This study explores the management of parent volunteers in secondary schools in the Limpopo Province. A literature study was conducted to investigate the existing theories and models of managing parent volunteerism in secondary schools. The literature revealed how parent volunteer programmes are conducted in countries, which have developed successful programmes such as the United States. The present state of parent volunteering in secondary schools in South Africa is also investigated to reveal the current situation. A qualitative investigation in two secondary schools in the Limpopo Province was done. Data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews with principals and deputy principals. Analysed data revealed that there are no volunteer programmes which are implemented in secondary schools in the Limpopo Province and school managers do not have the necessary skills to implement and manage parent volunteer programmes at secondary schools. / Educational Studies / (M.Ed (Education Management))

The study was conducted in the secondary schools of Vhembe district. Five secondary schools were selected for study. Data were collected by interviews. Interview involved asking questions, listening and recording answers and then following up with additional relevant questions. The findings revealed that lack of training regarding change influences people to resist change. Therefore, before the initiation of any change, the Department of Education should train all stakeholders involved in the day-to-day implementation of change. This will minimize resistance during the implementation stage. The study recommends that educators and HoD's should work hand in hand to support their principals in order to ensure the smooth running and management of change in their schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The study focuses on the extent to which the “no fee” policy affects the financial management and support for educational programmes at “no fee” secondary schools in Mpumalanga. The “no fee” policy derives from the Education Laws Amendment Act (Act No. 24 of 2005) according to which the levying of mandatory fees have been abolished at public schools that are declared “no fee” institutions. The State has subsequently assumed the role of funding these “no fee” schools in order to create greater access to quality education and to improve the supply of educational resources as well as equipment in the impoverished schools. The findings of the research study eventually led to the recommendations that are presented as guidelines for the SGBs, principals as well as education authorities on the management of “no fee” schools. / Further Teacher Education / M.A. (Education Management)

No abstract available / Teacher education / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), initially designed to effect continuous improvement in the business sector, have been successfully applied in educational settings. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore educator participation in the implementation of a TQM Strategy at selected academically underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area to address shortfalls. A literature review on TQM provided a conceptual framework for the empirical inquiry. Special attention was given to the role of educators in TQM implementation. The empirical study used qualitative research methods to explore the use of TQM in fifteen schools selected by purposive sampling. Observation, document analysis and focus group interviews were used to gather data. The findings indicate that educators regard TQM as an improvement tool; however, they hold negative and positive views about TQM. Finally, recommendations were made to enhance the implementation of TQM in underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study deals with the way school principals, educators and learners manage learner behaviour inside the classrooms, as well as in the entire school for the effective and uninterrupted realisation of teaching and learning activities. A qualitative approach was used in this study. The research findings were based on observations, the analysis of documents, as well as the main and sub-categories that were formulated from the interview data gathered at the selected schools. The research confirmed what is already known on learner discipline and discipline problems. In the dissertation more attention is given to factors that contribute to misbehaviour, the impact of misbehaviour on the culture of learning and teaching, and how learner behaviour should be managed in the classrooms and in the schools in general. Furthermore, effective measures of managing learner behaviour are explained and a comprehensive school-wide model of preventing and remediating learner misbehaviour is also provided. / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate opportunities to learn (OTL) algebra by grade ten learners at three Catholic secondary schools in South Africa. Performance in mathematics is poor and is a great cause for concern. Despite the government’s effort to make education open and available to all, underperformance has continued among the black majority who were previously marginalised in the former regime. This thesis focuses on the OTL which are afforded learners who are given the chance to attend classes. This thesis met its aims through an extensive review of related literature and the implementation of practical research. The latter was carried out through case studies conducted in three schools where lessons were observed and interviews conducted with the respective teachers. Literature on how OTL mathematics are created is lacking in South Africa. Real OTL still needs to be created if the expected level of performance is to be achieved. The research produced a number of key findings: the learners were given the right to attend class but were subjected to different OTL, learning to convert within and between the different registers of representation of algebraic concepts is necessary to provide learners with OTL, it is not enough for learners to master certain facts and procedures, and learning is enhanced if the means to make the conversion necessary for concept building is developed and the OTL provided. The teacher’s approach influences the way OTL are realised and utilised by learners. The main conclusion drawn from this research is that the OTL afforded the grade ten learners were not the same and that different chances to make conversion within and between registers of representation of algebra concepts were given. Giving the teachers guidelines without expounding the meaning of specific terms such as ‘convert’ leaves gaps in their practices and results in some learners receiving adequate OTL and others not. This research argues for a more involved capacity building programme for in-service teachers to acquaint them with the expected learner-centred approaches to lesson delivery as well as familiarise them with the terminology used in defining terms in the syllabus. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Globally, there are numerous debates on what constitutes an effective school. Parents strive to choose what they regard as the best school for the education of their children. Historically, school effectiveness is a phenomenon associated with learner attainment. Yet, school effectiveness is measured and conceptualized differently throughout the world. The aim of this research was to determine and define the factors contributing to the effectiveness of secondary schools in the Free State Province of South Africa. A case study was conducted on six schools selected in the Free State Province. Data were collected qualitatively by means of semi-structured and focus-group interviews with principals, SMTs, teachers, SGBs, learning facilitators and school-management and -governance developers. A documentary analysis was carried out to triangulate data from interviews. The data collected were triangulated and supported by an extensive literature review on school effectiveness and improvement. In particular, the literature review encompassed the policy context of school effectiveness in South Africa, definitions of the concept of school effectiveness, models of school effectiveness, methods of evaluating school effectiveness, the relationship between school effectiveness and school improvement, change and school improvement, approaches to school improvement and the characteristics of effective schools. The legislative framework for both teacher and school evaluations is highlighted and their effectiveness critically reviewed with reference to current investigations in the field. These empirical investigations, which, form part of this larger qualitative research project, show that effective schools exhibited high learner attainment, effective teaching and learning, as well as a highly effective leadership and management. Management, leadership and administration, curriculum, school governance and VI school support structures were confirmed as very instrumental as far as school effectiveness and improvement are concerned. Furthermore the study indicates that the current policies are not enhancing school effectiveness and improvement, thus the study recommends the index of school effectiveness and improvement (ISE&I). The Index of School Effectiveness and Improvement, which is a document that schools can use to review and enhance their effectiveness, is a model developed in the course of this study to assist schools in improving their effectiveness. Unlike the WSE review, which takes place every five years, the index suggests a continuous and regular review process by schools carried out by all stakeholders. In conclusion, an overview of the challenges identified by this research project, as well as the aspects in need of further research, is highlighted. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

