Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly recognised as a transformative technology in education, with the potential to enhance teaching, learning and school management. However, its adoption remains uneven, particularly in under-resourced schools where structural limitations persist. In such contexts, school leadership plays a key role in shaping teachers’ readiness to adopt emerging technologies.
This study examined the relationship between school leadership and teachers’ readiness to adopt AI in under-resourced primary schools in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study employed a quantitative approach within the positivist paradigm.
Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 300 teachers and 20 school principals. A multi-stage sampling approach was used, involving purposive selection of schools and random sampling of teachers. Reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients above 0.70.
Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings showed high levels of readiness among both school leaders and teachers. Leadership vision, leadership support and resource allocation explained 46.5% of the variance in teacher readiness (R² = 0.465), with a significant positive relationship between school leadership and teacher readiness (r = 0.490, p < 0.05).
Despite these positive perceptions, challenges such as limited infrastructure, inadequate training and weak technical support continue to constrain implementation. The study concludes that teacher readiness is shaped by leadership practices and contextual conditions, highlighting the need to strengthen leadership capacity, infrastructure and professional development to support effective AI integration.