26-11-2012, 06:32 PM
INVESTIGATING LEADERSHIP STYLES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN
LESOTHO: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING PRACTICES
1INVESTIGATING LEADERSHIP.pdf (Size: 1 MB / Downloads: 183)
ABSTRACT
The study investigated the leadership styles used in the Lesotho tertiary
institutions. The research was undertaken at two institutions - Lerotholi
Polytechnic and the National Teacher Training College. The population of the
study is the lecturers and the leaders in the management position in the two
institutions.
The study discusses educational leadership and educational organizations and
how they help towards the achievement of goals and objectives. It is revealed
that knowledge of educational management and educational institutions is
necessary for leaders of the institutions. The discussion pointed out that activities
run smoothly towards the achievement of goals and objectives under good
management and leadership. The leadership styles are discussed focusing on
their advantages and disadvantages. The conclusion drawn is that leadership
styles are situational. Each style can be used depending on the situation that
prevails. Various appraisal models are also discussed focusing on their strengths
and weaknesses. It is discovered that using a combination of appraisal models
work best.
INTRODUCTION
This chapter traces the socio-economic and political history of educational
administration and management in Lesotho. Although this history is generally
available in published documents, it is in this study written with the aim of
clarifying education from the past to the present for the purpose of projecting to
the future. It is based briefly on the history of leadership of education, and then
it focuses generally on tertiary education, and specifically on the institutions
under investigation. These institutions are the National Teacher Training
College and Lerotholi Polytechnic. What motivated the researcher to
undertake the investigation is related. The information is given to acquaint the
reader with the setting in which the study is based. For the purpose of this
study, masculine terms will be used as generic terms when referring to the
manager, leader or administrator.
A brief history of Lesotho and its education
The two institutions under investigation are situated in Lesotho, a country that
lies in the Southern African region between 20Ε S and 31Ε S latitude and 27Ε
E and 30Ε E longitude. It is landlocked by the Republic of South Africa and
covers an area of about 30,350 sq. km. Three quarters of the country is
mountainous. From a plateau in the west, ranging from 1500 to 1800 metres in
altitude, the land rises eastward to the Maluti Mountains. The other quarter
forms the foothills and lowlands. Another region is the Senqu Valley that is cut
by the Senqu River flowing in a southwesterly direction (Ambrose 1976:21)
(See Appendix A for map).
Management of education in Lesotho - A historical perspective
As was mentioned previously, the missionaries brought western education to
Lesotho. When Basutoland was annexed to the Cape Colony, the colonial
government inaugurated a system of aiding and supporting the existing work of
the missions by small annual grants-in-aid. In 1885, after the Imperial (British)
Government had taken over the administration of Basutoland, the grant system
to the missions was continued. It must be emphasized here that the British
Government was not yet directly responsible for the management of education
but was only playing a supportive role. The administration and management of
schools in Basutoland was still the responsibility of the missions (Ashton
1959:60).
During the period 1905-1906, E. B. Sargant, the Education Advisor to the High
Commissioner of South Africa, reported on the state of education in
Basutoland. He recommended the creation of the Department of Education.
This was created in August 1907 and an Education Officer was appointed.
This officer was also responsible for education in Bechuanaland and Swaziland
protectorates. His duty was to inspect education with assistance from a native
supervisor. The British Government continued to provide grants-in-aid and the
missions remained the chief agents for practically all the formal education in
Basutoland.