School leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
The 1996 South African Schools Act (as amended by the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill in 2024) defines a principal as an “educator appointed or acting as the head of a school”. According to the Act, the professional management and leadership of a public school must be undertaken by the principal under the authority of the Head of Department.
According to the Career Pathing for Education Leaders and Managers Through Induction, published by the Department of Basic Education, the term school leader applies to the principal as the leader of the school. The use of the term “leader” incorporates aspects of both management and leadership as interrelated components of the principal’s practice. The types of leadership expected of school leaders include strategic leadership, executive leadership, instructional leadership, cultural leadership, and organizational leadership.
The School Management Team is defined as the group of appointed, acting and/or co-opted teachers who hold management positions within the school, including principals, deputy principals and Departmental Heads (who are all similarly considered school leaders).
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, published by the Department of Basic Education, defines the role of school principals and key aspects of professionalism, image and competencies required. The policy also serves as a guide to address professional leadership and developmental needs. The standard comprises eight key interdependent areas which constitute the core purpose of the principal in any South African context, which are: a) Leading teaching and learning in the school; b) Shaping the direction and development of the school; c) Managing quality and securing accountability; d) Developing and empowering self and others; e) Managing the school as an organisation; f) Working with and for the community; g) Managing human resources (staff) in the school; and h) Managing and advocating extra-mural activities. The key areas referred to in the Standard are in line with the core purpose and responsibilities of the principal as set out in Sections 16 and 16A of the 1996 South African Schools Act. The Standard provides a clear role description for school leaders and sets out what is required of the principal. Although the Standard focuses primarily on the role of the principal as the leading professional in the school, there is a strong emphasis on shared leadership. Such shared leadership extends to the teacher, who, in addition to exercising leadership in their classroom, is expected to also lead beyond the classroom, both through delegated responsibilities and own initiatives in the interest of the school. It also extends to learners, who, through the Learner Representative Council, are expected to contribute towards the well-being and progress of the school.
The Department of Education has also developed the Framework for School Leadership and Management in South Africa as outlined in the Career Pathing for Education Leaders and Managers Through Induction, which include Standard for Principalship, Entry Qualification for principals (ADE), Appointment processes & Competency assessment, Performance contract/ Work Plans, Induction with mentorship and linked to probation, Continuous capacity building programmes for principals, and Performance management.
The core duties and responsibilities of principals are additionally described in the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education. According to these measures, the general aim of the principal’s job is to ensure that the school is managed satisfactorily and in compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, and personnel administration measures and to ensure that the education of the learners is promoted in a proper manner and in accordance with approved policies.
The 2003 Education Labour Relations Council’s Policy Handbook for Educators outlines all the roles, competencies and standards for educators set in national laws and policies, including for principals. The school principal remains an educator (teacher) as well. This emphasises the importance of teaching and learning as the key purpose of schools.
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: The 1996 South African Schools Act requires the principal of a public school to prepare an annual plan setting out how academic performance at the school will be improved and present it to the Head of Department (Section 16A). This is similarly one of the core responsibilities of the school principal set out in the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education. This emphasises the importance of planning, a key management function. It also emphasises the inextricable nature of the concepts of leadership and management as they apply in the job of a South African school principal.
One of the educational and professional values of the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, which informs the core purpose of principalship, is commitment to the core values and vision of the school and schooling in South Africa. The principal works within the School Governing Body (SGB), School Management Team (SMT) and parents in the school’s community to create and implement a shared vision, mission and strategic plan to inspire and motivate all who work in and with the school and to provide direction for the school’s on-going development. This may be through ensuring capacity building of the SGB structure, or ensuring the continuous professional development of educators with the SMT. The vision and mission identified by the SGB encapsulate the core educational values and moral purpose of the school and should take into account the national educational values and traditions of the school’s community and values enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
The principal, working together with key stakeholders, is specifically required to create and develop a vision and mission that will capture the imagination of the community; create a common, shared, understanding of the school’s identity, values and ethos; develop and implement an instructional framework that is data-driven, research-based, and aligned with the national curriculum; monitor the implementation of school plans and ensure that objectives are achieved through the necessary intervention; and promote achievement of the school’s mission statement.
