Reflecting on principals as managers or moulded leaders in a managerialistic school system
Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Education Association of South Africa
Abstract
I contend that South African school leaders perform their functions within a managerialistic school system that focuses strongly on prescribed standards, quality, and outcomes. The aim is to draw attention to the conceptual contradiction inherent in the labelling of the school principal as a leader rather than as a manager. In practice, school principals are expected to perform with in a framework of control systems and performitivity, which are the core features of managerialism. The argument will be that the functions performed by school principals are essentially managerial rather than being true leadership functions, in spite of the practice of labelling principals as leaders. In consequence, the expected manag erialistic performance of principals ine vitably has specific implications for the training of educational leaders. The training is therefore characterised as leadership moulding rather than leadership training.
Description
CITATION: Heystek, J. 2007. Reflecting on principals as managers or moulded leaders in a managerialistic school system. South African Journal of Education, 27(3):491-505.
The original publication is available at http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/
The original publication is available at http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/
Keywords
School principals -- South Africa, School management and organization, Educational leadership
Citation
Heystek, J. 2007. Reflecting on principals as managers or moulded leaders in a managerialistic school system. South African Journal of Education, 27(3):491–505