How transformative principals can close the achievement gap in South African schools

Abstract

South African schools face the challenge of equipping learners to thrive in a society already buckling under the weight of unemployment, inequality and poverty. Despite innovative policy changes in the education system, resource-constrained schools in South Africa (no-fee schools) continue to struggle to produce competitive academic results. A recent paper by the HSRC's Andrea Juan and Sylvia Hannan shows that, while some factors of academic performance are linked to the availability of resources, transformative leaders attuned to the learning environment and committed to change can help to close the achievement gap.