The school principal should work with everyone in the school’s community to ensure that the vision and mission of the school is translated into agreed goals and operational plans, designed to promote and sustain on-going school improvement; ensure that all school policies are developed, implemented and comply with current educational legislation and policy; utilise and interpret data to inform school improvement planning; ensure that the strategic planning process takes account of the values, diversity and particular context of the school and its wider community; monitor, evaluate and review the impact of school plans, and initiate appropriate action where applicable; and lead by example and model the values and vision of the school in daily practice. An important area of emphasis here is the principal as an ethical leader.
According to the Strategy to Improve School Management and Governance in Schools, principals should develop an academic improvement plan based on the data captured in the school academic report. The school must indicate how the principal and the SMT will monitor the implementation of the plan and how they will track learner progress and report to the parents. High accountability is emphasised.
The principal induction programme similarly seeks to develop principals who work collaboratively and develop school improvement/development plans that have a strong focus on teaching and learning and are underpinned by cultural, organisational, instructional, strategic and executive leadership; and develop a clear vision, mission and values that will underpin and guide a school development plan with measurable targets, using a consultative process involving all stakeholders – SMT, teachers, learners, school governing body (SGB) and parents. The various types of leadership, if appropriately applied, are hoped to all converge towards successful teaching and learning.
Developing teaching and learning: The 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship identifies five main kinds of leadership for the principal to lead teaching and learning in the school: strategic leadership, executive leadership, instructional leadership, cultural leadership, and organisational leadership. There are many requirements outlined that relate to the development of teaching and learning, with an overall commitment to the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of school life and to the building of a safe, secure, and healthy learning environment.
The principal is responsible for leading and managing and evaluating the curriculum to ensure the quality of teaching and learning. The principal is further responsible for putting plans in place that support improved academic achievement; keeping up to date with current developments in national education policy and schooling globally; analysing and using available data to improve practices at the school and in its classrooms; ensuring that sound data, at class and school level, is collected and used to inform the continuous monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning, together with learner progress and achievement; encouraging on-going debate among staff on the development of teaching and learning in the school and on effecting improvements; initiating and managing changes necessary for the development of the school, in consultation with all stakeholders; and identifying problems and challenges and finding solutions which enhance teaching and learning. As indicated above, the envisaged principal and teacher should be highly knowledgeable, continually developing, and capable of engaging in debates about teaching and learning. The ideal principal also teaches some classes to be able to understand the curriculum in depth and engage teachers.
The Strategy to Improve School Management and Governance in Schools further states that the primary role of the principal is ensuring that the school has clear, measurable goals for learning and academic progress of the learners. The principal has the responsibility to collect data, analyse, interpret, develop intervention strategies and submit analysed reports to the district office. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based decision-making.
According to the 1996 South African Schools Act, the principal must implement all the educational programmes and curriculum activities and manage the use of learning support material and other equipment (Section 16A).
The 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education additionally state that one of the responsibilities for school principals include supervising and offering professional advice on the work and performance of all staff in the school. The principal must engage teachers in continuous professional development. To achieve this, they are expected to be lifelong learners.
Promoting collaboration: One of the values set out in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship is participative decision-making, teamwork and team-building. The school principal is required to create a collaborative work environment that is site-based, supports teamwork, and promotes cohesion and cooperation. One of the standards outlined is “working with and for the community” and includes requirements for the principal to draw on the richness and diversity of the school’s wider community regarding the development of the school’s culture and ethos; ensure that teaching and learning in the school are linked with and related to the school’s wider community; establish and maintain means of open communication between home and school; build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships and partnerships with other agencies and potential resource providers in the community which are concerned with the well-being of children and their families; establish and maintain communication pathways which enable the work of the school to be known in the community and for community feedback to the school; provide leadership and support to the wider community through the availability of school facilities and expertise; work towards developing and maintaining effective partnerships between the SMT and SGB; and give attention to the articulated needs of the learners, through encouraging and supporting the work of the Representative Council of Learners. The principal is additionally responsible for providing guidance to parents on educational issues and giving quarterly feedback to parents on student progress. The South African Schools Act stresses that basic education will be provided by the state in conjunction with parents and communities, thus enshrining this partnership therein.
