The aim of this study was to explore the roles of the parent SGB members in the School Governing Bodies (SGB) of two selected rural primary schools in the King Williams Town District. This was achieved by applying the qualitative approach within the parameters of the interpretivist paradigm. Structured interviews, semi structured interviews, document analysis and non-participatory observation methods were used at two sites that were purposely sampled. The samples in both schools were made up of SGB chairperson, SGB secretary, treasurer, one additional member, principal and non SGB parents. From the findings it emerged that the principal and SGB chairperson work in partnership in the business of school governance. However, principals seemed to dominate their SGB chairpersons who in most cases seem to be less competent than the principals. Parent SGB members seem to be dependent upon the educators in most cases on issues of school governance and they do not differentiate between their role and that of the SMT. Most SGB subcommittees seem to be dysfunctional and it was clear from the data that educators were the persons who dealt with school finances and matters of procurement. The majority of parent SGB members do not know what policies the school must adopt.

The main purpose of the study was to investigate on how a School Governing Body SGB can impact on the challenges of school governance in the Eastern Cape Province, particularly in Circuit 9 schools of Qumbu district. That was done firstly by identifying and explaining the three main themes namely; (i) the role of SGB components, (ii) the effectiveness of a SGB and (iii) the competency of a SGB. The study used the qualitative approach, particularly a constructive interpretative paradigm to collect and analyse data. A desk top study was used as the main design and was implemented to identify information rich data for the study. Desk top research was employed as the main data collection technique and was confirmed, corroborated and augmented by and document analysis, particularly during data analysis. The researcher inductively segmented and coded the data into three main themes which served as the main empirical research findings. Such findings indicated that school governance is influenced by both the SGB and the stakeholders. It was recommended that setting up key strategies, but specific to school governance, will reduce the challenges schools face in terms of governance as there will be full personal responsibility from the SGB.

This study focused on school governing bodies in the rural schools in Ngcobo. In this study, the researcher established that in rural schools, parent members of school governing bodies are still reluctant, or ill equipped to do their duty as governors of the schools. They rely on what the principals ask them to do. They need more training and empowerment to fulfill their duties as members of the school governing bodies. Most of the parents who are members of school governing bodies are older and their level of education is generally low. The principals are complaining that not enough training was being given to parent members to fulfill their task as school governors. However, it remains the principals’ responsibility to coach SGB parent-members in order for the school functionality to go on. The findings of this study show that much more need to be done to empower parental-members of SGBs in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape and most probably in most, if not all, rural areas of South Africa.

School management and governance has become essential in improving quality of education in public schools (Caldwell, 2012). Furthermore, the existence of a well-established partnership between school governors and school managers is vital to ensure that students receive quality education. On this regard, the study sought to broaden an understanding the thin line between School Management Teams (SMT) and School Governing Bodies (SGB) which is frequently crossed by both parties while executing their roles and responsibilities. The population for the study was SGB members, SMT members and general staff members of public schools in the Eastern Cape Province. The study unit was Willowvale (KwaGcaleka kuGatyane) a circuit named after a great amaXhosa king Zwelidumile, King Zwelidumile Circuit. Purposive sampling method was used because collection of data required that respondents be familiar with the concepts of school management and school governance. A mixed method research methodology was used which include a combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and an interview guide was used to facilitate focus group interviews. Qualitative and quantitative data was analysed separately. Quantitative data analysis was done and presented as descriptive statistics, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) Pearson’s correlation and T-test. For the purpose of testing the reliability of the scales of questions included in the questionnaire, the Cronbach’s alpha was used. Qualitative data analysis was done through the researcher`s critical reasoning and analysis of focus group discussions of interviewees. The research found out that lack teamwork, transparency and ineffective leadership are the root cause of failure to recognise strategic and operational boundaries that exist between SGBs and SMTs. Also understanding of the distinction and overlaps between School governance and school management is important to ensure strong relationships, trust and respect between the SGBs and the SMTs. More so, the research observed lack of strategic and operational synergy between SGBs and SMTs. Consequently, the research recommends the importance of training and development to both SGBs and SMTs so that they understand their roles and responsibilities as stated in the SASA Act. SGBs and the SMTs should strive to forge strategic and operational synergy. Trust and respect must prevail from the SGB since they are the major stakeholders of the schools. Effective communication was seen as crucial to building partnerships and ensuring collaboration. Finally, the research recommends that research should be conducted regularly in order to keep track of the state of school management and governments in public schools.

