LEADING BEYOND THE PANDEMIC: HOW FEMALE DEPARTMENTAL HEADS NAVIGATE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE POST-COVID-19 ERA
| Authors | Contact |
|---|---|
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Dikeledi Precious Maswanganyi Department of Education Management and Leadership Faculty of Education University of Johannesburg Johannesburg, South Africa |
dikeledip953@gmail.com |
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Zvisinei Moyo Department of Education Management and Leadership Faculty of Education University of Johannesburg Johannesburg, South Africa |
zvisineim@uj.ac.za |
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted education systems worldwide, compelling schools to adapt rapidly to unprecedented organisational, technological, and emotional challenges. During this period, effective school leadership became essential for maintaining educational continuity, supporting teachers, and sustaining learner engagement. Female departmental heads, who occupy critical middle-management positions within schools, played a vital role in stabilising teaching and learning processes during and after the pandemic. Despite their important contributions, limited research has examined how these leaders navigate their leadership roles in the post-COVID-19 educational context, particularly within South African schools. This study therefore aimed to explore how female departmental heads navigate their leadership roles in the post-COVID-19 era. The research was grounded in a constructivist paradigm and employed a qualitative research approach using a generic qualitative design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected female departmental heads from public primary schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that female departmental heads demonstrate adaptive and transformative leadership practices, including enhanced digital literacy, participatory and empathetic leadership approaches, strengthened staff development initiatives, innovative curriculum practices, improved collaboration, effective liaison with school management, and increased leadership flexibility. These practices enabled leaders to support teachers, maintain curriculum implementation, and foster collaborative school cultures. The study concludes that female departmental heads play a critical role in promoting resilient and inclusive leadership practices that contribute to educational recovery and transformation in the post-COVID-19 era. The study contributes to the field of educational leadership by extending understanding of how female middle-level leaders navigate post-crisis educational environments and by highlighting the value of adaptive, collaborative, and digitally informed leadership practices in strengthening school resilience and recovery.
Keywords
Adaptive Leadership, Critical Feminist Theory, Departmental Heads, Digital Leadership, Female Educational Leadership, Post-COVID-19 Education
