Kagiso Trust conference to reimagine ethical leadership in education

Education is often seen as the key to social mobility and economic development, so when educational leadership lacks an ethical grounding, social cohesion and South Africa’s democratic project are undermined.

To address this, Kagiso Trust – a leading development agency which is celebrating its 40^th anniversary in 2025 – is hosting a Leadership Conference this month in partnership with the University of Johannesburg’s Faculty of Education, under the theme “Leading with integrity: Reimagining ethical educational leadership for transformative learning”.

Sizakele Mphatsoe, who leads the Trust’s education programme, says the online event will encourage scholars, practitioners, policymakers and community stakeholders to imagine leadership practices that foster learning environments which are inclusive, sustainable and responsive to the needs of diverse communities.

“Education is still grappling with the profound inequalities created by apartheid,” says Mphatsoe. “Ethical leadership is essential to navigate the complex process of transformation while ensuring that past injustices don’t perpetuate new forms of discrimination or corruption in resource allocation.”

She says the African context will be central to the reimagining stimulated by the conference. “The leadership we need must be deeply rooted in communal values, indigenous knowledge systems and philosophies such as ubuntu,” she says.

“The conference will foreground African epistemologies and decolonial approaches to leadership, recognising that ethical transformation must be contextually grounded and culturally resonant.

“By drawing on African traditions of connectedness, stewardship and collective responsibility, we aim to inspire leadership that is not only ethical but authentically transformative.”

Four focus areas

Speakers at the conference, facilitated by Prof Kat Yassim, professor of education leadership at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), will introduce four focus areas:

• Equity, justice and inclusion in leadership: This discussion will focus on ethical leadership that addresses systemic inequalities, promotes inclusive practices and ensures fair access to quality education for all learners.
• Sustainability and ethical stewardship: This focus area will examine the role of educational leaders in promoting environmental responsibility, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and embedding green pedagogies in institutions.
• Community engagement, indigenous knowledge and participatory leadership: This area will highlight ethical leadership that fosters collaboration with parents, communities and stakeholders to co-create meaningful educational experiences. 
• Digital ethics and leadership in the age of AI: This theme will explore the ethical implications of technology use in education, including data privacy, digital equity and the responsible integration of AI tools. 

Enlightening and inspiring

“The stakes are high. With systemic inequality, language and cultural complexities, and crisis in quality and standards, ethical leadership has never been more critical,” says Mphatsoe.

“We encourage anyone with an interest in seeing education institutions being led with integrity to join us for what promises to be an enlightening and inspiring conference.”

• The Kagiso Trust Leadership Conference will take place on Zoom from 2pm to 4pm on Wednesday 10 September and Thursday 11 September. Attendance is free.
• To sign up for the conference, please use the following RSVP Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ItbOWmoYTOy-rynU-2NHyg#/registration