Transformation in school leadership: Voices of female leaders

Abstract

Due to an apartheid regime, South Africa was demarcated according to race classifications of ‘white’, ‘coloured’, Indian and ‘black’. Race classifications determined where one lived, went to school, and the possibilities to pursue higher education. For women of color in South Africa interested in a post-schooling education, the state availed bursaries to pursue teaching (and nursing) to control and limit their careers. The backdrop to separate and segregated living and learning for each racially classified group was to socialise amongst themselves, school themselves and obtain careers deemed sufficiently fit by an apartheid government. The transition from apartheid to a more inclusive and less segregated society has been slow and particularly evident in school leadership. This chapter reports on an empirical case study of the first seven ‘coloured’ women principals who assumed leadership positions in historically ‘white’ led schools. The study locates itself in the broader Cape Town area of South Africa two decades into the country’s democracy. It has a qualitative research design and uses a case study method for data collection. Following ethics approval, semi-structured interviews served as data collection instruments. Data were analysed thematically, and the findings provided insights into leadership in historically ‘white’ schools in post-apartheid South Africa.