Exploring school management teams’ ethical leadership practices in managing schools in Tshwane West District 15, Gauteng Province

Abstract

Many educators, policymakers, social leaders, researchers and other stakeholders may question the relevance and efficacy of ethical school leadership and management in shaping a moral leadership trajectory for education, given the significant ethical leadership deficiencies across various societal sectors. The study examined school management teams (SMTs)' ethical leadership practices in managing schools in Tshwane West District 15, Gauteng Province. It investigated how SMT leaders and decision-makers apply honesty, fairness, transparency, accountability and respect. The study used a qualitative research methodology to examine SMT ethical leadership in the socio-educational setting. This study used a constructivist research paradigm because participants' worldviews, environmental understanding and interpretation provided insights. Twenty-four study participants had semi-structured interviews. Participants included teachers, department heads, principals and deputy principals. The study employed a qualitative technique to analyse and report results from a desktop-gathered methodology that also included various educational ethics, leadership and management policies. The goal of this research was to create a typology of ethical school leadership and management practices. It also sought to provide a fresh and complete view on ethical school leadership in the dynamic environment of school management and leadership, influenced by Ubuntu model. The model's four concepts of Respect, Service, Justice, Community Building and Honesty supported by seven ethical leadership values of Fairness, Morality, Trust, Accountability, Equality, Mutual Respect and Social Justice, revealed new ethical leadership possibilities and approaches for school research, practice and development. Several recommendations from the findings included SMT ethical principles that must conform to the Department of Basic Education’s guidelines on ethics and leadership. The study also recommends establishing an SMT community of practice, ongoing ethics and awareness training, establishment of a staff-focused ethical awareness grid, and adoption of a comprehensive school ethics operational model to infuse ethical principles across all school leadership, management, and daily practices. Based on literature contributions and theoretical frameworks, the study concluded that ethical school leadership can continue to mediate between the emotional moral ownership of knowledge and the ethical concealment of knowledge by school leaders.