HORNS OF DILEMMA: Department Head and Subject Teacher

Balancing the roles of Head of Department (HoDs) and subject teacher is a daunting task. In South Africa and Namibia HoDs are required to spend a minimum of 85% of their time on teaching, and the rest of it on preparation and planning, assessment, extra-mural activities, management and supervision, professional development, pastoral duties, guidance and counselling and administration (Chisholm, Hoadley, wa Kivulu, Brookes, Prinsloo, Kgobe, Mosia, Narsee and Rule, 2005, p.ix). Thus according to legislation, HoDs are allocated the majority of their work allocation to their teaching responsibility with only one quarter of their job description left for the management of teaching and learning in their departments, liaising between senior management and colleagues. In addition, their relational expertise extends beyond school borders into the community and the entire society. With all these responsibilities, expectations and demands on HoDs, one cannot help but question, how do they [HoDs] balance all these tasks and responsibilities with such a heavy teaching load?