https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/6433 2026-08-07T09:23:39Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32889 Managing the continuous professional development of foundation phase teachers in primary schools in the Gauteng East District Janse van Vuuren, Adel This study investigated how continuous professional development (CPD) of Foundation Phase (FP) teachers is managed in primary schools in the Gauteng East District. This was done to find out how CPD is currently managed, why CPD is so important for FP teachers in particular, and to establish how FP teachers in this district perceive and benefit from the process of CPD. Furthermore, it aimed to identify factors that can possibly be a barrier to the implementation of an effective professional development programme for FP teachers in the district, and to determine how to effectively manage these factors in the Gauteng East District. This study was a qualitative study. Foundation Phase teachers, departmental heads and a school principal were interviewed and participated in a focus group discussion. Document analysis was employed as a research tool to gain a deeper understanding of the policies and regulations related to the management of continuous professional development. The theoretical framework for this study was underpinned by three theories: the andragogy theory by Malcolm Knowles, transformative learning theory by Jack Mezirow, and instructional leadership theory. These theories provided a lens through which the data was interpreted and enabled a deeper understanding of how adult learning principles and school leadership practices influence the management of CPD. This study revealed that the management of CPD needs to be cautiously planned and successfully implemented to the benefit of the school, educators and learners. Professional development activities equip educators with the knowledge and skills required to keep up with changes taking place in the education system. The success of educator development programmes can improve by adopting a collaborative approach, setting a clear vision, and ensuring that post-evaluation training is taking place. Effective leadership is vital to continuously monitor the outcomes of professional development programmes. Key findings of the study revealed that the management of CPD was inconsistent and lacked strategic planning. FP educators in the Gauteng East District do not receive adequate training during professional development sessions. In addition, training institutes for student teachers do not prepare future teachers for the reality of various classroom challenges. Furthermore, policies for professional development of educators are not well known to iv principals. A clear understanding of CPD expectations is needed to enhance the management of CPD programmes for FP educators. Principals and the School Management Team (SMT) members need to be equipped with skills and policy knowledge to lead and manage CPD programmes. To bridge the gap between university training and real-world teaching, educators should engage in hands-on activities during CPD training. This will lead to a clearer understanding of how to apply new strategies in their own classroom, leading to improved teaching quality and better learning experiences for learners. Additionally, practical engagement solidifies theoretical knowledge, ensuring that teachers can immediately apply what they have learned. A clear understanding of CPD expectations will enhance the management of CPD programmes for FP educators. It will also lead to effective implementation of CPD programmes. The study contributes to understanding how CPD is managed in the Gauteng East District, and it highlights the importance of aligning adult learning principles with effective instructional leadership to foster meaningful and sustainable professional development. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32751 The role of the School Governing Body in supporting teacher resilience in the face of learner indiscipline in Western Cape high schools Goldstone, Cyril Gary This study critically investigated the underexplored nexus between school governance and teacher resilience, specifically examining the capacity of school governing bodies (SGBs) to mitigate the effects of persistent learner indiscipline in Western Cape high schools. Positioned within South Africa’s decentralised democratic governance model, a salient contradiction was identified: despite their statutory authority, SGBs are largely constrained by administrative compliance, with their potential role in sustaining teachers amid behavioural crises remaining both conceptually and operationally underdeveloped. The research inquiry was theoretically anchored within an integrated framework that synthesised social capital theory (Bourdieu, Coleman, Putnam, Landman) and socioecological resilience theory (Bronfenbrenner, Ungar). This synthesis facilitated a systemic analysis that transcended individualised coping narratives, reconceptualising resilience as a relationally embedded phenomenon. