D.Ed. / The South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 mandates the introduction of democratic school governance. The problems that need to be addressed are poor school governance, poorly motivated learners and educators, and a general lack of managerial skills in school leadership. This research has argued that developing school governing bodies, and providing them with the skills to govern effectively, is crucial to the success of a school transformation process. The research concentrated on schools in the Northern Cape and Gauteng Province. A quantitative research methodology was used to elicit the perceptions of educators with regard to the frequency with which school leaders practice collaborative leadership. A structured questionnaire consisting of 61 items was administered to 500 educators, with a return of 87%. In this research, 61 items were formulated to secure information on the importance of various essential functions for school leaders to collaboratively govern their schools. The construct validity of the instrument in this research was investigated by means of successive first and second order factor analytic procedures performed on the 61 items. The first order procedure involved a principal component analysis (PCA1) followed by a principal factor analysis (PFA1). The following four first order factors were derived from the first analytic procedure performed on the 61 items: Achievement orientated leadership consisting of 25 items with a Cronbach-Alpha reliability of 0,979 with no items rejected. Team orientated leadership consisting of 15 items with a Cronbach- Alpha reliability of 0,962 with no items rejected. Communication orientated leadership consisting of 14 items with Cronback-Alpha reliability of 0,962 with no items rejected. Innovation orientated leadership consisting of 7 items with a Cronbach- Alpha reliability of 0,913. The four obtained from the first order factor analysis were now used as inputs for the second order procedure. These procedures resulted in the four factors consisting of 61 items being reduced to one factor that was named authentic collaborative leadership. It had a Cronbach-Alpha reliability coefficient of 0,990 with no items rejected. The literature survey was used to indicate the difference between authentic collaborative leadership based on an achievement, team, communication, and innovation orientation and inauthentic collaboration based on contrived collegiality. The research is concluded with recommendations based on 19 findings.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation argues that, for several reasons, school boards serving the various Seventh-day Adventist schools in the Western Cape have not carried out their functions and responsibilities effectively and efficiently. Although the school boards meet on a regular basis, there appear to be several problems that contribute to a lack of effective performance by the board. Through an analysis of data constructed from interviews and questionnaires, the study reveals that many board members feel that they are not fully equipped to carry out the responsibilities of a governor, and furthermore that they do not belong because they do not feel a part of the decision-making process in the school. They therefore are willing to spend time and effort to equip themselves for the task through capacity building programmes and ongoing training. I contend that, in addition to capacity building programmes, the voices of individual members need to be heard as they participate, deliberately, in decision-making processes. This dissertation contends that if the boards are to function optimally, all stakeholders, particularly the school board members, should engage in capacity building programmes and also experience deliberative, democratic citizenship. They must be given an equal voice to participate in deliberations concerning policy formulation and other decision-making processes. This will help them to realise their democratic right to participate and also to experience inclusivity as a free member of the society in which they live. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif argumenteer dat skoolbestuursrade wat verskillende Sewende-dag Adventisteskole in die Wes-Kaap beheer om verskeie redes nie hulle pligte effektief en doeltreffend nakom nie. Hoewel die beheerrade gereeld vergader is daar blykbaar verskeie probleme wat bydra tot ’n gebrek aan die vervulling van hulle pligte. Deur die ontleding van data saamgestel uit onderhoude en vraelyste is daar gevind dat veral die raadslede, en tot ’n kleiner mate ander belangstellendes, voel hulle is nie ten volle toegerus om die verantwoordelikheid van ’n raadslid te dra nie. Hulle voel ook dat hulle nie deel is van belangrike beslissings wat in die skool geneem word nie. Daarom is hulle bereid om tyd te maak om hulle vir die werk van ’n raadslid toe te rus. Ek hou voor dat behalwe vir die gebruik van kapasiteitsbouprogramme moet die individue se stemme gehoor word en moet hulle ’n kans gegun word om saam te praat en ook aan belangrike beslissings deel te neem wat verband hou met die skool en die opvoeding van die leerder. Hulle moet hulle demokratiese burgerregte uitvoer, deelneem aan die ontwikkelinge wat in die skool plaasvind en daardeur sal hulle stemme ook gehoor word.

