The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) have been used in the business, commercial and industrial sectors to improve both product and service. In a limited number of schools worldwide, there have been attempts to adapt TQM theory and practice to the educational management of institutions. In this thesis there has been an attempt to adapt the TQM philosophy to the field of educational practice. Quality tools and techniques used in TQM organisations have been studied to ascertain their applicability in schools. During the course of the study, the researcher discerned the need to give TQM a distinct identity within the domain of educational management. In the management of schools, there are philosophies and practices which are different from those encountered in noneducational settings. The concept Total Quality Education (TQE) was used to acknowledge this reality. Action research was done over a three-year period at a South African co-educational public primary school. During the four research cycles of looking, thinking and acting, TQE principles were implemented in the school. Stakeholders such as parents, learners and teachers identified areas for improvement of the quality of education. Areas identified included the curriculum, physical resources, extramural activities, staff development, learning and financial management of the school. Quality tools and techniques were applied by all stakeholders to effect the desired improvements. In the fourth and last cycle of the research a questionnaire was given to a sample of the parent community. Progress made in the improvement of the quality of education provided was noted and areas to be improved further were identified. The researcher submits that TQE can be meaningfully applied in South African schools. The various stakeholders can make contributions to the betterment of schools. Through the application of the principles of the TQE philosophy, it is possible to transform South African schools into institutions where all learners can experience education of true quality. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)

The problems concerning the future management of state-aided (Model C) schools fall into two main categories, namely problems intrinsic to the Model C schools and the problem of giving substance to the stated vision of the ANC. Model C schools were seen as a South African model of school self-management. A study of the literature relating to school self-management in general, and how it is practised in various countries, was made and the management of state-aided (Model C) schools was analyzed. A impirical investigation was conducted to ascertain the perceptions of various role-players in school management about their duties and responsibilities in this regard. A model for the self-management of state-aided schools, based on the Caldwell and Spinks' s model, and conforming to various criteria, is proposed. The proposed model is, in the opinion of the researcher, applicable not only to State-aided schools, but to all schools in South Africa as it allows individual schools to accept as much or as little self-management as is consistent with the capacity of their communities to provide effective and efficient service. It also allows schools to accept increases in self-management as their communities gain in management skills and expertise. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Educational Management)

This study entails a critical investigation into the issue and trends that shaped Black perspectives on education in South Africa in the period between 1652 and 1993. A theoretical-philosophical exposition is presented to establish the fundamental characteristics of education and therefore characteristics valid for every human being under any circumstances at any time. These characteristics were used to eventually appraise the issues and trends underlying the shaping of Black perspectives on education in South Africa. This study has revealed that the shaping of Black perspectives on education in South Africa goes hand in hand with the growing realization among Blacks that education is not merely a political issue but also deeply imbedded in the interconnectedness and/or differences between social realities such as the church, the school itself, teachers' associations, the news media et cetera. This should be accounted for by every citizen in a responsible way. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (History of Education)

The advent of political democracy in South Africa in 1994 gave rise to new policy in education promoting democratic and participative ways of managing and leading schools. The intention was both to break from the apartheid past which was characterised by an authoritarian, nonparticipative mindset, as well as to point the way for future education development. Principals of schools were expected to develop structures and adopt management and leadership styles which were participative, inclusive and developmental. Many principals would not have been prepared for this shift in mindset, and notions of full participation in governance by parents, and representation of learners through constituted bodies would have been new to them. In this case study of one semi-urban secondary school in the Eastern Cape the researcher sought to establish whether and to what extent the school had moved towards the new management and leadership approaches. The study is interpretive in orientation, and made use of interviews and document analysis. This research has found that the school had democratised its management and leadership to a considerable degree, but that this was not necessarily due to profound changes on the part of the principal 's leadership. The principal emerged as a democratic leader by nature. More significant seem to be the structures which the school had put in place, both officially and internally, to promote widespread participation and the distribution of leadership. This decentralised system of management has contributed to a distinct organisation culture in the school characterised by warmth, openness and ubuntu.

