Role of School Management Teams in Planning of Curriculum Delivery During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

Planning helps School Management Teams (SMTs) maintain order in delivering the curriculum and other learning activities. Meier and Marais (2012) indicate that SMTs that schools run smoothly through planning, organising, directing, leading, and controlling activities. School Management Teams plan to continue delivering the curriculum during the COVID-19 Pandemic and the envisaged post-pandemic period. COVID-19 is a crucial adaptive and disruptive obstacle in the delivery of the curriculum. Taha, Abdalla, Wadi, and Khalafalla (2020) contend that the sudden transition from traditional teaching to exclusively online education has required much preparation and other efforts to be done within a short space of time.

SMTs represent responsible for the proper functioning of the school and consist of the principal, the deputy principal(s), and heads of departments. They oversee the planning, organisation, leadership, and management of a school's activities. SMTs are mandated to efficiently and effectively manage school resources. SMTs should respond quickly to the rapid spread of the Pandemic, bearing in mind the geo-cultural contexts of their schools. The curriculum delivery plan of a school defines the goals and expectations of the curriculum, mode of teaching and learning, addresses the needs of different learners across grades and time of the year. This plan should be consistent with the curriculum documents of the system showing the content to be taught and the time for the delivery of the planned materials. The curriculum implementation plan should be introduced to the whole school and should be shared with relevant stakeholders.

In curriculum delivery, the deep understanding of concepts, values, and ideas in learning is given high priority. The process of teaching and learning shall foster the ongoing development of cross-curricular skills and qualities, including teamwork, critical thinking, problem resolution, and evaluation. The curriculum implementation plan of a school reflects goals and expectations embodied in the overall purpose of teaching and learning. A curriculum delivery plan represents a school's shared vision and offers a structure for implementing the desired curriculum. This chapter is designed for student principals, deputy principals, heads of departments, and teachers. However, a wide range of other practitioners such as pre-service teachers, administrators, researchers, curriculum designers, and policymakers may benefit as well.

Background

Bhatta, Raghavendra, Kumar, and Clarice (2012) concur that teachers were also making curricular decisions regarding what learners are to learn and instructional decisions regarding the learning experiences to be provided in the classroom. During the apartheid era, the teachers planned curriculum delivery without consulting any stakeholders in the school. School Inspectors from the circuit were the ones who assisted teachers in planning and monitoring the curriculum and its mode of delivery. Currently, planning and monitoring of curriculum delivery are the roles of SMTs.