New principals in Africa: preparation, induction and practice

Bush, Tony; Oduro, G.

doi:10.1108/09578230610676587

Cited by 150 publications

(158 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…There has never been a formal entry qualification into the principalship in South Africa, except for a general teaching qualification. This is not only the case for South Africa, but for all other African countries and beyond as noted by Bush and Oduro (2006). These authors indicate that in Africa, principals are often appointed on the basis of a successful record as teachers.…”

Section: Training For Principalshipmentioning

confidence: 89%

South African Female Principals’ Career Paths: Understanding the Gender Gap in Secondary School Management

Moorosi

2010

Educational Management Administration & Leadership

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This article reports on data from a larger scale study exploring female principals' experiences of their career route to the principalship of secondary schools in South Africa. To understand these experiences, the study used an analytical framework that identifies three phases principals go through on their career route, namely: anticipation, acquisition and performance. The framework suggests that women experience more obstacles than men on their career route and their experiences are influenced by personal, organisational and social factors. These factors manifest in social practices within and outside schools and affect women across the three phases of the career route. Central to these experiences, is the underlying male norm of who is more appropriate for secondary school principalship.

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Section: Training For Principalshipmentioning

confidence: 89%

South African Female Principals’ Career Paths: Understanding the Gender Gap in Secondary School Management

Moorosi

2010

Educational Management Administration & Leadership

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“…Researchers such as Grissom and Harrington (2010) and Leithwood et al (2004) have demonstrated that training the school leadership team is fundamental to improving learning and transferring knowledge (Leithwood et al, 2004;Grissom and Harrington, 2010;Swaffield et al, 2013). However, to date, little has been done to improve the school leadership teams in Africa, particularly in West Africa (Bush and Oduro, 2006;Bush et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning Transfer: The Missing Link to Learning among School Leaders in Burkina Faso and Ghana

Brion

Cordeiro

2018

Front. Educ.

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Every year, billions of dollars are spent on development aid and training around the world. However, only 10% of this training results in the transfer of knowledge, skills, or behaviors learned in the training to the work place. Ideally, learning transfer produces effective and continued application by learners of the knowledge and skills they gained through their learning activities. Currently, there is a limited body of research examining the factors that hinder and promote learning transfer in professional development, particularly the professional development of school leaders in developing countries. This qualitative exploratory study sought to address the gap in the literature by examining six schools: three in Burkina Faso and three in Ghana, West Africa. This investigation explored what promoted and hindered learning transfer in both countries. The sample consisted of 13 West-African school leaders (6 in Burkina Faso and 7 in Ghana) who attended a 3-day leadership training workshop. Data collection included in-depth interviews, document analysis, post-training site visits, and text messages to ascertain whether this mobile technology intervention enhanced learning transfer. The findings demonstrated that learning transfer occurred in both countries in all six schools. Data indicated that most of the transfer of learning happened in areas not requiring mindset and behavioral changes. Data suggested that the facilities in which the trainings took place, the facilitators' dispositions and knowledge, the adequacy of the materials as well as the testimonials and certificate of completions enhanced the transfer of learning. Participants also indicated some inhibitors to the transfer of learning, such as financial, cultural, and human behavior constraints. This study helps increase our understanding of what promotes and inhibits learning transfer in educational settings in Burkina Faso and Ghana and provides suggestions for trainers and teachers who facilitate trainings.

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“…Third, a second hand search of reports issued by aid agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working in Malawi in the education sector generated several reports on the work of these organizations but nothing specific on the preparation of headteachers except for three failed attempts by the Department for International Development (DFID), the World Bank and the African Development Bank. Bush and Oduro (2006) state what resonates with many scholars who have conducted research on the preparation of headteachers in Africa. "Throughout Africa", they write "there is no formal requirement for principals to be trained as school managers.…”

Section: Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 75%

Headteacher Preparation in Mzuzu, Malawi, Africa

Wamba¹

2015

JEL

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The purpose of this researcher was to examine the in-service experiences of seven headteachers in Luwinga ward in Mzuzu, Malawi, and the challenges they encountered in their first year on the job. A modified version of the questionnaire and interview guide developed by the members of the International Study of the Preparation of Principals at the University of Calgary, Canada was used to conduct this study. The collected data were clustered, coded, analyzed and interpreted. The findings suggest that opportunities for pre-service and in-service headteacher training in Mzuzu are almost nonexistent. Training is ad hoc, idiosyncratic and does not seem to follow a specific pattern. Criteria for the selection of headteachers include a successful record of teaching, prior record of leadership in school or outside, religious affiliation, a university certificate or degree and last but not least political influence. In the last section, the author offers recommendations.

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New principals in Africa: preparation, induction and practice

Cited by 150 publications

References 11 publications

South African Female Principals’ Career Paths: Understanding the Gender Gap in Secondary School Management

South African Female Principals’ Career Paths: Understanding the Gender Gap in Secondary School Management

Learning Transfer: The Missing Link to Learning among School Leaders in Burkina Faso and Ghana

Headteacher Preparation in Mzuzu, Malawi, Africa

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