News24 reports that while the teaching profession is female-dominated, with almost two-thirds of teachers being women, less than one in three school principals is female.
This was revealed in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) 2024 South Africa Country Report, which was released by Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube on 22 October. The list of principals in 12 selected international countries featured in the document. In SA only 32.5% of the heads of schools locally were female, despite 62.4% making up the teaching corps. The Free State had the highest percentage of female principals (62.1%) and the North West had the lowest (16.9%). “It’s concerning that women lead in classrooms but remain underrepresented in leadership roles. We need to challenge the gendered expectations and stereotypes that limit women’s advancement,” said Professor Linda du Plessis of North West University.
Locally, 3,301 teachers from 361 schools participated in the study, which allowed teachers and principals to provide input into educational policymaking and express their views on key development areas. The report indicated that the massive disparity in female principal representation between provinces “suggests that the efficacy and implementation of recruitment policies aimed at gender equity in management is highly inconsistent across provincial education departments”.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
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