OUR education system has fewer positive features than we’d like and it has many challenges that need solving.
Yet there are many positives that go unnoticed and one of those is the commitment to transformation.
Arthee Rajkumar, regional head at Curro Holdings, said that while South African education faces many challenges such as a lack of trained and motivated teachers, buildings and classrooms, clean water, proper toilets, materials, textbooks and IT access, one issue is being addressed: the role of women in education administration.
Rajkumar said women educators have an important role to play, particularly in leadership roles, where they are currently under-represented.
According to a working paper of the Department of Economics and the Bureau for Economic Research at the University of Stellenbosch, despite women being over-represented in the teaching profession, our school leadership positions are dominated by men.
The report notes that in 2012, 71% of all teachers – including heads of department and deputy principals – were women, but they held just 36% of school principal positions.
She said there were not enough women in secondary school principal positions – only 19% in 2012.
“A decade ago, it would be almost unthinkable that this position would be occupied by a woman.”
She said women bring powerful emotionally-sensitive behaviour to the education table, allowing them to be more in tune with pupils’ needs.
Their decisions and actions often stem from areas of compassion and care which enable pupils to see most female educators in mother roles.
She urges more women teachers to pursue leadership roles.
“I’d love to see more women raising their hands and recognising their own leadership potential.
“From one woman to another, we have to motivate, inspire and uplift each other in every way.”
Due to cultural stereotypes, many staff in many countries across the world find it very hard to follow instructions from a female leader. But in Mzansi, women have the opportunity to make an impact.
“We are ahead of many other countries in this regard.”
