The school stakeholders’ perceptions of the role of principals in improving grade 6 performance in mathematics

Abstract

Primary school mathematics continues to perform poorly regardless of all the government's efforts in providing most of the basic resources at schools. Teachers are working tirelessly in teaching the learners and using all strategies, but still, there is no improvement in the mathematics results. Research has shown that primary schools nationally have persistence of underperformance and continue to perform below the Mpumalanga Province's set standards. This research seeks to investigate the role of principals in managing the factors that contribute to poor mathematics performance and finding out strategies and approaches that principal can implement to improve mathematics performance and serve as a guideline to primary school principals in Mpumalanga. A qualitative approach was used for this study as it allowed the researcher to conduct in-depth interviews through Microsoft Zoom with five principals, five deputy principals, and five Grade 6 mathematics teachers. Relevant school documents were also examined to collect more data. The research indicates that most schools understand the importance of HODs’ training or support in improving mathematics performance, yet they lack a structured implementation framework for HODs’ training. The study recommends that schools, circuits, and districts need to work together to plan, co-ordinate and implement an HOD training programme according to each sector's uniqueness.

Isifundo sezibalo ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi siyachubeka nokungaphumeleli kahle nanoma uHulumeni azame yonke imizamo ngokuthi ahlinzeke ngezinsiza ezingumgogodla zokufunda. Othisha basebenza ngokuzikhandla, ekufundiseni abafundi nasekusebenziseni zonke izindlela zokufundisa, kodwa umehluko kumiphumela awubonakali. Ucwaningo lubonisile ukuthi isifundo sezibalo ezikolweni zamabanga aphansi kumiphumela yazwelonke, sichubeke njalo nokungaphumeleli kahle uma kucathaniswa namazinga abekiwe eMpumalanga. Lolucwaningo-sifundo luhlose ukuthola izindlela zobuholi buka thisha-nhloko ukubhekana nezingcinamba ezibangela ukungaphumeleli kahle kwalesifundo, nokuthola izindlela ezintsha ezingasetshenziswa ngothisha-nhloko ekuthuthukiseni imiphumela yesifundo sezibalo ezikolweni zamabanga aphansi e Mpumalanga. Ucwaningo olukhethekile yiyona ndlela esetshenzisiwe kulolucwaningo-sifundo ngoba luvumela uhlolo-luvo olujulile olwenziwe ngezindlela zesimanje zobuchwepheshe babongcondo-mshini (Microsoft Teams). Kusetshenziswe izikole eziyisihlanu, othisha-nhloko abayisihlanu, amasekela othisha-nhloko ayisihlanu kanye nothisha abafundisa izibalo ebangeni lesithupha abayisihlanu. Izincwadi ezigcina imininingwane yesikole nayo isetshenzisiwe ekutholeni olunye ulwazi ngesikole. Imiphumela yalolucwaningo-sifundo ingakwazi ukusiza othisha-nhloko ukuthi benze ngcono imiphumela yesifundo sezibalo ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi. Lolucwaningo lubonisile ukuthi kubalulekile ukuvivinywa kwamabaphathi bezigaba esikoleni (HODs). Lolucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi kudingeka uhlelo lokubacecesha ngoku hlela, nokuchumanisa, nokuyiphumelelisa lendlela yokucecesha abaholi bezigaba.

Sifundvo setibalo etikolweni temabanga laphansi sichubeke njalo nekungaphumeleli ngendlela lefanele nanome Hulumeni aniketele nangatotonke tinsita letidzingekako letingumgogodla wemfundvo.Bothishela basebenta ngekutikhandla ekufundziseni bafundzi nekusebentisa tindlela letahlukahlukene tekufundzisa, kodvwa miphumela ayibonisi kutfutfuka. Lucwaningo lubonisile kutsi sifundvo setibalo kuvelonke siyachubeka nokutfola miphumela lengaphansi kwelizinga lelibekiwe eMpumalanga.Lelicwaningo libukelele kuhlola indzima lengadlalwa bothishela-nhloko ekulweni netingcinamba letibangela kungaphumeleli kahle, nekutfola tindlela tekutfutfukisa tibalo letingaphindze tisetjentiswe ngubothishela-nhloko njengemhlahlandlela longalandzelwa tikolwa ekutfutfukiseni kwesifundvo setibalo.Indlela yolucwaningo lesentjentisiwe yenta kutsi mcwaningi akwati kuchuba tingcoco letijulile ngendlela yebuchwepheshe (Microsoft Zoom) nabothishela-nhloko, masekela abothishela-nhloko nabothishela belibanga leitfupha.Tincwadzi letigcina mininingwane yesikole nato tihloliwe ngumncwaningi kutfola leminye mininingwane.Lolucwaningo lubonisa kutsi tikolo tivisisa kubaluleka kokuceceshwa kwebaholi betigaba (HOD), kodvwa tikolo atinato tinhlelo tokubacecesha. Lolucwaningo lusekela kutsi siyingi (District), iSekhethi netikolo kufanele tibe netinhlelo, nendlela yokuchumanisa, nokuyisebenta ngekucecesha baholi betigaba (HODs).