The Career Pathing for Education Leaders and Managers Through Induction document similarly states that the school principal is responsible for building a culture of collaboration to achieve the organisational and academic goals of the school; working with the school governing body to increase parental involvement in the school; and building relationships and partnerships with other stakeholders to support the psycho-social and academic development of the learners.
Supporting staff development: According to the 1996 South African Schools Act, the principal is responsible for the management of all educators and staff (Section 16A). The 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship requires school principals to empower staff to become instructional leaders who share the responsibility for achieving the mission, vision and goals that have been set. There are specific standards for managing human resources (staff) of the school and staff development, the latter of which states that it is the principal’s responsibility to provide a range of opportunities for, and encourage and support engagement in, the continuing professional development of everyone working in the school; implement processes to plan, allocate, support and evaluate the work of individuals and teams to guide and ensure improvement and celebrate achievements; establish effective communication mechanisms within the school and its community; and develop and maintain effective procedures and practices for personnel processes such as induction, performance management and professional development. In addition to internally developed staff development programs, the principal is expected to support staff in external programs such as those by the Workers’ Unions and education officials.
The 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education similarly include specific responsibilities for principals that relate to staff, which include being responsible for the development of staff training programmes. They must additionally monitor teachers’ performance on a continuous basis, give them feedback, and discuss their performance, through meetings, report backs, and informal discussions. The principal, working together with other leaders in the school, is expected to assume the roles of both supervisor and performance manager.
In the Career Pathing for Education Leaders and Managers Through Induction document, the responsibilities of school principals also include ensuring that educators are well-prepared and actively engaged in providing opportunities to learn for all students (including through developmental supervision) and creating opportunities for ongoing professional development of the staff (teachers and leaders) that are meaningful and relevant to the needs of the school and become part of the learning culture at the school. The principal is expected to make their school a learning community.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: School principals must abide by the educational and professional values described in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, which include integrity and fairness in all dealings with people and in the management and deployment of financial and other resources; and fair-mindedness, patience, empathy, compassion, respect and humility in all dealings with others and in the promotion and protection of the interests of educators and learners. Overall, school principals are expected to behave with integrity towards people of all cultures and instil positive values and ethical perspectives in educators and learners so that they will have as much respect for the cultural practices of others and of the school as they have for their own cultural practices. The school principal is specifically required to act in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, all the relevant laws and regulations, and the Code of Professional Ethics of the South African Council of Educators. Ethical leadership is strongly promoted in all its various facets, and more particularly in leading diversity, which is considered “of paramount importance for an effective principal”. At the school level, the principal represents the employer.
Others: There are several additional standards that school principals are required to meet in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, including a standard on cultural leadership. Under this standard, the principal is required to embrace the diversity of cultures within the school; support and uphold the traditions, symbols, values and norms of the school community; understand the school community and how to connect with the traditions of the people who make up that community; ensure that policies on religion and language are adhered to; and acknowledge that a variety of sexual orientations exist among human beings and to ensure that there is respect and tolerance for the orientation of every person at, or involved in the school. The school principal must additionally promote diverse sporting codes and Indigenous games as well as cultural behaviour; embrace the philosophy and practice of Ubuntu; as well as recognise, manage and celebrate the diversity of ethnicity, race and gender. The upholding of diversity in the South African society at large is expected to be upheld in every school.
The 1996 South African Schools Act additionally requires the principal to safekeep all school records; implement policy and legislation; attend and participate in all meetings of the governing body; promote and monitor the attendance of students at the school; and assist the governing body in handling disciplinary matters pertaining to learners. These administrative management roles are expected to be data-driven.
