From Classroom to Principalship: A Framework for Enhancing Leadership Capacity of Novice School Principals for A Smoother Transition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v12i4p1Keywords:
Adaptive Problem-Solving, Pre-Principalship Training, Principal Emotional Intelligence, Principal Appointment, New PrincipalsAbstract
The lack of well-thought-out procedures and pre-principalship training for newly appointed school principals in many African secondary school systems negatively impacts their leadership effectiveness. This study explores the challenges newly appointed (novice) school principals experience in South Africa and proffers strategies to mitigate their effects. Adaptive leadership framework and social capital theory underpin this paper. The study adopted Torraco’s integrative literature review approach to synthesise related literature and theoretical perspectives. The findings revealed the significance of pre-principal leadership training. They indicated challenges novice principals face, including difficulties adapting to broader leadership responsibilities, deficiencies in financial management, inability to navigate school micropolitics, and a lack of emotional intelligence. The study also proposes that the criteria for recruiting school principals, and the transitioning process are inconsistent with the world’s best practices. Hence, this study proposes a framework as a strategic blueprint for addressing the transition challenges among novice school principals. The framework also guides policy initiatives and educational reforms to improve novice principals’ experiences and elevate educational standards nationwide. The study concludes that equipping novice principals with adaptive, emotional and collaborative leadership competencies is essential for sustainable leadership and systemic improvement.
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