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Despite changing Performance Management System (PMS) to Performance Management and Development (PMD) in 2018, public schools face difficulties in effectively implementing PMD in Botswana. This study, using a mixed methods approach, investigated the capacity of school managers to implement PMD. Quantitative analysis assessed capacity and workload, while qualitative insights explored managers’ perspectives on PMD.  From the study, poor PMD implementation is associated with capacity issues, moral laxity and organizational indifference. The study recommends building capacities at all levels of PMD and embracing PMD as a performance reform.

This article explores factors affecting principals' readiness to creatively implement policies, focusing on the policy on the South African Standard for Principalship. Policy implementation globally and in South Africa has faced an extraordinary frequency of failure. This occurs due to organizations' failure to measure readiness in employees, resulting in a lack of information about processes and strategies for implementing the policies. This article focuses on the perceptions of principals regarding factors that affect their readiness to creatively implement policies using a qualitative method. Information was gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews. The information was collected on a small sample of fifteen principals from schools in Mopani East district, Limpopo province, and was analysed through qualitative inductive analysis. The study revealed that principals' readiness to implement policies is affected by motivating factors. The study recommends that the Department of Education focus on enhancing the motivation of principals, which can result in readiness to implement, and measure the readiness of principals to implement policies in advance of the formal operation. 

Teachers’ job satisfaction and performance remain central to the success of any educational system. In community-based high schools, often characterised by limited resources, diverse student needs, and strong socio-cultural influences, the factors that shape teacher motivation and productivity can be significantly different from those in urban or well-resourced schools. Understanding these factors is essential for improving teaching quality, fostering retention, and enhancing student outcomes. This is a cross-sectional survey study that examined potential factors that affect job satisfaction and performance among teachers in a community setting in Iba New Site, Ojo Local Government, Lagos State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from 60 teachers working in a selected high school in the community. The study assessed both monetary and non-monetary factors affecting participants in a high school environment. In respect to monetary factor, it was observed that majority of the participants were not satisfied or happy with their monthly salary, thereby negatively impacting on their commitment, job satisfaction and performance. Regarding non-monetary factors, certain factors such as job flexibility, teamwork, support from managers/management, training and development, promotion, job recognition and reward were examined. The findings from this study showed that job flexibility enhanced job satisfaction and performance of participants with over 43% of the participant reporting satisfaction (“good”) at the high school. Over 43% of the participants received very good support from their colleagues (teamwork), which enhanced their job satisfaction and performance. Sixty percent (60%) of the participants reported very good in terms of the level of support received from their managers/management. This is interesting as good leadership has been reported to significantly contribute to improving job satisfaction and performance among teachers in general. The study shows that majority of the participants reported “good” in terms of support provided by the management for continuing professional development (CPD) and training, and participants agreed that such training provided motivation for work, consequently enhancing job satisfaction and performance. It was observed in the study that 40% of the participants were satisfied with promotional exercise at the school and that the promotion exercise motivated them to perform their job better. Lastly, 40% of the participants reported that they were properly recognized and rewarded for job well done. Overall, this study showed that both monetary and non-monetary factors negatively and positively impacted on job satisfaction and performance of the participants in the selected high school. It is suggested that the management of the school should investigate these factors and come up with ways to address specific factors that would promote job satisfaction and performance as these could go a long way in enhancing quality of education at the school.

The purpose of this study is to examine the challenges faced by school principals in rural South African secondary schools when implementing School Improvement Plans (SIPs). The study is guided by the theory of instructional leadership, which views principals as key drivers of teaching and learning. Instead of assuming that principals effectively fulfil their catalytic role, the study explores the persistent implementation gap that constrains meaningful school improvement. A qualitative multiple-case study design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews and document analysis of school improvement plans. Five principals were selected through convenience sampling. Using qualitative content analysis, the findings reveal that principals experience significant difficulties in translating SIP policies into practice, mainly due to limited capacity, contextual barriers, and inconsistent support from district officials. District monitoring systems were found to be weak, with officials struggling to enforce adherence to policy guidelines or to provide timely, targeted interventions. The study concludes that without sustained professional support, regular supervision, and strengthened accountability structures, principals remain unable to drive the intended improvements in teaching and learning. These insights underscore the need for additional research on strategies to bridge the SIP implementation gap in under-resourced educational contexts.