The 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education also outlines additional responsibilities of school principals related to general/administrative tasks, communication, and extra-curricular activities. The importance of extra-curricular activities, marginalized in historically disadvantaged communities during the apartheid era, such as sport and cultural activities, is particularly emphasised. The measures also outline the allocation of scheduled teaching time for principals in primary and secondary schools. In smaller schools, principals and their deputy principals are required to do more teaching than in large schools with bigger staff establishments. Principals may also be class teachers if required.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
Principals are required to meet the minimum education qualifications, statutory requirements, competencies/skills, and experiential competency described in the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education of the 1998 Employment of Educators Act. This includes a recognised three- or four-year post-school qualification (including professional teacher education), registration with the South African Council of Educators as a professional educator, and 7 years of actual teaching experience. To be a professionally qualified teacher, applicants need a four-year Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed.) or a three-or-four-year bachelor's degree, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
Principals are also required to have good knowledge of teaching as provided for in the professional qualification; good management skills; good leadership skills; good co-curricular skills; good people management skills; good administrative skills; good communication skills; and good knowledge of applicable educator legislation, regulations, and policies. The principal is expected to be an all-rounder in terms of knowledge and skills.
According to the New Teacher Induction Guidelines for the Orientation Programme, new principals are teachers who have been promoted to a principal or deputy principal position. These teachers must be professionally qualified at Relative Education Qualification Value (REQV) 13 or higher and have experience of teaching and/or management and leadership at a school at the level of deputy principal or Head of Department. The experience of teachers may differ greatly, depending on the schools at which they previously served and the levels of their previous posts.
The 2015 Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications describes the specialised and progressive qualification paths of teachers who choose to become principals or deputy principals. This can include an Advanced Diploma (School Leadership and Management), which is offered by several universities. Principals who have completed an entry qualification such as the Advanced Diploma in Education (ADE) and have been appointed to a principal position engage in the induction programme in order to bridge theory learned during completion of the ADE and its application within the context of a South African school.
To facilitate the implementation of an entry level qualification for principals as envisaged in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, the Department of Basic Education developed the Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management, which is a 120 credit, professional qualification pegged at Level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). According to the 2018 Implementation Guidelines for the Advanced Diploma: School Leadership and Management, the programme is aimed at empowering school leaders to lead and manage schools effectively, targeted primarily at aspirant school principals and School Management Team members.
The Norms and Standards for Educators state that school principals should have an advanced qualification at level 7, but this is not a requirement.
Appointment decision
According to the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education, the circuit manager (representative of the district director) manages the selection processes and makes the final decision on the appointment of principals in schools. The school governing body has also played a significant role in the appointment of a principal, being responsible for advertising the position, shortlisting candidates, conducting interviews, and making recommendations to the district representative. The new law (Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill) has reduced the powers of the School Governing Body to the Head of Department.
All school-based educator posts (including school principals) are advertised openly. In public schools, all vacancies must be advertised in a gazette, bulletin or circular, the existence of which must be made public by means of an advertisement in the public media both provincially and nationally. The advertisement for any vacant post must additionally include the minimum requirements, application procedure, preferable date of appointment, and closing date of applications. It must additionally be accessible to all who qualify or are interested in applying to the post and clearly state that the State is an equal opportunity employer. Interview committees must be established in schools where vacancies are advertised, comprising of one departmental representative (who may be the school principal); the principal of the school (except in the case where he/she is an applicant); members of the school governing body (excluding educator members who are applicants to the advertised post); and one union representative. Where the principal of the institution is an applicant, a departmental official may assist the school governing body. The Interview Committee then ranks the candidates in order of preference and submits the list to the school governing body for their recommendation to the relevant employing department. Once the head of the district department considers the recommendations, they make the appointment. Principals are appointed to specific graded posts (P1, P2, P3, P4 or P5). Labour unions have a legal right to be involved or informed, as the case may be, in all these processes, failure of which may be deemed unprocedural and suspended.
The Department of Basic Education aims to improve the procedures for recruiting and selecting principals, as stated in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, 2017-22 Teacher Professional Development Master Plan, and Action Plan to 2024: Towards the realisation of Schooling 2030. The department has begun to address the matter through the development of Guidelines on the Procedure for the Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Promotion of Educators and the use of competency assessments.