The lack of the visible and practical involvement of parents in schools that are in previously disadvantaged communities is not only depriving the present learners and their parents of their democratic right to participate in shaping their future, but that of the coming generation and leaders of tomorrow as well. South Africa as a country is about twenty years into democracy and already the education system has been chopped and changed about four times but with no success. The schooling system in previously black communities is deteriorating. The government of the day has been prioritising education for about fifteen years now, the budget for education is equal to the budget for the whole country in some of the neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe but the quality and standard are far worse than in those countries. The cost of the current problems in education mostly in previously black township schools is far too much to imagine. The main challenge seems to be the nature, character, skills and capabilities of parents serving in school governing bodies. This study is so important because of the situation that exists in schools that are situated in historically disadvantaged communities where the parents who get elected to school governing bodies are still, despite workshops and training offered by the Department of Education, unable to manage and govern schools and thus render the school governing body ineffective. The Department of Education through its programmes does conduct governance, financial management and policy formulation workshops. These efforts from the government side do not seem to bear any fruit because parents, after attending the training and workshops are still unable to create well-managed and properly governed schools. The primary objective of this study is to improve the organisational performance of schools in previously disadvantaged communities in the Uitenhage District of the Department of Education situated in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality by investigating how effective school governing body governance could contribute to such performance. More specifically, the study investigates the relationship between effective school governing body management, as a dependent variable, and parental/community involvement, finance and resource management, school governance, learner discipline/conduct, and quality education as independent variables. The population of the study was high school principals and school management team (SMT) members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality focusing mainly on historically or previously disadvantaged schools in the Uitenhage district of the Department of Education. The study used convenience sampling where seventeen (17) high schools were selected. In each school, school management team members and a principal were requested to fill in a questionnaire. In total 105 questionnaires were distributed and 85 were fully completed and returned. Questionnaires were collected, data captured and analysed and a report was written. The empirical results revealed the following weaknesses in the SGBs of high schools in the Uitenhage District of the Department of Education in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality: the SGBs do not effectively formulate school policies; the SGBs do not effectively provide support to educators in performing their professional duties; the SGBs are not fully involved in supplementing resources supplied by the state in order to improve quality of teaching and learning; and the schools are weak on community engagement. On the other hand, the following positive elements of SGBs were highlighted in the empirical results; the schools are rated good regarding the following variables/issues: quality of teaching and learning, utilisation of school resources, school governance, professionalism of staff and extra-mural activities; the SGBs know and participate in the academic and extra-mural programmes of the schools; the SGBs successfully prepare the annual budget for the schools; the SGBs are effectively governing the schools; the SGBs do appoint auditors to audit the school's books and financial statements; the schools have achieved audited financial statements without a disclaimer; the schools have a disciplinary committee that deals with the learner code of conduct and attends to disciplinary problems. The study highlights areas in school governance that should be improved, as well as recommendations on how to improve them. Recommendations for future research are also provided.

The principal together with the school management team (SMT) of a public school is responsible for ensuring that all areas in the school function effectively. Effective school-based management is no longer a choice in South Africa but, rather, a must. Seventeen years into democracy, the Grade 12 pass rates in the Eastern Cape for the past three years were 50.6% in 2008, 51.0% in 2009 and 58.3% in 2010. Although there has been an improvement over the last three years, the Eastern Cape was still number seven out of the nine provinces in 2010. Against this background the question arose as to whether the schools in the Eastern Cape were effectively managed. The primary objective of the study is therefore to improve the organisational performance of public schools in the Uitenhage education district by investigating the relationship between the perceived effective implementation of basic managerial tasks (planning, organising, leading and controlling), on the one hand, and organisational performance of schools, on the other hand. Convenience sampling was used to select 100 out of a possible 139 senior management team members from 26 public schools in the Uitenhage education district. The sample was stratified to include principals, deputy principals and heads of departments. The empirical results revealed that the management tasks, leading and controlling, were the main determinants of the organisational performance of participating schools. The empirical results showed that planning and organising do not have a significant influence on the organisational performance of these schools. The managerial implications of the results are discussed and recommendations are made on the basis of these discussions.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

