Educational leadership towards management efficiency : a case study of TVET colleges

Abstract: This research investigated how educational leadership could be used to manage Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges more efficiently. The main focus of the study was to investigate how educational leadership effectiveness can bring efficiency in the management of TVET colleges. A case study at two TVET colleges was conducted with the use of a qualitative research method. With purposeful sampling, the study used 12 participants – four campus leaders and eight deputy campus leaders. The objectives of the study and its process for data collection were explained to participants to maintain trustworthiness and credibility. Individual recorded interviews were used to collect the data, which was kept private and confidential. With the use of content and narrative data analysis which included coding, four major themes materialised in the study. The findings revealed that TVET college campuses are led by instructional leaders that employ a democratic leadership style. The leaders also use the planning, organising, delegation and monitoring management principles in efforts to manage campuses more efficiently. Based on the findings, campus leaders are to be instructional leaders, by managing teaching and learning effectively. Additional training should be provided on the field of instructional leadership to ensure campus leaders know, understand and can apply its principles in efforts to lead TVET college campuses effectively. Campus leaders must also lead using the democratic leadership style as it has been found to have a positive impact on the performance of educational institutions. It is recommended that campus leaders use the planning, organising, delegation and control activities as a foundation of how they manage campuses and further employ the four domains of management practice explained by Leithwood, Harris and Hopkins (2020). These include: (1) setting directions, (2) building relationships and developing people, (3) redesigning the organisation to support desired practices, and (4) improving the Instructional Program to lead their campuses effectively and manage campus operations more efficiently.M.Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management