Employment equity measures
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa promotes equal treatment of all citizens and strives to redress the imbalances of the apartheid period through affirmative action and other policies that include gender equality. The Bill of Rights enshrined in the Constitution declares that everyone has the right to equality and should not be discriminated unfairly. The other acts that prohibit unfair discrimination and promote equal treatment of men and women are the 1996 South African Schools Act, the 1998 Employment of Educators Act, and the 1998 Employment Equity Act. These legislations support and promote the appointment of South African women in leadership positions as one of the initiatives to address the past imbalances in which men dominated the leadership positions at school and other workplaces.
Specifically, during the appointment and recruitment process for all school-based educator posts (including school principals), the interview committee must ensure that the principles of equity, redress and representation are complied with, as described in the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education. The appointment procedure and advertisement of posts must specifically be non-discriminatory and in keeping with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The 1998 Employment of Educators Act additionally states that all appointments must consider equality, equity and the other democratic values and principles which are contemplated in section 195 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and which include the need to redress the imbalances of the past to achieve broad representation.
The Department of Basic Education has further established Female Principal Support Networks to support women in senior management positions in education. Women empowerment initiatives in the education field have been developed as an attempt to comply with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the Employment Equity Act, and the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. The facilitator’s guide for women in leadership/management positions is designed to be both a training manual and a resource book for women managers. The training manual includes themes on personal attributes (recruitment and selection); self-management (empowering women managers to manage themselves effectively); harassment; strategic leadership; diversity management; and effective communication.
Working conditions
The Department of Education, as the principal employer of teachers, is responsible for ensuring that teachers’ (including principals’) conditions of service, working conditions and career prospects meet appropriate standards, as stated in the 2006 National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development. School principals and teachers are covered under the 1994 Public Service Act. The sector is highly unionised, with Unions being a key stakeholder in all decisions on educational matters.
School principals may be appointed in a permanent or temporary capacity for a fixed period, or on special contract for a fixed period or a particular assignment.
According to the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education, the salary level of a principal of a school is determined by the grading of the school, which is done in accordance with the number of educator posts allocated to a school in terms of national norms. All salaries (including levels, ranges and increases) are determined on the basis of Collective Agreements No. 3 of 2006 and No. 1 of 2008 concluded by the Education Labour Relations Council and listed in the salary structure for educators. Collective agreements also determine the starting salary of post-level 1 educator (P1) and the salaries of educators who have actual teaching or appropriate experience outside public education. Educators (including principals) are always appointed to the lowest salary notch of the salary range applicable to their qualifications (REQV) and the post to which they are appointed. A principal post can be upgraded/downgraded in terms of the school grading norms. A principal can also apply for another principal post on a higher or lower grade. School principals may additionally receive allowances when they work at a school with only one educator post. A non-pensionable allowance, which equals 6% of the educator’s basic salary, is payable to an educator at post level 1 who holds the post of principal at a one educator school. The 1998 Employment of Educators Act further describes the salaries and other conditions of service for educators, including school principals (Article 4).
School principals may also be members of the South African Principals Association (SAPA).
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The purpose of the South African National Professional Qualification for Principalship (SANPQP) is to implement a mandatory professional certification for principals, without which no educator will be eligible for appointment to the post of first-time principal. This is located within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for continuous professional development and career pathways to principalship.
The Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE), a qualification developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with 14 universities, the unions, the South African Principal Association (SAPA), and a number of NGOs, is a leadership and management program used to train educators aspiring to become school principals as well as upgrade the skills of principals already in the post.
Induction and in-service training
Mandatory induction for newly appointed principals is governed by the Strategy to Improve School Management and Governance in Schools, Career Pathing for Education Leaders and Managers Through Induction, New Teacher Induction Guidelines for the Orientation Programme, and Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship.
