Building Sustainable Leadership in Multicultural South African Catholic Schools

Authors

Mark Potterton, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, South AfricaFollow
Cullen Mackenzie, Catholic Institute of Education, South AfricaFollow

Abstract

The article summarises an innovative approach taken to develop school leaders in multicultural South African Catholic schools by the Catholic Institute of Education. The reported program is built on the idea that leadership and administration are essentially moral activities and that teaching and educational leadership must have a moral purpose. The article recognises that with the current malaise in schooling in South Africa, there is a need for strong, inspiring leadership that is able to bring about systemic change by talking to the ‘minds and hearts’ of people. One of the most notable results of the program has been that principals have developed a stronger belief in themselves to lead the schools. Seminars have targeted the relational aspects of leadership and there are also indications that staff are cooperating better with principals.

Recommended Citation

Potterton, Mark and Mackenzie, Cullen (2014) "Building Sustainable Leadership in Multicultural South African Catholic Schools," eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 3.
Available at: https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/ecea/vol1/iss1/3