The Impact of Policy on Principals’ Leadership and Management Skills and Student Achievement in Rural Secondary Schools: A South African Case Study

Abstract

Background: Globally, policy and leadership and management skills of principals that are congruent foster future-focused learning and guide teachers and students towards a passion for learning and for growing creatively and collaboratively. Methods: The qualitative research was undertaken and the Cultural-Historical Activity theory was used as a theoretical lens to determine the impact of policy on principals’ leadership and management skills and student achievement. Results: The results showed that policy and leadership and management skills enabled school principals to effectively implement, assess, monitor learning activities, enhanced student behaviour and provision of resources. Conclusion: Implications uncovered in this research include providing school principals with access to training courses to improve their understanding of the teaching and learning methodologies to enhance student achievement, particularly in science.