Abstract
Globally, governments have recognised education's role in stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty and inequality. Schools introduced Performance Management System models to improve their teachers' accountability and proficiency to enhance education quality and improve school performance. In South Africa, schools have implemented the Quality Management System (QMS) to enhance performance through accountability and improved teaching competence, like its predecessor, the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS). As QMS was only fully implemented in South Africa in 2022, there is limited research on the topic. This study aimed to fill the gap by exploring the perceptions and experiences of the school management teams (SMT) in implementing QMS in public high schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. South African education policy tasked the school managers with planning, training, and implementing QMS in schools; therefore, it is imperative to gauge their views and experiences of the impact of QMS in its infancy. This study explored how QMS was implemented in two high schools in the Burlington circuit of Durban, KZN, within a qualitative, multi-site case study approach. Purposive sampling was utilised to select the schools based on their contrasting 2022 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results. Four members from each school's management team were chosen as participants to gain insights into their perceptions and experiences as primary implementers of QMS. The data was obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis of minutes of staff meetings, QMS management plans, QMS performance records, school fee policy, and NSC School Performance report. The main findings indicated that the SMTs understood their responsibility in implementing the new PMS. However, due to insufficient training, they faced difficulties persuading teachers to participate and managing the challenges linked to implementation. It was noted that the QMS improves accountability, but without feedback and support, teaching does not improve. Underpinned by transformational leadership theory, the study recommends that leaders adopt a transformational leadership style to implement and garner effective support for QMS. Finally, this study recommends that the Department of Education provide teachers with the necessary resources, training, advocacy, and guidance to effectively implement and achieve the aims of QMS effectively.