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods research approach ensured methodological rigour. A quantitative survey of 355 SGB members established statistically significant consensus on the need for expanded SGB involvement in teacher support while revealing substantive deficits in training, role clarity, and structural guidance. Subsequent qualitative analysis of 30 semi structured interviews yielded four coherent thematic findings: the imperative to reconceptualise SGB roles beyond compliance; actionable governance strategies for resilience support; socio-community determinants of learner indiscipline; and contextual constraints in Western Cape schools. The study’s principal theoretical contribution is the empirically grounded School Governing Body Resilience Support Framework (SRSF). This cyclical framework – comprising four interdependent pillars, namely, Empowerment, Engagement, Intervention, and Evaluation – repositions SGBs as a pivotal coordinating node within schools’ socioecological system. The SRSF provides a theoretically coherent, contextually attuned model for leveraging social capital and aligning governance praxis with proactive teacher support. The study concludes by advancing evidence-based recommendations for SGBs, school management teams, and provincial education authorities, emphasising policy recalibration, structured capacitation, and institutional uptake of the proposed framework. By theorising teacher resilience as a governance-enabled collective endeavour, this research makes a substantive contribution to scholarship in educational leadership and offers a pragmatic instrument for policy reform, professional practice, and sustainable school advancement. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32686 Departmental head’s experiences in mentoring and supporting novice secondary teachers in rural Malelane circuit, Mpumalanga Province Khoza, Bhekinkosi Postoli The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of Department Heads (DHs) in supporting and mentoring novice secondary school teachers in rural Malelane circuit, Mpumalanga Province. The main research drawn from the aim of the study was -what are the experiences of the Departmental Heads (DHs) in mentoring and supporting novice secondary teachers in rural Malelane circuit Mpumalanga province? The study took place in one circuit in a rural area of Mpumalanga Province. The study took a qualitative approach and used a case study design. The study was conducted in four schools in the selected circuit. The study used the theoretical framework of the Situational Mentoring Framework by Kajs to guide it. The study participants were eight DHs from the four schools, with two DHs per school. A semi-structured interview was used to gather the data from the participants. The findings of the study show that DHs assume the role of being mentors to novice teachers by virtue of being head of the department and head of the subject under the department. In preparation for mentoring novice teachers, DHs organise all the teaching and learning resources that the novice teacher requires. DHs mentor and support novice teachers by discussing policy documents with novice teachers and assisting novice teachers to plan and present lessons. During the mentorship process, the DHs experience challenges from novice teachers, such as inappropriate dress code, absenteeism, arrogant behaviour of the novice teachers, poor classroom management and inability to talk about frustrations. The DHs address their experience in the mentoring process by meeting with novice teachers and discussing the problems encountered, as well as encouraging novice teachers to adopt positive behaviour. DHs also report to the senior management by providing a report on the progress of the mentorship process and the competency of the novice teachers in classroom management. 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32639 Experiences of female principals regarding leadership and management support received from school stakeholders in Ekurhuleni Education District Ngomane, Tirhani Doreen This study explored the experiences of female principals regarding the support they receive or do not receive from various stakeholders within the Ekurhuleni Education District, South Africa. The study focused on how stakeholder support influences leadership and management performance, how female principals' strategies they use, and support structure are required to strengthen their leadership roles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of female principals in educational leadership, with particular attention to the nature and effects of stakeholders’ support in their professional roles. A qualitative research approach was used, and a multiple-site case study design was adopted, with data collected through semi-structured interviews and observations during the interviews. The study indicate that leadership and management experiences of female principals are strongly associated with effective stakeholder support, including collaboration with teachers, engagement with parents, and support from School Governing Bodies (SGB). It means that such support from the different stakeholders promotes accountability, shared responsibility, and improved school performance. Conversely, negative experience is linked to inefficient stakeholder support and gendered expectations that undermine authority. Female principals address these challenges by fostering shared visions, promoting collaboration, delegating responsibilities and building professional networks to enhance their leadership and management responsibilities. The study concludes that effective stakeholder support is essential for enabling female principals to lead successfully. It recommends strengthening collaborative practices, enhancing stakeholder accountability, and promoting gendersensitive leadership approaches. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z