Article in The New Age – 14 November 2012 (KwaZulu-Natal)

Nov 14 2012 1:01PM

School principals graduate

 Fanisa Masi

In an effort to upgrade the management skills of principals, a joint venture between the KZN department of education and University of KwaZulu-Natal saw 566 principals and 61 circuit managers graduating from the Principals Management Development Programme at the Durban City Hall yesterday.

KZN head of the department of education Dr Nkosinathi Sishi said: “The place of a principal is not only to manage a school but to locate himself or herself within the broader vision of government, hence we need a principal of the modern era instead of a principal of yesteryear.”

Sbambanezulu High School principal Delani Shabalala was one of the graduates.

Shabalala said she was confident results in her school would continue to improve now that she had been through the course.

Professor Volker Wedekind from the School of Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal said more focus needed to be placed on mathematics as they had identified some challenges in the subject.

Barbara Njapha from Performance Solution Africa said the intention of the programme was to rapidly upgrade the management skills of principals through short courses.

“Having tracked schools whose principals are involved in the PMDP, we have proven that since 2009 average results in learner performance is improving. We are making a difference,” said Njapha.

fanisam@thenewage.co.za