Official policy mandates that newly appointed principals (i.e. principals who are in their first year of principalship, with no prior experience as a principal in any school) must be taken through a mandatory year-long induction programme before they take up a principal post at the school. Training schedules and content are expected to be determined by individual provinces, but should at a minimum include aspects relevant to all new principals and across South African contexts such as policy documents, roles and responsibilities, and orientation as outlined in the New Teacher Induction Guidelines for the Orientation Programme.
Induction is explicitly linked to the eight areas included in the South African Standard for Principalship. It aims to enable smoother leadership transitions within schools; ensure school leadership understand their roles in building organisational capacity and shaping school practices that contribute to effective school performance and improved academic outcomes; improve new principals’ understanding of policy and policy frameworks, and how these can be applied within a school’s context to achieve educational goals; increase the confidence of school leaders and equip them to address challenges faced by schools; and establish networks of support to share effective practices, concerns and ideas on school leadership. Orientation topics as laid out by the New Teacher Induction Guidelines for the Orientation Programme include school safety; communication; school attendance; inclusive education; resources; professionalism; curriculum; and classroom management. Additional topics identified by the Department may also be covered in workshops and training sessions.
The induction programme is completed when the new principal completes the required training and support and is granted the South African Council of Educators (SACE) points assigned to the induction programme. This demonstrates the required engagement with induction activities and the ability to utilise the SACE system for continuous professional development. Principals who do not complete the required number of CPTD points will not complete the probation period and will therefore not be eligible for full appointment.
Several national frameworks and standards provide additional for the mandatory professional development of school principals. The 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship identifies various needs for the development of the school principal’s role: a) enhancement of the skills and competencies of principals b) improvement of the procedures for recruiting and selecting principals c) induction and mentoring of principals and d) professional preparation of principals. The school principal is required to demonstrate leadership through participating in professional learning; engaging in an ongoing review of his/her own practice; and accepting responsibility for personal and professional development. The Department of Basic Education is required to provide the necessary training and guidelines, not only in the professional duties of principals but also in their personal development. Practical skills which the Department should inculcate in the principal, include training in those aspects of the law necessary for the effective running of the institution, financial management, how to evaluate his or her school, and how to use this evaluation in school development planning and school improvement; and how to manage a complex curriculum. Principals are additionally expected to self-develop.
Continuing Professional Teacher Development for Principals forms a continuum of learning and professional development which continues throughout a principal’s career, as described in the Career Pathing for Education Leaders and Managers Through Induction. School principals are expected to actively engage and take ownership of their own professional development; actively participate in induction activities organised by the province, districts or other stakeholders; and encourage active participation in self-directed continuous professional development for all teachers.
One of the objectives of the Strategy to Improve School Management and Governance in Schools and the 2017-22 Teacher Professional Development Master Plan is to establish Professional Learning Communities in geographical areas for principals to share good practices under the guidance of circuit managers.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
The 1996 South African Schools Act sets out the rules for the functions and membership of school governing bodies for public schools. The governance of every public school is vested in its governing body, which may perform only such functions and obligations and exercise only such rights as prescribed by the Act (Article 16). The Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill further regulates the responsibilities of school governing bodies.
The governing body of a public school must promote the best interests of the school and strive to ensure its development through the provision of quality education for all learners at the school; adopt a constitution; develop the mission statement of the school; adopt a code of conduct for learners at the school; support the principal, educators and other staff of the school in the performance of their professional functions; administer and control the school’s property, and buildings and grounds occupied by the school; keep records of all investments, donations and funds received for the school; and recommend to the Head of Department the appointment of educators at the school (Article 20; 21).
The membership of the governing body of an ordinary public school comprises of elected members; the principal; and co-opted members. Elected members must include a member or members of each of the following categories: parents of learners at the school; educators at the school; members of staff at the school who are not educators; and learners in the eighth grade or higher at the school (Article 23). Learners of minor status may not vote on resolutions that impose liabilities on third parties or the school, nor may they contract on behalf of the public school. Additionally, student members are prohibited from participating in decisions regarding staff appointments at the school.
