Leading change towards sustainable academic improvement at schools of the||Karas region

Abstract

Despite the fact that numerous changes have taken place in the Namibian schooling system to rectify the problems encountered in the schools, the learners in the ||Kharas region of Namibia did not and still do not perform at a satisfactory level in the national examinations. The aim of the study was to determine how leaders can lead the change towards sustainable academic improvement at schools of the ||Kharas region. Principals and departmental heads (HoDs) as leaders and managers of schools are expected to deliver by ensuring that learners in their schools perform well. The government has set standards on measuring the performance of schools. Schools are ranked according to performance in national exams on regional and national level, and this is used as a yardstick for measuring the quality of leadership. School leadership is expected to sustain the academic performance of learners in their schools through good leadership skills and knowledge. The aforementioned background, rationale and statement of the problem are discussed in chapter 1 of this study. This study examined aspects of school leadership, change and sustainable improvement as well as sustainable academic improvement. A comprehensive literature study was undertaken regarding the theme, leadership and change, and is reported on in chapter 2. Interviews were held with principals and HoDs individually at the respective schools in the ||Kharas region in order to collect qualitative data. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and included only principals and head of departments because they are responsible for the leading and management of schools. The research method and design are discussed in chapter 3. The data collected from the interviews were then tape recorded, coded, analysed, interpreted and discussed in chapter 4. The conclusions, recommendations and findings based on the data collected, were then interpreted to come to a conclusion in chapter 5. On the basis of the findings, it seems that there are communication problems between the management teams in schools and also amongst schools in the region. One of the recommendations is that principals and HoDs should work closely with one another at their respective schools and also that schools should work with one another to better the academic results of their learners.