Dr Selaelo Maifala’s PhD study investigated the instructional leadership roles of a school management team (SMT) in a rural high school in Limpopo province.

Limpopo province underperforms in national benchmark assessments, including matric. The research investigated the instructional leadership role of SMT members in improving teaching and learning in the rural context. The study also sought to understand the impact of rurality on how members of the SMT understand and enact their instructional leadership roles.

The study highlights the importance of professional development in education leadership and management as well as the fact that understanding one’s roles may not always lead to agency. It revealed that while SMT members understand some instructional leadership roles, they often do not prioritise them. This thus raises the need to understand how the human factor influences school leadership.

Speaking of the challenges she faced, Maifala said, ‘The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted my field work, causing a delay of nearly a year. I also changed jobs three times during the five years I was studying. This meant I had to navigate other challenges outside of my studies which also impacted me negatively.’

On the positive side, she said she gained skills that enabled her to become a lecturer in education leadership and management.

She plans to spend more time with family and rediscover hobbies like reading fiction and being out in nature. Her career goals include publishing and becoming a professor.

Maifala expressed her gratitude to her friends, family and all those who supported her.