The research presented in this thesis is a case study analysis of the school-based intervention initiated by the David Rattray Foundation [DRF]. David Rattray, a South African historian well known for his contribution to the 1879-1896 Anglo-Zulu War heritage, was murdered in January 2007. In response to his untimely death, the DRF was established by family and friends with the hope of improving education within the Umzinyathi rural municipal district of KwaZulu-Natal. This study consisted of three phases: Phase I (May-December 2011); Phase II (January-December 2012), and Phase III (December 2012-October 2013). During Phase I, the focus was on describing the broader context in which the case is located. It resulted in a narrative account of the emergence of the DRF as a non-governmental organisation [NGO] working towards change within the local rural school community. During Phase II the focus shifted from the broader socio-political and economic context to the human dimension which included teachers, principals, volunteer workers and a district official working in the schools. During Phase II the approach to change adopted by the DRF was critically analysed in relation to models of change described in the literature. Teachers’ experiences of change were also examined. Phase III was a synthesis of the findings from the first two research phases. By drawing on systems and complexity theory perspectives, insights were gained enabling a deep understanding of the DRF’s school-based intervention as a whole. This research is a qualitative study that seeks to understand individual teachers’ experiences and participation in a process of change that reaches beyond the individual and his/her immediate context. The adoption of a realist ontology (Maxwell, 2012) and application of an explanatory heuristic based on the critical realist philosophy of Bhaskar (1979, 1980, 2011) enabled the layered analysis and in-depth interpretation that characterises the study. The findings of the study reveal a complex and ongoing process of change within a rural school context. The results illuminate the efficacy of a collaborative partnership between civil society (the DRF), the local community, under the leadership of a tribal authority, and the local government (KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Education). It also reveals how teachers within this particular context do not have a strong voice in the change process and hence participate only superficially in the school-based intervention. It is probable that the constraining mechanisms revealed through this research are not exclusive to this particular case study, but are common across the South African rural school context. The main contention of this thesis is that these mechanisms need further interrogation in order to enable further change and permit the active participation of teachers in the process.While the study illuminates many of the tensions and problems faced by the schools and the community in which they are located, it also highlights the achievements and selfless attitude of many people working towards change and improvement within the schools. This case study thus provides an example to all South Africans of what can be achieved with commitment and effort.

The idea of district support for schools is based on the view that local education offices are best placed to play a critical role in the promotion of quality teaching and learning. In performing this mandate whose characterisation has, over time, moved away from ‘inspection’ and ‘supervision’ both of which are seen as old fashioned and undemocratic, to support, which is seen as developmental. The aim of this study was to understand how three categories of district based officers, Subject Advisors, Integrated Quality Management System Coordinators and Education Development Officers support teaching and learning in schools. This was a case study of two districts in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A total of six district officials and four school based officials participated in this study. In-depth interviews and document analysis were carried out. There were four main findings. First, support for schools by three district based officials was understood and practiced as administrative tasks, mainly consisting of monitoring policy implementation and monitoring resource provision to schools. School Management Teams saw district officers’ visits as focussing on compliance rather than support. Second, some pedagogical support was given by Subject Advisors through training teachers in subject content and methods of teaching that subject. This was done through workshops and demonstration lessons. However Subject Advisors did not at any time observe actual classroom teaching to see if teachers were implementing what they had learnt at workshops. Third, none of the officers mentioned direct support for teaching and learning at classroom level. Visits by officials were not directly linked to influencing teaching and learning classroom level. Fourth, schools saw district officials as working in separate pockets and sometimes sending different signals to them, despite claims by district officials that inter-disciplinary meetings were held among district officials, however, the nature of the coordination and the use to which it is put remains unclear. There were three main conclusions, first that although the district officials’ visits to schools were described as support, they exhibited the trappings of technicism of inspection; supervision and control; and appeared to neglect the developmental aspects implied in the notion of support. Second, the conception and practice of support visits by district officials were characterised by tension between support and control. Third, at district level support to schools lacked coordination among the three categories of officers who visit schools. This has implications for quality management in schools. Given the findings and conclusions of this study; it is recommended that the issue of support for schools be the focus of a survey research for which a probability sample must be drawn in order to generate findings that are generalisable across the participating target population. Other research could focus on investigating mechanisms by which the tension between support and control can be resolved. To improve practice of a framework for the development of a coordinated district support focusing on the core business of teaching and learning is suggested.

MEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / Subject heads of departments (SHDs) play pivotal role in the leadership and curriculum delivery in secondary schools; yet they are still expected to lead departmental teams and to promote quality of teaching and learning. They find themselves in complex situations of leading departmental teams and of leading instructions in secondary schools. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges facing SHDs in promoting quality teaching and learning of dysfunctional Secondary schools. Qualitative research methodology was employed using case study research design to collect data through interviews and on-site observation checklists. Purposive sampling procedure was used to select four (4) out of seven (7) dysfunctional secondary schools. Sixteen (16) SHDs from the seven secondary schools were the population of this study. A total of ten (10) SHDs were sampled to be the participants in this study. Semi-structured individual interview schedules and on-site observation check list were used to collect data from participants. A voice recorder was used to record interviews and data collected was interpreted verbatim. The purpose of using on-site observation was to serve check the practicability and verification of data collected during interviews. Data from the two instruments was triangulated, analysed and interpreted verbatim. Common themes were drawn followed by interpretations and conclusions. The researcher presented general views of participants and linked them with relevant literature. The researcher hoped that this study will benefit teachers, school management teams (SMT) and researchers in understanding the challenges facing SHDs in promoting quality teaching and learning in dysfunctional Secondary schools (DSS). Empirical findings revealed that SHDs are facing complex challenges of promoting quality teaching and learning in dysfunctional Secondary Schools. Furthermore, it is recommended that SHDs should be supported internally by Principals and deputy principals. Equally importance is that external support by curriculum advisors should be ongoing. / NRF