The move towards greater democracy and participation in our education system is legislated quite succinctly in our South African Schools Act. The Act furthermore, and more importantly for this case study, posits that decision-making should be democratic in nature and our schools should eventually become governed in a collaborative and co-operative manner. Other policy texts such as the Labour Relations Act and the South African Constitution canonise the demand for a democratic South African society. This study investigates how democratic decision-making practices are taking place in an East London Secondary School namely Ebenezer Majombozi High. Even though distinct links exist between management and governance arms of schools, this study concentrates predominantly on decision-making within the school governing body and touches briefly on management thinking trends as a theoretical background to the kind of management at the school. What makes the school interesting as a case study is its rich history and its location in a deprived and impoverished township environment. The school was also part of the ex-Department of Education and Training, the black educational department of the past apartheid state. The kind of research undertaken was in the form of unstructured personal :interviews with influential stakeholders at the school. Some of these stakeholders fonn part of the school governing body and the questions asked probed forms of governance at the school and how decision-making impacted on the overall school governance. The research fmdings acknowledges that decision-making does occur democratically at the school but that the practical implementation of positive consensual decisions are rarely realized. The school governing body only meets to deal with crises underpinned by a lack of learning and teaching and has not even debated the policies within the South African Schools Act. The study also argues that only by building capacity within the school and empowering the stakeholders, can constructive participation by all become a reality.

Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Safety in schools has become an issue of concern in the whole country. The Department of Basic Education’s record of safety in schools is being questioned by a number of incidents and cases that indicated that schools are indeed unsafe. Therefore, this study focuses on the role of the School Governing Bodies in the implementation of Safety Policy in the rural primary and secondary school areas of Mamabolo. The study focused on three secondary schools and four primary schools. The research concentrated only on the views of chairpersons of SGBs, principals, teachers and Assistant Director for governance in schools. Qualitative data was collected through observations, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data was transcribed, coded and categorised into themes. The findings revealed that the School Governing Bodies lack capacitation in the promotion of safety in schools. Challenges that were identified include lack of training, lack of funds, unavailability of police, unavailability of security officers, and lack of support from the Limpopo Department of Education. The study recommends that schools be provided with security personnel to regulate access control and conduct searches and seizures, addition of safety course or module to teacher training at institutions of higher learning and a design of a common safety policy by the circuit office. Additionally, parents should take part in the discipline of their children at home. Last, but not least, the department should provide schools with thorough training on the promotion of safety in schools.

This research study investigates the current staffing processes at the former South African Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education and aims to identify critical issues regarding staffing processes employed by SGBs of former South African Model C schools. It suggests guidelines in support of a more transformative staffing process to address the gap between the staffing needs of SGBs and departmental policy for transformative staffing, and recommends strategies that can be applied by SGBs to address challenges concerning transformative staffing. An in-depth investigation of the literature revealed that much of governance depends on partnerships among different institutions and the great need to teach SGBs and other stakeholders how to collaborate—not just how to monitor or adhere to contracts. The literature revealed that school governance, although complex, is an important part of the education systems around the world (especially in South Africa). A qualitative research design and methodology were employed to investigate the phenomenon of staff transformation at former Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education by means of interviews