Leadership and Management Development in Education (Education ...

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PREPARING AND SUPPORTING LEADERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES105countries manage their schools in very difficult circumstances. These nationsface severe economic, social, health and educational problems. Principals areusually appointed without specific preparation, receive little or no induction,have limited access to suitable in-service training and enjoy little support fromthe local or regional bureaucracy.There are many reasons for this unsatisfactory situation. Most countrieshave very limited educational budgets and leadership preparation is seen as alow priority. Donor countries and international agencies have introducedtraining initiatives but these are rarely sustained beyond the initial fundingperiod. While the need for principalship training is widely recognized (forexample, Commonwealth Secretariat 1996), translating perceived need intoeffective provision has proved to be elusive (Bush and Oduro 2006).Another problem is the lack of capacity among those responsible for appointing,training and supporting headteachers. Many of these officials are no betterqualified than the principals. The long distances, and inadequate infrastructure,mean that principals in rural areas are rarely visited, increasing their sense ofisolation. Shortages of teachers and material resources exacerbate this problem(Bush and Oduro 2006).It would be easy, but unwise, to advocate improved processes based onmodels in Western countries. As Watson (2001: 29) demonstrates, ‘educationalpolicies cannot easily be transplanted from one national and social context toanother’. Advocating specific forms of leadership development should beavoided unless they are based firmly on local needs and cultural imperatives(Bush et al., in press). What is more likely to succeed is a set of recommendationsfirmly grounded in the realities of schools in developing nations. Eventhen, such prescriptions can be translated into reality only through meaningfuland long-term partnerships with governments, international agencies and universitiesin the developed world. The analysis and recommendations below arebased on the assumption that funding would be provided to ensure effectiveimplementation and long-term development.PreparationIt is evident that preparation for school principals is inadequate in almost alldeveloping countries. Most heads are appointed without any specific managementtraining and few are able to access suitable in-service opportunitiesfollowing appointment. While pre-service provision is highly desirable, this isinevitably more expensive because it is not always possible to identify thosewho are likely to be appointed as principals. Targeting the limited resources atnewly appointed heads is much more cost-effective. This can also be seen as animportant part of their induction (see below) (Bush and Oduro 2006).
106LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONThe other advantage of in-service provision is that it can relate directly to thespecific context facing the beginning principal. Crow (2001) distinguishesbetween professional and organisational socialisation. The former relates topreparation to enact the role of principal while the latter concerns adaptationto the particular school context. In-service preparation enables these twophases to be linked.Development programmes in Western countries are often delivered by universities,governments or other agencies, are usually sustained over manymonths or years and typically lead to an academic or professional qualification.There are several problems in applying this approach to developing countries.The limited budgets available are unlikely to fund such a lavish model at anappropriate scale to meet the need. There is also limited capacity to develop,lead and facilitate such programmes. It would be sensible, therefore, to aim atmore modest provision for the new principals accompanied by a ‘train thetrainers’ course at a higher level. Linking the training to a qualification is likelyto motivate participants (Tekleselassie 2002) and to raise the status of principalsin their communities. As we noted earlier, an Advanced Certificate in Education:School Leadership, is being piloted in South Africa from 2007 to 2009.Selection and inductionIn the absence of a pre-service management qualification, the recruitment andappointment processes cannot be underpinned by formal prerequisites. Developinga clear job description, and linking candidates’ experience to theserequirements, provides a useful starting point. As more principals experiencetraining, they may also be able to nominate suitable candidates based on jobrelatedpractice in their current schools. As we noted earlier, however, suchrational processes are often undermined by political and cultural factors. Oneof these relates to gender and it is important that women have equal opportunitiesfor promotion to senior posts, including headships.The in-service training suggested above should make a valuable contributionto principals’ induction. It also provides the potential for networking that couldbe sustained beyond the life of the course. Developing effective networks forboth experienced and beginning principals may reduce their isolation.Appropriate training, recruitment and selection do not ensure that principalsare equipped with the requisite skills, attitudes, knowledge and motivation tolead their school effectively. Further support from their superordinates, andtheir local communities, are essential if their schools, and the students theyserve, are to succeed and help their countries to compete in an increasinglychallenging global economy.
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PrefaceThe significance of effectiv
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