Abstract:

The thrust of the study was to explore principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of factors affecting leadership and management practices in selected schools of Qumbu Education District. The study was triggered by a plethora of conflict cases that the researcher attended to as a principal. In some schools, the researcher observed that there was prevalence of dysfunctionality in the leadership and management practices of principals. As might be expected, this was reflected in ineffective teaching and learning, consequently associated with poor academic results. The multiple conflict cases and other challenges prompted me to find out what factors affected and influenced the leadership and management practices of principals.

The following research questions were set to guide this study:
- How does the principal-teacher relationship influence the leadership and management practices of principals?

The researcher used participative theoretical framework because it promotes professional growth of teachers by involving them in collaborative decision making and actualising a shared vision and mission statement. This study involved principals and teachers employed in schools that are geographically situated in Qumbu Education District. The mixed method paradigm was adopted on the basis that it gives readers more confidence in the results and the conclusions drawn from the study. A survey research design was chosen. Out of one hundred and forty respondents that were given the data collection instrument, one hundred and thirty-four managed to return it. At 96%, this was an excellent return rate of the instrument. The questionnaires were used to collect the data from one hundred and thirty-four respondents. The quantitative data were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences, while for qualitative data, a thematic approach was adopted.

Random sampling was employed to select the sample from the population. From the study, it emerged that:
- A good principal-teacher relationship ensures that teachers work according to the school’s educational goals.
- Failure by principals to adopt contingency theory in their leadership styles they adopt negatively affect the leadership and management practices in schools.
- Poor organisational culture results in poor learner performance.
- Teacher unions interfered with and disturbed teaching, further negatively impacting leadership and management practices.
- Most principals and teachers are unaware of their key performance areas in sampled schools.
- When teachers are not motivated in teaching and learning, there is a tendency of a negative impact on learner performance and principals experience negative teacher-attitudes.

This study recommends a collaborative, healthier school culture, interactive open communication channels and an inclusive approach whereby teachers are involved in most decision-making processes at schools. There should be mentoring and coaching of newly appointed principals and teachers by the Department of Education through programmes that are responsive to the diverse needs of the stakeholders.

Keywords:

Leadership, management, practices, principals, teachers, policies.