Despite changing Performance Management System (PMS) to Performance Management and Development (PMD) in 2018, public schools face difficulties in effectively implementing PMD in Botswana. This study, using a mixed methods approach, investigated the capacity of school managers to implement PMD. Quantitative analysis assessed capacity and workload, while qualitative insights explored managers’ perspectives on PMD.  From the study, poor PMD implementation is associated with capacity issues, moral laxity and organizational indifference. The study recommends building capacities at all levels of PMD and embracing PMD as a performance reform.

This article explores factors affecting principals' readiness to creatively implement policies, focusing on the policy on the South African Standard for Principalship. Policy implementation globally and in South Africa has faced an extraordinary frequency of failure. This occurs due to organizations' failure to measure readiness in employees, resulting in a lack of information about processes and strategies for implementing the policies. This article focuses on the perceptions of principals regarding factors that affect their readiness to creatively implement policies using a qualitative method. Information was gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews. The information was collected on a small sample of fifteen principals from schools in Mopani East district, Limpopo province, and was analysed through qualitative inductive analysis. The study revealed that principals' readiness to implement policies is affected by motivating factors. The study recommends that the Department of Education focus on enhancing the motivation of principals, which can result in readiness to implement, and measure the readiness of principals to implement policies in advance of the formal operation. 

Teachers’ job satisfaction and performance remain central to the success of any educational system. In community-based high schools, often characterised by limited resources, diverse student needs, and strong socio-cultural influences, the factors that shape teacher motivation and productivity can be significantly different from those in urban or well-resourced schools. Understanding these factors is essential for improving teaching quality, fostering retention, and enhancing student outcomes. This is a cross-sectional survey study that examined potential factors that affect job satisfaction and performance among teachers in a community setting in Iba New Site, Ojo Local Government, Lagos State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from 60 teachers working in a selected high school in the community. The study assessed both monetary and non-monetary factors affecting participants in a high school environment. In respect to monetary factor, it was observed that majority of the participants were not satisfied or happy with their monthly salary, thereby negatively impacting on their commitment, job satisfaction and performance. Regarding non-monetary factors, certain factors such as job flexibility, teamwork, support from managers/management, training and development, promotion, job recognition and reward were examined. The findings from this study showed that job flexibility enhanced job satisfaction and performance of participants with over 43% of the participant reporting satisfaction (“good”) at the high school. Over 43% of the participants received very good support from their colleagues (teamwork), which enhanced their job satisfaction and performance. Sixty percent (60%) of the participants reported very good in terms of the level of support received from their managers/management. This is interesting as good leadership has been reported to significantly contribute to improving job satisfaction and performance among teachers in general. The study shows that majority of the participants reported “good” in terms of support provided by the management for continuing professional development (CPD) and training, and participants agreed that such training provided motivation for work, consequently enhancing job satisfaction and performance. It was observed in the study that 40% of the participants were satisfied with promotional exercise at the school and that the promotion exercise motivated them to perform their job better. Lastly, 40% of the participants reported that they were properly recognized and rewarded for job well done. Overall, this study showed that both monetary and non-monetary factors negatively and positively impacted on job satisfaction and performance of the participants in the selected high school. It is suggested that the management of the school should investigate these factors and come up with ways to address specific factors that would promote job satisfaction and performance as these could go a long way in enhancing quality of education at the school.

The purpose of this study is to examine the challenges faced by school principals in rural South African secondary schools when implementing School Improvement Plans (SIPs). The study is guided by the theory of instructional leadership, which views principals as key drivers of teaching and learning. Instead of assuming that principals effectively fulfil their catalytic role, the study explores the persistent implementation gap that constrains meaningful school improvement. A qualitative multiple-case study design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews and document analysis of school improvement plans. Five principals were selected through convenience sampling. Using qualitative content analysis, the findings reveal that principals experience significant difficulties in translating SIP policies into practice, mainly due to limited capacity, contextual barriers, and inconsistent support from district officials. District monitoring systems were found to be weak, with officials struggling to enforce adherence to policy guidelines or to provide timely, targeted interventions. The study concludes that without sustained professional support, regular supervision, and strengthened accountability structures, principals remain unable to drive the intended improvements in teaching and learning. These insights underscore the need for additional research on strategies to bridge the SIP implementation gap in under-resourced educational contexts.