with participants. A complete and strict process for ethical clearance was followed to validate the study. The empirical investigation revealed that there are no clear transformational guidelines from the Department of Education (DoE), which creates the notion that former Model C schools are not compelled to transform their staff to be representative of the demographics of their learners. In addition, the data revealed that some SGBs are particularly resistant to staff transformation at their schools because (as some have put it) their schools are for white people in the same way as township schools are for black and coloured people. They do not see the need for the transformation of staff at their schools, because even black parents choose to send their children to former Model C schools for the quality of education offered by these schools. The study further revealed that most of the principals are concerned about the lack of role models for the overwhelming number of learners of colour at their schools; they acknowledge the need for urgent staff transformation at their schools. Based on the findings of the study, a transformative framework for staffing former Model C schools was developed. This framework requires the collaborative cooperation of all the stakeholders to transform the staff of the former Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education successfully and efficiently. / Hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek die huidige personeelvoorsieningsprosesse by die eertydse Suid-Afrikaanse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys en stel ten doel om kritieke vraagstukke ten opsigte van personeelvoorsieningsprosesse te identifiseer wat deur skoolbeheerliggame (SBLe) van eertydse Suid-Afrikaanse Model C-skole gebruik word. Dit stel riglyne voor ter ondersteuning van ’n meer transfomatiewe personeelvoorsieningsproses om die gaping tussen die personeelbehoeftes van skoolbeheerliggame en die departementele beleid vir transformatiewe personeelvoorsiening te vernou en stel ook strategieë voor wat deur die skoolbeheerliggame gebruik kan word om uitdagings wat betref transformatiewe personeelvoorsiening die hoof te bied. ’n Omvattende ondersoek van die literatuur dui daarop dat die bestuur in ’n groot mate afhang van vennootskappe tussen verskillende instellings en die groot behoefte om skoolbeheerliggame en ander belanghebbers te leer hoe om saam te werk ‒ nie net hoe om kontrakte te moniteer of na te kom nie. Die literatuur het ook aan die lig gebring dat die bestuur van skole, hoewel ’n kompleks saak, ’n belangrike deel van onderwysstelsels wêreldwyd is (veral in Suid-Afrika). ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp en -metodologie is gebruik om die verskynsel van personeeltransformasie by eertydse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys te ondersoek deur onderhoude met die deelnemers te voer. ’n Volledige en streng proses vir etiese uitklaring is gevolg om die studie te bekragtig. Die empiriese ondersoek het gewys dat die Departement van Onderwys (DvO) geen duidelike transformasieriglyne gegee het nie, wat die opvatting ondersteun dat eertydse Model C-skole nie verplig is om te transformeer ten einde hulle personeel verteenwoordigend van die demografie van hulle leerders te maak nie. Bykomend hiertoe het die data aan die lig gebring dat sommige skoolbeheerliggame besonder weerstandig staan teenoor personeeltransformasie by hulle skole omdat (soos sommiges dit gestel het) hulle skole vir wit mense is op dieselfde manier as wat townshipskole vir swart en bruinmense is. Hulle sien nie die nodigheid om die personeel by hulle skole te transformeer nie omdat selfs swart ouers verkies om hulle kinders na eertydse Model C-skole vir die gehalte van die onderrig wat hierdie skole bied, te stuur. Die studie het ook gewys dat die meeste van die skoolhoofde besorg is oor die gebrek aan rolmodelle vir die oorweldigende aantal leerders van kleur by hierdie skole; hulle erken die behoefte aan dringende personeeltransformasie by hulle skole. ’n Transformatiewe raamwerk, gebaseer op die bevindings van die studie, is vir die personeelvoorsiening van eerstydse Model C-skole ontwikkel. Hierdie raamwerk verg die samewerking van al die belanghebbers om die personeel van die eertydse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys suksesvol en doeltreffend te transformeer. / Esi sifundo siphanda iinkqubo zokuqesha ezisetyenziswa kwizikolo zoMzantsi Afrika ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni. Injongo yaso kukuchonga imibandela etshis’ibunzi kwiinkqubo ezisetyenziswayo xa kuqeshwa abasebenzi ziikomiti ezilawula izikolo (iiSGB) zoMzantsi Afrika ezazifudula ziziiModel C. Sicebisa izikhokelo zokuxhasa inkqubo yenguqu ekuqesheni abasebenzi ukwenzela ukulungisa umsantsa ophakathi kwezidingo zokuqesha kweeSGB nomgaqo nkqubo wokuqesha obonakalisa