Abstract
The purpose of the study is to explore the management of diversity in language and culture among high school principals in the Nkangala district of Mpumalanga province. This study was motivated by the fact that most school principals lack the required abilities to handle diversity, particularly in dominant areas such as language, cultural beliefs, religion, intelligence, and socioeconomic class, to ensure that everyone who visits school premises is exposed to a welcoming environment. The study employed a qualitative methodology and a narrative approach because narratives reveal connections between words in different texts and between texts and social reality. Purposeful sampling was used to collect data from six principals in the Nkangala district in Mpumalanga province. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews. Then the data were analysed using thematic data analysis. Religion-related differences have been identified as the biggest barrier to managing linguistic and cultural diversity in the schools sampled. The study findings showed that the principals used the Department of Education codes of conduct and regulations as a guide to manage diversity.
Key words: diversity management, culture, language, inclusive education, marginalisation.