Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was a global public health and safety crisis that significantly impacted schools and school leaders. This investigation aimed to examine the approaches, skills and attributes used by school leaders during the COVID-19 crisis in South African public schools. The conceptual framework was Mutch’s ‘three sets of crisis leadership attributes’ premised on dispositional, relational and situational attributes. The study was located within the social constructive paradigm and executed by means of a generic qualitative design. Data were collected using semi-structured individual interviews with a teacher and a principal from each of five schools who formed the sample of ten participants. Data was analysed using a thematic approach and the findings revealed four themes. The first theme was the ‘emergence of adaptive leadership’ which identified a need for principals to take charge and make decisions in uncertain times to adapt to the changing circumstances. In addition, principals had to engage in constant learning and updating of information in their decision making. The second theme was ‘principals’ skills and attributes for crises management’ which revealed the need for effective communication, transparency and trust, empathy, emotional intelligence, the ability to remain calm, promoting teamwork and emitting a leadership presence in the school. The third theme, ‘technology integration and digital learning challenges’ revealed difficulties encountered in the transition to digital learning, a lack of digital resources and a lack of digital skills. The fourth theme identified four ‘threats to physical and mental wellness’ which were teacher burnout, fears of infection, family responsibility and comorbidities. It is recommended that crises case studies be used in principal training programmes with a focus on leadership styles, approaches, skills and attributes for crises as well as strategic management during crises. Crises leadership courses and digital leadership training should be introduced into higher educational programmes. The securing of resources and movement towards distance learning should not be abandoned as schools resume post-pandemic teaching and learning. A school safety and security policy for crisis management must be drawn up by each school to fit its existing structure and cater to its school community needs.
Keywords: crisis management, COVID-19 pandemic, school leaders, leadership attributes, leadership skills, leadership approaches, crisis leadership, online learning