According to the 2009 National Guidelines on School Governing Body Elections, election procedures should aim at ensuring the broadest representation of identified stakeholders in school governance (in terms of race and gender), and promoting the fundamental rights of every person by encouraging representativity and gender equity. The principal should inform the school governing body of their responsibilities and need to ensure that office-bearers are representative, where possible, of the gender and racial diversity of the school.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education define the core duties and responsibilities of middle leaders, including senior teachers, master teachers, departmental heads, and deputy principals.
3.3. Parents
The Department of Basic Education developed the 2016 School–Parent–Community to encourage and guide public schools in engaging with parents and communities to work together to maximise learning outcomes and learner achievement. This is in accordance with the 1996 South African Schools Act, which legislated a more decentralised democratic, participatory decision-making process, with school communities being empowered and expected to be more actively involved in running their schools.
3.4. Students
According to the 1996 South African Schools Act, a representative council of learners must be established at every public school enrolling learners in the eighth grade or higher, with such council being the only recognised and legitimate representative learner body at the school (Article 11). The Act additionally states that a Member of the Executive Council may, by notice in the Provincial Gazette, exempt a public school for learners with special education needs from establishing such a council if it is not practically possible for a representative council of learners to be established at the school. The representative council of learners elects their own members.
The 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship further supports the work of the Representative Council of Learners.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
The 1996 South African Schools Act grants school principals the authority to manage school funds with the school’s governing body and handle disciplinary matters pertaining to educators and support staff, in collaboration with the Head of the Department. This is similarly supported in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship. The circuit manager is responsible for ensuring that principals manage their budgets in line with the Act and maintain financial records for audit purposes, as described in the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education. School principals are primarily responsible for the management and deployment of financial resources in adherence to departmental policies and the effective and equitable allocation of funds, including procurement processes, in pursuit of the school’s educational priorities. This requires some reasonable level of financial management skills on the part of the principal.
School principals must follow and implement the national curriculum and courses set by the Department of Education. They are not directly responsible for staff appointment and dismissal but are expected to liaise with the district office. The school governing body may make recommendations to the Head of Department on the appointment of educators at the school.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
As the immediate supervisor of the principal, the Circuit Manager is responsible for managing the performance of principals in a consultative, supportive, and non-discriminatory manner to enhance school efficiency and accountability. The performance appraisal of a principal must be conducted twice a year based on the Quality Management System tool, as described in the 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education. Principals are required to complete a work plan with clear annual targets for improvement at the beginning of each evaluation cycle (signed with the circuit manager), which is used for purposes of self-appraisal, mid-year appraisal and final appraisal. The Performance Standards form the core elements of the job description for deputy principals and principals, and include leading learning; shaping the direction and development of the school; managing quality and securing accountability; developing and empowering self and others; managing the school as an organisation; managing human resources (staff) in the school; and management and advocacy of extra-mural activities.
According to the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship, the principal is accountable to a wide range of stakeholders, including national and provincial departments of education, learners, staff, parents, school governing bodies and the wider community. The District office uses the submitted school academic improvement plans to hold principals accountable. The Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill additionally states that educators, principals and school governing bodies are accountable and responsible for the learners in their care.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
The principal must facilitate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of educators in relation to all classroom practices and implement effective performance management systems and processes in relation to the work of individuals and the school as a whole, as described in the 2015 Policy on the South African Standard for Principalship. The principal is required to involve departmental heads when assessing teacher performance.
The 2022 Personnel Administrative Measures of the Department of Basic Education similarly include specific responsibilities for teacher assessment, which include participating in agreed school/educator appraisal processes in order to regularly review their professional practice with the aim of improving teaching, learning and management; and ensuring that all evaluation/forms of assessment conducted in the school are properly and efficiently organised. Principals have overall responsibility for ensuring that the Quality Management System (QMS) tool is implemented uniformly and effectively at the school and that every educator has access to the QMS instrument and any other relevant documents. They must overall ensure that the performance appraisal of every educator is conducted consistently, fairly and accurately using this approved tool.
This profile was reviewed by Prof. Vitallis Chikoko of the University of Kwazulu-Natal.
