The second edition of The school as a learning organisation develops the concept of a learning organisation in a South African schooling context. The term “learning organisation” is used to illuminate ways of organising teaching and learning practices that could transform South African schools into successful and effective institutions. The author discusses the five learning disciplines proposed by Senge (1990) against the background of her own successful practical experience as a school principal for ten years.

The book systematically applies each of Senge’s learning disciplines to show that schools can be effective if individuals and teams are prepared to learn from the experience and best practices of others. In the new paradigm for learning, the concepts “learning” and “work” cannot be separated. Learning and work have become an integral part of ensuring high performance and competitiveness within schools, and wider society.

In this edition, legal documents pertaining to education with specific emphasis on teaching and learning (for example, the National Education Policy Act, 1996 and the Gauteng School Education Act, 1995) have been included, to indicate how the education field in South Africa is transforming, thus necessitating the need for continuous learning and development.

Kholeka Constance Moloi is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg. Her field of expertise covers change management, strategic management and planning, systems thinking and the learning organisation. She is currently involved in the training and development of principals, funded by the Matthew Goniwe School for Leadership and Governance. She is working with Prof. Tony Bush from the University of Lincoln, England, on a number of research projects including “Cross boundary school leadership: A comparative study between England and South Africa”.