| Summary: | Change and renewal can be found from time to time in
different sectors of the society. Education is in this
respect no exception.
The renewal taking place in nearly every scientific field
causes and necessitates effective education in schools.
This in turn, creates a need for the extension and renewal
of subject curricula to cope with the demands of science,
technology, economy and the political organization.
No curriculum can be altered at will since it doesn't
naturally follow that any change implies improvement.
Curriculum research is thus essential to test suggestions
for renewal systematically by means of experimentation
and evaluation.
The principal of the secondary school has an important
role to play in curriculum renewal since he is in the
position to determine the quality of teaching in his school.
The principal is in a favourable position to co-ordinate
curriculum renewal because he has access to the pupils in
the school, the teacher in the classroom, the Superintendent of Education Academics and those well-versed in the
science of curricula who compiled the new curriculum.
From this vantage point the principal is able to identify
the possibility of curriculum renewal, initiate curriculum
renewal as such, implement it and facilitate the successful
incorporation thereof.
The measure of success with which curriculum renewal is
implemented depends to a certain extent on the attitude of
the principal towards curriculum renewal and the positive
climate he creates for curriculum renewal in his school.
This study has endeavoured to determine what the following
comprise of: • The concept curriculum renewal in the secondary school. • The task of the secondary school principal concerning curriculum renewal. • The skilful training of the secondary school principal to prepare him for curriculum renewal and the way in which the principal should be prepared for this task in the future. To determine the above-mentioned it is essential to establish further what is meant by concepts such as "renewal", "education renewal" and "curriculum renewal". Further research was undertaken into the strategies for curriculum renewal in education, the steps for curriculum renewal,
the structures and people involved with curriculum renewal.
The Christian National foundation of education is accentuated by this study and it has become evident that any educational renewal and therefore also any curriculum renewal,
must inseparably be part of the command of God to reveal
His commandments and promises to the child and to rule over His creation.
The tasks of the principal in curriculum renewal are discussed under the following headings: • When he initiates renewal himself. • When renewal is initiated from external sources. • When renewal is initiated by a teacher on his staff. • The tasks of the principal in the incorporation of curriculum renewal. This investigation includes the necessity for the training
and the needs and voids that may exist in the training of
the principal in curriculum renewal, as well as existing
training programmes for the principal in his task as
curriculum renewal leader in some overseas countries and
the RSA,
Here it was found that apart from in-service training
courses which are presented by education departments for
principals from time to time, there are no formal training
for the secondary school principal in the RSA and thus
also no formal and prescribed training in the science of
curricula or curriculum renewal.
A study of this nature is almost impossible without a strong
empirical component by means of which specific information
and the views of curriculum experts, professional education
leaders and the principals of secondary schools may be
obtained.
The empirical research was launched as follows:
Firstly the views of curriculum experts in this regard
were gauged by means of a series of personal interviews
with curriculum experts connected with educational departments and universities.
Secondly the views of leaders in the field of professional
education were determined by means of a series of personal
interviews.
Thirdly the views of principals of white secondary schools
in the Transvaal were gauged by requesting them to answer
and return to the research a structured questionnaire
about the mentioned subject.
The following findings resulted from the empirical research: • The principal of the secondary school has a definite task in curriculum renewal. • The principal has an important share in the initiation and implementation of curriculum renewal. • Discussions with heads of department and subject teachers are viewed as the most effective methods by means of which the principal can become aware of the need for curriculum renewal and whence the need for curriculum renewal may be identified. • The principal can avail himself successfully of various ways to realise the need for curriculum renewal and comprehend the renewal to be implemented totally. • Various ways exist whereby the principal can create a favourable climate for the effective implementation of curriculum renewal. • Communication between the people involved in curriculum renewal exists to a lesser extent and this communication can be initiated by the principal very effectively. • The principal has an important role in the planning, organization, control and evaluation of curriculum renewal. • The principal can be trained effectively for his task in curriculum renewal. • It was further apparent that the various demographic differences such as the grade of the school; the medium of teaching in the school; the locality of the school; the experience of the principal as head of a secondary school, and the academic, educational or professional qualifications of the principal have had no notable influence on the views of the respondents.
From the research undertaken in this respect, the following
findings are deduced: • There is a need for continued education renewal and more specific, as concerns this research, for continued curriculum renewal in the secondary school. • The principal of the secondary school has a particular task as curriculum renewal agent in education. • There is a need for the continual training of the principal of the secondary school as curriculum renewal agent. === Proefskrif (DEd)--PU vir CHO, 1986
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