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Gauteng and the North West have overhauled the way they hire principals to prevent the selling of jobs, undue influence and corruption.
Both provinces have stopped their district offices from choosing principals, and have centralised the appointments. In addition, Gauteng has taken control of the appointment of school-based heads of department.
These changes follow a two-year investigation by City Press which revealed that principals’ positions were being sold for upwards of R30 000. Teachers’ posts were also being sold for livestock, sex and cash amounts of as little as R6 000.
Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said this week that the department had decided to appoint assessors to sit in all interviews for principals, deputy principals and heads of department to represent its interests.
“If a position is disputed or contested, we use the assessor’s report to see who is right and who is wrong. We have decided to stop district offices from appointing principals because, more often than not, they are part of the problem,” he said.
Lesufi said the school governing body would, at the end of interviews, recommend three names and forward them to the department’s head, Edward Mosuwe. He would further scrutinise the three candidates.
“He looks at their qualifications, skills, history and experience, and competence. We have had cases where all three candidates did not meet the
criteria and the positions had to be readvertised.
“Schools stand and fall on the strength of the principal. I have also made the changes as part of my commitment to turning around township schools,” Lesufi said.
Dr Itumeleng Molale, head of the North West education department, said in 2014 he had issued a circular to district offices withdrawing their power to appoint principals. This was to encourage and foster a culture of good practice.
“We assist in selecting professional people to the interviewing panels. The final appointment of the principals is done by deputy directors-general in my office,” Molale said.
Meanwhile, a study by Gabrielle Wills of the University of Stellenbosch has recommended that principals take competence assessments before being appointed, and that they sign performance management contracts.
“School principal candidates should undergo competence assessment during the appointment process. This may raise the value of candidates’ expertise and skills in the selection process, so enabling better decision-making than in cases where qualifications and experience are viewed as primary decision factors.
“Further, when this process is managed by an independent third party, the method of selection could alleviate the problem of politically organised interest groups exerting undue influence in the appointment process,” Wills said.
She added that it was critical to ensure that the right person was found at the onset.