inguqu, kwaye sinika iingcebiso ngamacebo anokwenziwa ziiSGB ekusabeleni imingeni emalunga nokuqesha okulandela inkqubo yenguqu. Uphando olunzulu loncwadi ludize ukuba ulawulo oluninzi luxhomekeke kwintsebenziswano phakathi kwamaziko ahlukeneyo kwanakwisidingo esikhulu sokufundisa iiSGB nabanye abathathi nxaxheba ngendlela yokusebenzisana – hayi nje ukuhlola okanye ukubambelela kwizivumelwano zengqesho (iikhontrakthi). Uncwadi ludize ukuba ulawulo lwezikolo, nangona lungxakangxaka, luyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yeenkqubo zemfundo kwihlabathi liphela (ngakumbi eMzantsi Afrika). Kwasetyenziswa indlela yophando lomgangatho ekuphandeni umbandela wokuqesha okubonakalisa inguqu kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni ngokwenza udliwano ndlebe nabathathi nxaxheba. Kwalandelwa inkqubo engqongqo yokuhlela ngendlela engenabuqhophololo xa kwakuqinisekiswa esi sifundo. Uphando olusekelwe ekuqwalaseleni amava lwadiza ukuba akukho migaqo nazikhokelo zokulandela inguqu kwiSebe lezeMfundo (iDoE), nto leyo inika uluvo lokuba izikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C azinyanzelekanga ukuba ziguqule ubume babasebenzi ngendlela eya kuhambelana nobume namanani abafundi bazo. Ngaphezulu, idatha yaveza ukuba ezinye iiSGB aziyifuni inguqu ekuqesheni kwizikolo zazo ngoba (ngokokutsho kwabanye) izikolo zazo zezabantu abamhlophe ngendlela efanayo nokuba izikolo zasezilokishini izezabantu abantsundu nabebala. Ezo SGB azisiboni isidingo senguqu ekuqesheni abasebenzi kwizikolo zazo ngoba nabazali abantsundu bayazikhethela ukuthumela abantwana babo kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kuba kufundiswa kakuhle kwezi zikolo. Esi sifundo saphinda sadiza ukuba uninzi lweenqununu luyakhathazeka kukungabikho kwabantu abangumzekelo omhle kubantwana abantsundu ezikolweni zazo; ziyavuma ezi nqununu ukuba kukho isidingo esingxamisekileyo senguqu ekuqesheni iititshala ezikolweni zazo. Okufunyaniswe kwesi sifundo kukhokelele ekuphuhliseni isikhokelo sokusebenza sokulandela inkqubo yenguqu ekuqesheni kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C. Esi sikhokelo sokusebenza sifuna intsebenziswano phakathi kwabathathi nxaxheba ekuguquleni abasebenzi kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni ngempumelelo nangokufezekileyo. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education)

Ongoing public concern has been expressed concerning the improvement of academic performance of learners in selected Bushbuckridge rural schools, South Africa. Statistics gathered since 2008 demonstrate that the overall performance of secondary schools in the Grade 12 examinations in this region has been consistently poor. This study focused on the stakeholder perceptions of effect of indiscipline on academic performance of learners in selected Bushbuckridge rural schools. Lack of learner discipline in this region prompted this investigation. The general aim of the study was to understand manifestations of indiscipline in relation to learner performance in selected Bushbuckridge rural schools. The study used qualitative research methods and the sample comprised four secondary schools selected by purposive sampling. Individual structured interviews and focus group interviews were used to gather data. In each school, one school management team (SMT) and three educators participated in individual interviews, while four learners participated in focus group interviews. The findings indicated that schools which yielded poor academic performance were faced with learners’ disciplinary problems, which manifested in poor class attendance, late coming, persistent class disruptions, learners’ retaliation when disciplined by educators, alcohol and drug abuse, mocking and ignoring educators and plagiarism. Educators in school C and D lacked a disciplinary mechanism to enforce discipline in their classes since corporal punishment was abolished, hence the poor academic performance of learners. The implementation of the Integrated Quality Management Systems (IQMS), a departmental strategy aimed at developing educators in order to equip them with all the necessary skills to ensure the success of their schools which is measured against the academic achievement of the learners, had predominantly failed in schools to reach its goal. Educators mainly relied on parental support to deal with serious learner offences but this strategy was largely inadequate. The conceptual framework, ‘putting a plan into practice’, was used to explain the importance of learner discipline for the betterment of academic performance by expounding the five pillars that can be used to attain quality schools. These pillars, if put into practice, create an organizational climate which provides both educators and learners with an opportunity to function as partners in defining and creating success in schools. / Educational Studies / D. Ed.