All countries are constantly seeking different ways to improve their education systems. Education departments around the world that take their responsibilities seriously are always prepared to improve their systems.
I spent 39 years in the South African government schooling system, from 1977 to 2016, working first in an apartheid education system until 1994, and thereafter in a so-called nonracial system. I have witnessed many changes in the schooling system.
In my opinion, to develop a good education system, it is essential to obtain buy-in from teachers, parents and students. However, I believe that the principal plays a key role in building a school of excellence.
Based on my 32 years of experience as a high school principal, I believe that successful principals possess certain qualities.
When the principal where I taught retired, he said to me, “I am just a telephone call away”, as he handed over the reins of the principalship.
Every Friday afternoon, after his retirement, he would visit me at school for almost three decades. This was the greatest apprenticeship I had.
I always encourage new principals to maintain contact with the former principal.
I was very fortunate to have an experienced former principal as my inspector of education. He was a progressive educationist who often overlooked the bureaucratic nature of the education department.
He was also willing to listen to innovative ideas from teachers, which sometimes got him into trouble with his superiors.
I found that to be a successful principal, it is important to support other principals. I learnt a lot from other schools when they faced problems with the education department. It gave me a better understanding of the reality in schools.
In 1996, principals and students stood together to resist the sacking of 20 000 teachers in South Africa. In Cape Town in 1996, we witnessed one of the largest marches in South Africa resisting the sacking of teachers.
The selection of principals is a serious matter that should be carefully monitored by the education department and governing bodies.
In my experience, if the wrong person is appointed as the principal of a school, it will be very difficult for the school to make progress in education.
In our new so-called non-racial education system, let us ensure the best candidate is appointed to lead our schooling system forward.
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