Systemic Disparities, Differential Realities: School Principals on South African Education

• In Event: Comprehensive Education Across Communities

Abstract

This paper reports on a study of thirteen school principals in South Africa. Beginning with a contextual overview of racial disparities amongst participating schools, findings clarify how participating principals of White schools lead well-funded small learning communities, while principals of Coloured and Black schools were paid significantly less to educate significantly more with fewer resources. Principals of White schools saw themselves as creating democracy in South Africa, while principals of Coloured schools saw themselves as helping Coloured students navigate White society. Principals of Black schools saw education as continuing apartheid, and argued for transformation of South African education. Implications for school and district data reporting, as well as the inclusion of Black principal voices in educational policy conversations are provided.

Author

• Christopher B. Knaus, University of Washington - Tacoma