Exploring the preparation of novice head teachers and challenges they face in their headship roles: case study of selected secondary school head teachers in Blantyre and Chikwawa districts

Abstract

In Malawi, head teachers operate in challenging school environment where there is overcrowding, acute shortage of teaching and learning resources, inadequate number of teachers and extreme poverty. Despite such challenging environment, stakeholders expect nothing less but the best from the schools. This poses a huge challenge for head teachers, more especially novice head teachers who are expected to produce the desired outcomes with very limited resources. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore how novice head teachers were prepared in their headship roles and the challenges they faced in the course of performing their work. The purpose of this study was to establish the significance of preparing novice head teachers for their work in order for them to perform effectively for the efficiency of the school in contributing to quality education in the country. The researcher used a qualitative research approach using multiple case study design. A total of eight novice head teachers and two SWED officials made up the sample of the study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews using open ended questions. The study revealed that novice head teachers were not prepared in any way prior to taking up their new responsibilities. However, they were at times exposed to post-induction training in the form of management meeting where leadership and managerial issues were discussed. The study further revealed that due to lack of prior preparation, novice head teachers encountered numerous challenges in their new role as school leaders, managers and administrators. To mitigate the challenges, they networked with veteran head teachers and fellow novice head teachers within and outside their educational clusters among other ways. The researcher therefore recommended that novice head teachers need to be inducted and MOEST should develop Induction Modules.