LEADERSHIP EFFICACY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN THE FREE STATE PROVINCE AND ITS EFFECT ON THEIR LEADERSHIP PRACTICES AND THE SCHOOL CLIMATE

Abstract

This study assessed the leadership efficacy of secondary school principals in the Free State Province of South Africa. The aim of the study was to assess the leadership efficacy of school principals in different dimensions of their leadership roles, and to examine the factors (personal and contextual) which affect their leadership efficacy in secondary schools in the Free State Province. These leadership dimensions are: Instructional Leadership and Staff Development, School Climate Development, Community Collaboration, Data-based Decision making Aligned with Legal and Ethical Principles, Resource and Facility Management, Use of Community Resources, Communication in a Diverse Environment, and Development of School Vision. In this study both the qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The sample for this study included 84 secondary school principals from the five districts, that is, the Motheo, Xhariep, Lejweleputswa, Thabo Mofutsanyane and the Fezile Dabi districts. Data was collected by using both questionnaires and semi structured interviews. The questionnaire had both closed and open-ended questions. Closed questions examined the perceptions school principals have about their leadership. Open-ended questions looked at factors affecting the school principals’ leadership practices. The results of the study reveal that the leadership efficacy of school principals in the Free State Province, at an overall mean of 5.27, is moderately high. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in Leadership Efficacy dimensions for secondary school principals. There were statistically significant differences in Leadership efficacy dimensions for the principals, this means that each of the Leadership Efficacy dimensions differed significantly from each other dimension. MANOVA was also run to determine the effect of gender, experience and the geographical location of the school on leadership efficacy. The findings reveal that there were no significant effects of gender, experience and geographical location on leadership efficacy. So, it seems that leadership efficacy did not differ between principals with different genders, experience and geographical locations. The analysis of qualitative data from the openended questions and semi structured interviews also revealed a number of personal, contextual and external factors which affect the leadership efficacy of secondary school principals. These findings also reveal the effect of these factors on the leadership practices of school principals. There are different views on the role of school principals as leaders worldwide and in South Africa. This study will, therefore, make a contribution in the continuing discourse or debate on the leadership roles of school principals in South African schools.