The role of School Management Teams in underperforming schools: A matter of values

Abstract

There is a strong link between a value laden school, a School Management Team (SMT) and school performance. Schools require a management team that is able to steer agreed upon values that can underlie performance in order that teachers teach, learners learn and stakeholders provide requisite support. The intention is to get an underperforming school to progress from poor to fair, to good and ultimately to excellence. This study sought to highlight the extent to which desired performance and shared values are mutually connected in eradicating underperformance. This article synthesises on the study and provides a perspective on the SMTs role in driving the establishment of agreeable values and ethos that are consistently reflected in all its operations and activities in order to maintain an upward performance.