SCHOOL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SELECTED PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN BOTSWANA

Abstract

The aim of school management is to create and maintain an environment that supports,
promotes, and sustains effective teaching and learning. This is a daunting task which presents
many challenges to the school administrators especially during a pandemic. This study
explored School Management Team (SMT) practices in private and public primary schools in
Gaborone during the pandemic. This was done by determining if SMTs were trained for their
roles in the face of Covid-19, the challenges they faced, the steps taken to manage the
challenges, and the impact of their management practices on learners’ performance. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 24 members of the SMTs in two private
schools and two public schools. Data was analysed thematically. Although the majority of the
participants were not trained before assuming their leadership roles, findings showed that the
private school participants engaged in training to enhance their effectiveness during the
pandemic. Challenges like absenteeism, lack of consultation, poor performance, and fear, were
encountered. Classroom shortage was observed in public schools, while private schools were
faced with lack of finance, resistance to change and stigmatization. These challenges were
tackled through remote learning, engaging teachers through a government initiative called
Tirelo Sechaba Programme (TSP), and the use of non-teaching staff for teaching and learning.
Private schools showed more concern towards tackling fear by engaging in light physical
exercises and workshops involving staff from the Ministry of Health. The adoption of remote
learning exposed the inadequacy in the use of technologies in Botswana as they were not
accessible by learners. The study therefore underscores the need for improved education
technology and human resources in Botswana schools, and the need to remove the dichotomy
between private and public schools for improved performance.