Exploring Departmental Heads’ experiences of Quality Management System as a Professional Development Programme

Exploring Departmental Heads’ experiences of Quality Management System as a Professional Development Programme

Bongela Nyandeni, Lulama Mdodana-Zide & Michael Moreti Mahome

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 9 2026 Article 7 pp. 1114 – 1132
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026797 Published online 11th November 2026.

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ABSTRACT

Enhancing the skills of Departmental Heads (DHs) is essential to meet the increasing demands of 21st-century education. In South African schools, limited professional development initiatives, such as the Quality Management System Professional Development Programme (QMS PDP), have been introduced to support DHs’ growth. However, challenges in implementation persist. This study explored DHs’ perspectives on QMS PDP as a professional development tool, addressing a limited knowledge base on its effectiveness. Grounded in adult learning theory, the study adopted an interpretive paradigm and a qualitative phenomenological design. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with eleven DHs across four purposively selected schools. Findings revealed a strong need for sustained professional development among school managers. Participants acknowledged that the QMS PDP contributed positively to their development as leaders and administrators. The study highlights the importance of QMS PDP in improving educational quality by strengthening school leadership. However, it also found that the programme requires refinement to better address practical challenges faced by DHs, including workload and implementation constraints. The study recommends: (1) strengthening QMS PDP through comprehensive and continuous training, (2) integrating a clear QMS implementation plan into DBE Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs), and (3) prioritising administrative support to reduce DHs workload and enhance their focus on instructional leadership. This study extends the limited empirical literature on QMS PDP in South Africa by foregrounding DHs’ lived experiences and demonstrating how structured professional development, grounded in adult learning theory, can enhance middle leadership capacity while identifying critical areas for policy and programme improvement.

Keywords: Departmental Heads, Quality Management System, Professional Development Programme, Professional Development.

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AUTHOR(S)

Bongela S. Nyandeni is a PhD candidate in the Department of Education Management and Leadership at the University of the Free State. She holds a master’s degree in education management and leadership from the same institution. Her research focuses on the capacity of educators and the influence of professional development on the leadership and management practices of Heads of Departments in promoting quality teaching and managing learner indiscipline.

Dr. L. Mdodana-Zide is a Senior Lecturer and Head of DEMPCE in the Faculty of Education, UFS, QwaQwa Campus. Her niche area is school leadership professional development through a transformational leadership lens, particularly in rural schools, focusing on how it enables sustainable institutional change, professional cultures, and strengthens inclusive, socially just instructional practices. In short, her scholarly ideology is shaping how South African/African schools are evolving, thriving, and leading their own futures.

Dr. Michael Moreti Mahome is currently a senior lecturer at Northwest University, South Africa, specialising in education leadership and management, with more emphasis on middle leadership and the management of teacher-directed violence. He has published journal articles in the discipline and supervised postgraduate students (M & D) to completion. This includes presentations at numerous local and international conferences

TO CITE ARTICLE

Nyandeni, Bongela, Lulama Mdodana-Zide, and Michael Moreti Mahome.“Exploring Departmental Heads’ experiences of Quality Management System as a Professional Development Programme.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.9 (2026): 1114 – 1132. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026797