The Influence Of Stress And Burnout On The Effectiveness Of Principals In South African Schools

This study explored the nature and level of professional support and induction that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) provided to primary school principals in the iLembe District, KwaZulu-Natal Province to manage and lead schools successfully. Framed within the interpretivist paradigm, the study followed a qualitative approach using purposive sampling to select 10 principals from KwaDukuza Circuit and semi-structured interviews to generate data. It used Maslach's multidimensional theory of burnout as a theoretical framework to guide the discussion. The findings reveal that the principals felt overwhelmed and unsupported in their work and experienced high stress and burnout that impeded their ability to perform their duties effectively. They further show that the DBE and circuit managers did not provide meaningful induction programmes to assist novice and experienced principals in their professional development and work. To address these challenges and mitigate stress and burnout, the DBE should strengthen professional support and introduce wellness programmes for principals. The DBE should also intensify its school improvement efforts and foster a healthy school environment to enhance principals' effectiveness, as their stress is often linked to learner outcomes.