The COVID-19 crisis presented challenges for all systems worldwide, yet it also shed
light on the significant potential for a groundbreaking leadership style to tackle them.
In the Ekurhuleni North District of Gauteng, four primary school principals in Quintiles
1-3 schools demonstrated leadership by going above and beyond to ensure their
learners continued to receive a high-quality education. In schools lacking the top
resources and ICT amenities, these principals implemented approaches such as
WhatsApp and Learner Activity Packs (LAPs) to ensure their learners were not further
disadvantaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. By doing so, they ensured that “No child
was left behind” and that every learner in their respective schools had access to quality
education, with adaptable and compassionate leadership. The study's findings reveal
the effectiveness of these leadership styles in addressing the challenges posed by the
pandemic and their potential for long-term educational equality.
Some critics argue that disadvantaged schools face challenges with class sizes and
finances. The ground-breaking approaches taken by these school principals in the
Ekurhuleni North District present a different perspective. Their flexible leadership
styles not only confront the disruptions caused by the pandemic but also set the
foundation for long-term educational equality. By embracing technology, building
community partnerships, and continually advocating for their school’s needs, these
principals demonstrated that the real constraint is not a lack of resources but a limited
imagination. They highlighted that with leadership and community focus, positive
educational changes can happen even in challenging situations.
Die uitbreek van die Covid-19-krisis het uitdagings vir alle stelsels wêreldwyd gebied,
maar dit het ook lig gewerp op die beduidende potensiaal vir baanbrekende
leierskapstyl wat nodig is om hierdie uitdagings aan te pak. In die Ekurhuleni Noorddistrik
van Gauteng het vier laerskoolhoofde in 'n Kwintiel 1-3-skole
leierskapsvaardighede getoon deur bo en behalwe vir hul leerders te gaan om te
verseker dat hul leerders voortgaan om 'n hoë-gehalte onderwys te ontvang. Hierdie
skoolhoofde werk in skole wat nie die beste hulpbronne en IKT gehad het nie, en het
benaderings geïmplementeer soos die gebruik van WhatsApp en
Leerderaktiwiteitspakkette (LAP's) om te verseker dat hul leerders nie verder deur
Covid-19-pandemie benadeel word nie. Deur dit te doen, het hulle verseker dat elke
“Geen kind agtergelaat word nie” en elke leerder in hul onderskeie skole toegang tot
gehalte-onderrig ontvang met leierskap wat aanpasbaar en deernisvol is.
Sommige kritici voer aan dat benadeelde skole uitdagings in die gesig staar wat die
aantal leerders in 'n klas en finansies betref. Die baanbrekerbenaderings wat deur
hierdie skoolhoofde in Ekurhuleni-Noord-distrik geneem is, bied 'n ander perspektief.
Hul buigsame leierskapstyle het nie die ontwrigtings wat deur die pandemie
veroorsaak is, gekonfronteer nie, maar het ook die grondslag gelê vir langtermynonderwysgelykheid.
Deur tegnologie te omhels, gemeenskapsvennootskappe te bou
en voortdurend te pleit vir hul skole se behoeftes; hierdie beginsels het getoon dat die
werklike beperking nie 'n gebrek aan hulpbronne is nie, maar dié van beperkte
verbeelding. Hulle het 'n waarheid beklemtoon dat met leierskap en
gemeenskapsfokus positiewe veranderinge in onderwys selfs in moeilike situasies kan
plaasvind.
Ukuqubuka kwenhlekelele ye-Covid-19 kulethe izinselelo kuzo zonke izinhlelo
emhlabeni jikelele, nokho futhi kukhanyisela amandla abalulekile esitayela sobuholi
esidingekayo ukuze kubhekwane nalezi zinselelo. Esifundeni sase-Ekurhuleni
eNyakatho yeGauteng othishanhloko abane bezikole zamabanga aphansi ezikoleni
eziku-Quintile 1-3 bakhombise amakhono obuholi ngokwenza okungaphezu kwalokho
kubafundi babo ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi abafundi babo bayaqhubeka nokuthola
imfundo esezingeni eliphezulu. Njengoba besebenza ezikoleni ezingenazo izinsiza
eziphezulu kanye ne-ICT, laba thishanhloko basebenzise izindlela ezifana
nokusebenzisa i-WhatsApp kanye nama-LAPs ukuze baqinisekise abafundi babo
lapho bengancishwe amathuba khona ngenxa yobhubhane lwe-Covid-19. Ngokwenza
kanjalo, baqinisekisa ukuthi akukho ngane eyasala ngemuva futhi wonke umfundi
ezikoleni zabo ngokwehlukana kwabo uthola ukufinyelela emfundweni esezingeni
eliphezulu enobuholi obuvumelana nezimo nozwelo.
Abanye abagxeki bathi izikole ezintulayo zibhekana nezinselelo ngokwenani labafundi
ekilasini nangokwezimali. Izindlela eziphusile ezithathwe yilaba thishanhloko,
esifundeni sase-Ekurhuleni eNyakatho ziveza umbono ohlukile. Izitayela zabo
zobuholi eziguquguqukayo azizange zibhekane nokuphazamiseka okubangelwa
yilolu bhubhane kodwa futhi zabeka isisekelo sokulingana kwemfundo yesikhathi
eside. Ngokwamukela ubuchwepheshe, ukwakha ubudlelwano bomphakathi kanye
nokuqhubeka nokumela izidingo zezikole zabo; laba thishanhloko bakhombise ukuthi
into eyingqinamba ayikona ukushoda kwezinsiza kodwa wukucabanga
okulinganiselwe. Bagqamisa iqiniso lokuthi ngokugxila kobuholi kanye nomphakathi,
izinguquko ezinhle kwezemfundo zingenzeka ngisho nasezimeni ezinzima.