The dawn of democracy in South Africa also led to the democratization of schools which added the role of ex-officio member of the School Governing Body (SGB) to that of principal as school manager. Many previous studies have left a gap in understanding how school principals manage their roles as managers and ex-officio members of SGBs. Hence, this qualitative study which sought to explore how principals perceive their roles as managers and ex-officio members of SGBs within their schools and their experiences of performing their roles in school management and governance; to identify the challenges experienced by principals in performing their dual roles; and to establish how school principals manage the identified challenges. Semi-structured interviews with, and documents received from, six participant principals were used for the purpose of collecting data for this study. The participants were selected from one circuit in a rural area of Limpopo Province. The six schools, used in this study, were three secondary schools and three primary schools. All the schools are „no fee paying schools.‟ Most of the parents are illiterate and unemployed. The selected primary schools are among the schools which obtained high scores in the Annual National Assessment (ANA). For the secondary schools, the performance of learners in their Matriculation examination was used as the selection criteria. The selected schools were, therefore, those with good academic performance in the ANA and the Matriculation examination and demonstrated good governance. The findings of this study show that the principals who participated in the study seem to struggle in coping with their teaching, management and governance roles. Most of the principals admitted that there is a need to balance their roles, which is not easy, due to other factors, such as teaching, social responsibilities and a lack of time – amongst others. Working with illiterate SGB members is an extra burden for principals as ex-officio members as they have to train them and, at times, perform duties that are often the responsibility of other members of the SGBs. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This aim of this research was to study and bring to the fore the way ELSEN schools are being governed in the Western Cape. The hope is for more research to be done in this area of public policy which could result in the improvement of school administration. The manner in which education is organised, governed and funded impacts directly on the process and outcomes of learning and teaching. However, good governance assumes that public service delivery is the implementation of public policies aimed at providing concrete services to the people. The underlying problem here is the fact that some schools seemed to be governed better than others, while the regulatory and funding policy is the same. The key questions that the researcher sought to answer in this research are the following: • Is the Section 21, South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996) being properly implemented and does it enhance the governance of ELSEN schools? • Why is the governance of ELSEN schools better in some schools than in others if they are based on the same governance provisions and administered by the same department? • What should therefore be done to ensure effective and efficient school governance in all the ELSEN schools in the Western Cape? The methodology used was a comparative analysis through a sampling case study between Jan Kriel School, a fully developed and well-resourced school for epileptics and specific learning disabilities in Kuils River, and Thembalethu special school for the physically disabled, a disadvantaged poor school from Gugulethu. The research investigated how the school governing bodies (SGB) of these schools are structured, how they function in terms of the regulations provided in the South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996) as well as broadly the system of school governance of the ELSEN schools in the Western Cape. Appendix E shows a list of all the ELSEN schools in the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The two cases of governance at the Jan Kriel and Thembalethu schools have therefore been studied as a microcosm of the ELSEN schools in the entire Western Cape. The researcher wanted to compare and analyze how the well-resourced and advantaged ELSEN schools and the disadvantaged poor schools implement the provisions of the South African Schools Act relevant to ELSEN school governance in order to achieve better governance and good management. The crucial issues pertaining to the effective governance of ELSEN schools as proposed during the preliminary study established in the research and confirmed in the findings as the key variables that determine the level of school governance are the following: • Financial resources; • Trained SGB officials; • Proper planning and good administration; • Effective involvement of parents in particular and all the other stakeholders; • Discipline and a code of ethics. In the final analysis, some solutions with a view to solving this problem have been suggested by the researcher in the form of recommendations. However, as indicated in the conclusion, the final responsibility to expand the scope of these findings and to oversee the implementation of these recommendations rests with the WCED.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis seeks to demonstrate the potential of school governing bodies to further the process of democratising South African society. Among the main features of the democratisation of South African education, is the decentralisation of educational governance. In this process the decision-making authority has been devolved from central government to the local school level, thus preparing school communities for self-government and autonomy. The establishment of school governing bodies at all public schools in the country brings South Africa in line with current international trends for democratic local community participation and control in education. When this aspect of the education systems of three countries, the United States of America, England and Australia, are compared with South Africa's, it shows the extent of the latter's democratisation of educational governance. The background to local community participation in South African education according to various pieces of legislation passed, their failure to reform education, and other aspects which led to the promulgation of the Schools Act (1996), places school governing bodies in South Africa in proper historical context. An examination of the Schools Act reveals its democratic nature and identifies those aspects of school governing bodies which have the potential of furthering the democratisation process. The challenges that the changes in school governance bring with them are analysed to highlight their implications and significance for school governing bodies. School governing bodies offer new and exciting opportunities for enterprising and enthusiastic communities. School governors should, therefore, be urged to seize the opportunity to participate in school governance and in this way play their role in furthering the democratic transformation of South African society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis poog om die potensiaal wat skoolbeheerliggame het om die proses van die demokratisering van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing te bevorder, aan te toon. Een van die hoofeienskappe van die demokratisering van die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwys, is die desentralisasie van onderwysbestuur. In hierdie proses is besluitnemingsgesag afgewentel vanaf sentrale regeringsvlak na die plaaslike skoolvlak, waardeur skoolgemeenskappe voorberei word vir self-beheer en outonomie. Die totstandkoming van skoolbeheerliggame by alle openbare skole in die land, bring Suid-Afrika in lyn met huidige internasionale tendense rakende die demokratiese plaaslike gemeenskapsdeelname aan beheer en bestuur in die onderwys. Wanneer hierdie aspek van die onderwysstelsels van drie lande, die Verenigde State van Amerika, Engeland en Australië, met die van Suid-Afrika vergelyk word, dui dit die omvang van die demokratisering van onderwysbeheer en -bestuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse opset aan. Die agtergrond van plaaslike gemeenskapsdeelname in die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwys volgens verskeie stukke wetgewing, hulle onvermoë om die onderwys te hervorm, en ander aspekte wat tot die afkondiging van die Skole Wet (1996) gelei het, plaas skoolbeheerliggame in die regte historiese konteks. 'n Ondersoek van die Skole Wet dui aan dat dit demokraties in wese is, en daardie aspekte van skoolbeheerliggame wat die potensiaal besit om die demokratiseringsproses voort te sit, word geidentifiseer. Die uitdagings wat die veranderinge in skoolbestuur met hulle meebring, word geanaliseer om hulle implikasies en betekenisvolheid vir skOOlbeheerliggame uit te lig. Skoolbeheerliggame bied nuwe en opwindende geleenthede vir ondernemende en geesdriftige gemeenskappe aan. Skoolbeheerliggame moet dus aangespoor word om die geleentheid aan te gryp om deelname aan skoolbestuur te hê en om sodoende hulle rol te speel in die bevordering van die demokratiese transformasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing.