Instructional leadership challenges and strategic responses to declining secondary school performance: Perspectives from school management teams

Abstract

This study explored the instructional leadership challenges and strategic responses of School Management Teams (SMTs) in three South African secondary schools in response to the decline in their National Senior Certificate (NSC) results. To this end, an interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative approach were adopted, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was utilised, involving principals, deputy principals, and departmental heads from the three selected schools. Thematic analysis revealed that poor working relationships among stakeholders and the presence of some educators who deliberately engaged in practices detrimental to teaching and learning contributed to the decline in NSC results. The findings further showed that SMTs responded to the decline in NSC performance by conducting additional classes and collaborating with district officials. This study concludes that sustainable improvement in learner performance requires not only strategic interventions but, more importantly, professional working relationships that strengthen collaborative instructional leadership practices and enhance teacher commitment and accountability. Although this study was grounded in the South African context, it contributes to global understandings of the instructional leadership challenges and strategic responses of SMTs to declining school academic performance.