TQM has been identified as an approach that can be adopted to improve quality in business as well as in education. The main aim of this approach is to involve everybody in decision-making of the organization, in this case a school, with the purpose of achieving highest commitment from staff and customer satisfaction. TQM can be a way which can bring about changes in the education system. It is a philosophy with continuous improvement which can provide a set of practicable tools and techniques to meet the present and the future desires of any educational system. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of TQM on school improvement in secondary schools in the Uthungulu District, Kwazulu-Natal. The questionnaires were handed to schools in the Uthungulu District which is made up of 5 circuits, namely, Umhlathuze Circuit, Umfolozi Circuit, Umlalazi Circuit, Mthonjaneni Circuit and Inkandla Circuit. The research concentrated mainly on School Management Teams (SMTs) and Post Level 1 educators (PL1 educators) from senior secondary schools (high schools). On the whole, respondents in the study area have shown a positive attitude towards understanding the significance of Total Quality Management principles in schools. The findings seem to suggest that everyone has a responsibility of encouraging implementation of TQM in schools. It is important to develop quality management systems, because without them, it is impossible to implement. The quality improvement teams should be empowered to manage themselves and provide programmes that will enable them to be more effective. The proposed model of the study provides information about basic elements and factors which need to be taken into cognisance during the TQM and implementation process. The model identifies the main principles of TQM with continuous improvement at the centre of them all. The main aim of implementing TQM in school should be continuous improvement. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This research investigates the vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership in Ekurhuleni East District (Gauteng East District) and the existence of a vision of excellence in schools. A literature study investigated models of leadership related to vision of excellence and aspects of vision of excellence in school leadership. An empirical investigation used both a quantitative and qualitative research design to collect data from a purposefully selected and stratified sample of participants and secondary schools in the Ekurhuleni East District (Gauteng East Education District). A questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to gather data from the respondents. Data were analysed and interpreted using quantitative and qualitative approach. The findings of both the literature study and the empirical research on the above-mentioned vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership in Ekurhuleni East District revealed that there is a lack of support from school leadership and the School Management Team (SMT) in realising a vision of excellence in secondary schools leadership. The main challenges that were identified by qualitative method were the lack of support by both the district office and school management or school leadership. The realisation of the vision of excellence is dependent on how the information is managed and disseminated by the school leadership, principals and SMTs. It appears that the realisation of the vision of excellence would enhance the level of understanding of new developments in the education system including the curriculum change and technological advancement. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)