The study investigated whether the South African Research Chairs and the research programmes of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation Programme (DST/NRF programmes), have made an effective contribution towards the acceleration of transformation in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa. The study argues that the implementation of the Higher Education (HE) policies by HEIs and the South African Research Chairs are seriously undermined by legacies of colonialism and apartheid. It is further contended that unless more funds are made available to black students to study full-time, the pillars of democracy of social justice, redress and equality remain meaningless ideological slogans. Guided by the insights provided by literature review on CDA, the study focuses more on the top-down relations of dominance (policy) that fuels continuing racial discrimination in higher education institutions, which the 2008 Final Report of the Ministerial Higher Education Committee isolated for criticism. The study posits that the thematic structural unifier, which links all the pieces of the multiplicity of the competing ideas and voices and threads through the whole study, is the endless probing and unravelling of the cultural and historical factors that continue to undermine the higher education transformation agenda. The findings of this study suggest that the policy implementation of the HE transformation agenda continues to be constrained by mismatch between policy objectives and implementation results. The findings also indicate that although the research-driven performance of South African Research Chairs has progressively improved each year and student support and research outputs increased between the 2008/09 and 2009/10 financial years, the direct impact of the SARChI programme can only be determined when performance is measured against the South African Research Chair Holders‟ baseline performance. The data also suggest that despite access to educational services at HEIs improving, the existence of various forms of discriminatory 15 practices, are still employed, a major challenge attributed to the “great man” leadership styles adopted by many university‟s vice chancellors and councils. This evaluation study utilises a small-scale purposive sample composed of three experts, with unstructured in-depth face-to-face interviews conducted with the experts. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The research focuses on the implementation of Outcomes-based Education (OBE) from a management perspective, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This being a largely rural province, teachers are often un- or underqualified and in-service training for curriculum implementation is constrained by logistical problems such as vast distances, lack of physical facilities and resources and language barriers. In spite of extensive socio-political changes since 1994, these barriers remain. A thorough study of the literature provides an understanding of the foundations of OBE in the light of a need for relevant education in a democratic South Africa. The purpose, forms, characteristics and key elements of an outcomes-based approach are described, as well as the role of the teacher in curriculum implementation. OBE is a futuristic education approach embodying a radical shift from the traditional content-based approach followed in the previous education dispensation. The initial curriculum aimed at realising the new OBE approach, was known as Curriculum 2005 and is described according to its key elements. Thereafter, the debate surrounding Curriculum 2005 and the problems associated with its implementation are identified. The Revised National Curriculum Statement, produced after the review of Curriculum 2005, is outlined and the roles of the teacher, principal and district officials in terms of the new curricula are then dealt with. Attention is then given to the roles of district officials, principals and teachers in managing the curriculum since all three role players have crucial roles to play at district, school and classroom levels. This theoretical discussion provides the framework for the qualitative study in determining the perceptions of these role players in the implementation of OBE in the Eastern Cape. Data was collected by means of individual and focus group interviews with a small sample of district officials, principals and teachers, selected through a combination of judgement and convenience sampling. An examination of documents was also carried out. The findings suggest factors that encouraged or hampered the implementation of OBE at district, school and classroom levels. Finally, based on the findings of both the literature and empirical studies, recommendations were provided for the improvement of OBE implementation in the Eastern Cape. / Education Management / D.Ed. (Education Management)

The fragmented and unequal system of technical and vocational education and training in South Africa is a consequence of the apartheid era. Since 1994 comprehensive legislation has been introduced to create a transformed system of Further Education and Training (FET) guided by the principles of redress, equity and lifelong learning and aimed at producing graduates who can contribute to making South Africa a key player in the global economy. In particular, the Technical College sector requires transformation. This in turn demands new knowledge, attitudes and skills from college managers and educators. Therefore, relevant staff development programmes is a key instrument of change in colleges. Against this background this study examines the management of staff development programmes in FET colleges in Gauteng Province by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation. The former addresses the management of change, human resource management, staff development and organisational development with an emphasis on the application of chaos/complexity theory. Moreover, the dynamic FET landscape in South Africa is sketched and FET policies and legislation since 1994 are discussed. The empirical investigation adopts a qualitative approach using focus group and individual interviews, observation and document analysis to gather data from a small sample of participants: educators and members of senior and middle management. Participants were selected by purposeful sampling from three former Technical Colleges (one previously advantaged and two previously disadvantaged) in Gauteng, which have recently merged to create a new multi-campus college, the Tshwane North College. The findings of the interviews present the experience of participants according to six themes: the management of change; communication during change; stakeholder involvement in change; the impact of FET legislation; human resource management and the role of staff development programmes in this process. These findings were integrated with observations of staff development programmes and their management and analysis of key documents. It was concluded that people are complex and may resist change; during change effective communication, stakeholder participation, adequate funding for staff development and its effective management are essential. Recommendations for the improvement of practice are presented based on the findings of the literature and empirical study. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)