Abstract:
Using a blend of functional, distributed, and instructional
leadership theories as a theoretical lens, this article presents the
perspectives of Namibian principals, heads of departments (HODs)
and teachers on the various leadership competencies that are
required in their role of enabling school leaders to support their
teachers’ professional development. The study was approached
from a pragmatist perspective employing a mixed-methods
methodology. The sequential explanatory design employed
combined quantitative and qualitative data obtained from school
principals, HODs and teachers. Analysis entailed the generation
of descriptive statistics using SPSS and open coding of qualitative
data to generate themes. It was found that school leaders
require multiple competencies, such as accountability, effective
communication, good interpersonal relations, subject-matter
competencies, administrative competencies, digital competencies
and listening skills to be able to support their teachers’ professional
development efforts. This study provides insights into how school
leadership competencies enable principals’ and HODs to support
teacher professional development within a Namibian context. The
study also provides a new knowledge base for Namibian policy
makers, political office bearers and administrators to avail human
and financial resources to capacitate school leaders with muchneeded
competencies to be able support teachers’ professional
development through training.
