Navigating Inclusive Practices in Supporting Neurodivergent Learners in South African Under-Resourced Mainstream Schools: Perspectives from School Principals

Principals in mainstream schools occupy a pivotal yet underexplored position in supporting neurodivergent learners within resource-constrained settings. Guided by the transformational leadership theory lens, this study examines how mainstream school principals navigate neurodiversity support in resource-constrained school settings. A qualitative descriptive design, rooted in the interpretivist paradigm, was adopted. Data were collected from eighteen mainstream school principals from the Johannesburg Central district, using a quasi-structured questionnaire. Four themes emerged: identification of neurodivergent learners; support structures and inclusive practices; human, material resource and systemic constraints; and principals’ policy recommendations and visions for inclusive education in mainstream schools. The findings reveal a significant gap between policy intent and school-level practice. While a minority of principals demonstrated transformational leadership practices that produced meaningful inclusive outcomes, the majority are constrained by deep structural and systemic barriers that limit their capacity. The study concludes that navigating neurodiversity support in resource-constrained mainstream school settings requires dual accountability: principals are encouraged to move beyond passive compliance to actively advocate, collaborate and lead with moral purpose, while the government is urged to fulfil its constitutional obligation to resource inclusive education as a right, not a discretionary provision.