Persistent African School Leadership Problems: A Scoping Review for Sustainability

Leadership is an important contributory factor in ensuring the academic success of learners in schools. However, challenges experienced by school leaders hamper effective leadership. This study explores the prevalent challenges experienced in African school leadership as presented in current literature. A scoping review method was adopted. First, key terms were identified, and two databases were selected for the search: Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). Literature was retrieved, reviewed, and analyzed using generated themes. Through the thematic analysis, some prevailing leadership problems were identified and presented. Among the themes are challenges of school leadership, the problem of mentorship in school leadership, and the need for support for successful school leadership. The study showed that mentorship and training of principals is a critical subject that needs to be considered. Following the findings of the study, recommendations are made.