Perspectives of principals on the position of deputy principals in selected secondary schools of uMlazi district.
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Date
2022
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of principals on the position of deputy principals in five selected township secondary schools. Three research questions guided the study, these research questions are; What are principals’ perspectives on the position of the deputy principals in selected secondary schools? How do principals deploy deputy principals as their assistants in the management of schools? And why do principals deploy deputy principals the way they do? Local and international literature on the position of deputy principals was reviewed. A distributed leadership theory served as a theoretical framework for the study and was used to understand the perspectives of principals on the position of deputy principals. A multiple case study was employed as a research methodology as it is a research style that is used where two or more cases are studied concurrently to generate a broader understanding of the research at hand. The findings of the study first revealed that principals perceived deputy principalship as a two-pronged position in township schools; it involves administrative and academic roles. Secondly, principals perceive deputy principals as leaders who are not absolved from the teaching role, and this is in keeping with the job description of deputy principals. The findings of the study also showed that principals assign deputy principals in the management of schools through fostering collaboration amongst their deputy principals and between themselves and deputy principals. Furthermore, principals assign deputy principals to deputise in their absence and use collaboration and deputising as strategies to prepare their deputy principals for the principalship position.
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Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.