it is not the case in South Africa (Foster,
Smith & Thurlow, 1997:32). The lack of appropriate induction mechanisms
have had a negative impact on the schooling system as Hart and Welding,
(1996:309) explain. Education management is both a complex and
continuously changing undertaking, for this reason managers cannot be well
prepared for the task "once and for all". Changing contexts, changingexpectations
and new knowledge about best leadership practices all provide a warrant for considerable investment in the continuing professional
development of education managers (Hallinger, 1998:201).
Professional development through an induction strategy of education
managers enables principals to create relationships with the community, the
district and their colleagues. However it is an administrative responsibility that
is often neglected or loosely organised in many school districts (Rebore,
1991:36). The Education Action Zones intervention strategy has identified that
social contracts could be drawn up between parents and the school to
enhance this relationship (Nunn, 2000:5). The industrial and business
communities place higher priority on induction, they have recognised for many
years the course and relationship of this process to employee retention and
job performance whereas in the education department induction is neglected
(Thembele & Walters, 1997:114). The induction of principals should not be neglected because a school system
can recruit, select, assign, reassign and transfer personnel but until these
individuals become fully adjusted to the work to be performed, they cannot be
expected to give their best effort to obtain the goals of the institution
(Castetter; 1990:260).
To attain goals of the institution the principal must be able to adapt and fit in
without abandoning his/her principles (Theron & Bothma, 1990:36). In view of
the foregoing the Education Action Zone's intervention strategy of inducting
principals for curriculum management - and leadership is of utmost importance. The aims of this research are to:
explore the nature of the Education Action Zone's induction strategy for
principals,
examine the perception of principals with regard to Education Action
Zone's induction strategy and
develop strategies that can be used to induct principals.