Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the major features of the democratisation of education in South Africa revolves around the decentralisation of school governance. In this regard, important decision-making responsibilities have devolved from central government to "self-governing" school communities, incorporated into School Governing Bodies. This study explores the current practices of School Governing Bodies in selected schools in the Grassy Park area. It seeks to demonstrate that there seems to exist a dichotomy between the ideals of democratic policies as espoused in the South African Schools Act, and the manner in which these policies are implemented. The promulgation of the South African Schools Act of 1996 heralded the beginning of a new phase in the governance of schools. However, the promulgation of policy does not necessarily imply the effective implementation thereof. This thesis argues that despite the existence of the South African Schools Act, school governing practices do not seem to be conclusively democratic. Unless school governing practices are reconceptualised and restructured akin to a notion of deliberative democracy such practices would continue to remain less democratic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die uitstaande kenmerke in die demokratisering van die onderwys in Suid Afrika, wentel rondom die desentralisasie van skoolbestuur. In hierdie verband is die belangrike besluitmakings-verantwoordelikhede oorgedra vanaf die sentrale regering na "selfregerende" skool komittees, ingelyf tot Skool Beheer Liggame. Hierdie studie eksploreer huidige praktisering van Skool Beheer Liggame in geselekteerde skole in die Grassy Park gebied. Dit beoog om te demonstreer dat daar waarskynlik 'n splitsing bestaan tussen die ideale van demokratiese beleid soos voorgestaan deur die Suid Afrikaanse Skole Wet, en die manier waarop die beleid geimplementeer word. Die proklamasie van die Suid Afrikaanse Skole Wet van 1996 het die begin van 'n nuwe fase in skoolbeheer ingelui. Nietemin, die afkondiging van beleid beteken nie noodwendig die effektiewe uitvoering daarvan nie. Hierdie tesis voer aan dat ten spyte van die voortbestaan van die Suid Afrikaanse Skole Wet, die praktyk van skoolbeheer neig om nie uitsluitlik demokraties te wees nie. Ofskoon die uitvoering van die praktyk van skool beheerliggame gerekonseptualiseer en geherstruktureer word, verwant aan 'n begrip van beredeneerde demokrasie, sal sulke uitvoering minder demokraties bly.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the introduction of the SA Schools Act in 1996 and institution of school governing bodies (SGBs), the Education Department began to experience serious problems regarding school governance. The incidents that happened in schools brought into question the legal role and authority of SGBs in the administrative actions they perform. This study aimed specifically at investigating the problems that arise in relation the appointment of teachers. Since SGBs play an important facilitating role in the process of staff appointments, their way of handling this duty was at the heart of the study. The research made use of literature studies, policy documents from the education department, viz. the SA Schools Act, Educators Employment Act, Education Labour Relations Council documents, and questionnaires and interviews with members of school governing bodies at a selection of local schools in the Western Cape Province. The findings led to the conclusion that most SGBs in the disadvantaged communities find it difficult to appoint new educators. Clearly SGBs are regarded as legitimate structures that should govern learning institutions and it is evident that one of their duties is to employ new educators, in line with the legal procedures stipulated in the various provincial education departments' policies. Perhaps the most important finding is that parents in the disadvantaged communities are illiterate. This is a significant problem because most of their duties require them to read documents from the education department so that they may know exactly how to perform their functions and responsibilities. Some of the problems encountered, however, are also caused by the ignorance and reluctance of parents to offer their services without being remunerated. These conclusions resulted in the formulation of specific recommendations for improving the role and implementation of SGBs. The recommendations are made for improving the role of SGBs as a whole as well as for specific capacity building relating to the needs of each stakeholder group. The overall emphasis of the study is thus on the recommendation for more effective training of SGBs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert die instelling van die SA Skolewet in 1996 en totstandkoming van skoolbeheerliggame, het die Onderwysdepartement ernstige probleme ten opsigte van skoolbeheer begin ervaar. Die insidente wat in skole plaasgevind het, het vrae laat ontstaan rakende die wettige rol en gesag van die beheerliggaam in die administratiewe handelinge wat hulle uitvoer. Die doel van die studie was om probleme rondom die aanstelling van opvoeders te ondersoek. Die sentrale fokus van die studie was op beheerliggame as fasiliterende liggame. Vir die doeleinde van die studie is daar gebruik gemaak van: literatuurstudie, beleidsdokumente van die Onderwysdepartement (die S A Skolewet, die Opvoedersdienswet en dokumentasie van die Raad vir Arbeidsverhoudinge in die Onderwys [RAVO]), sowel as vraeslyste en onderhoude met lede van die beheerliggame byenkele plaaslike skole in die Wes-Kaap. In die bevindinge is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die meeste beheerliggame in die benadeelde gemeenskappe dit moeilik vind om nuwe opvoeders aan te stel. Beheerliggame is die wettige strukture wat opvoedkundige instansies moet beheer en een van hul pligte is om nuwe opvoeders aan te stel in ooreenstemming met die wetlike voorskrifte, soos vervat m die verskillende beleidsdokumente van die Onderwysdepartement. Die belangrikste bevinding is dalk dat ouers in die benadeelde gemeenskappe meestalongeletterd is. Dit skep probleme, aangesien daar van hulle verwag word om die dokumentasie van die Onderwysdepartement te lees, te verstaan en daarvolgens op te tree. Verdere probleme word veroorsaak deur 'n mate van onkunde asook deur die onwilligheid van ouers om sonder vergoeding hul dienste aan te bied. In die lig van hierdie gevolgtrekkings, is spesifieke aanbevelings gemaak ten einde die rol van beheerliggame te versterk, sowel as om die suksesvolle implementering van hierdie strukture, in terme van kapasiteitsbou en aandeelhouerbemagtiging meer doeltreffend te laat funksioneer. Die besondere klem van die aanbevelings is 'n indringende versoek vir die ontwikkeling van sinvolle, doeltreffende opleiding van persone wat in skoolbeheerliggame dien.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In April 1994, after South Africa's first democratic elections, a new era in education commenced. The education system was transformed to a unitary system and a programme of legislation was launched aimed at promoting democratic ideals and practices. Of particular importance to schools was the South African Schools Act (Act No. 84 of 1996) by which significant powers were granted to School Governing Bodies (SGBs) at local level In addition to the school principal, a SGB was to be composed of elected representatives of four main stakeholder groups: educators, non-educator staff, learners (in Grade 8 or above) and parents. The powers and responsibilities allocated by the Act indicated that the introduction of SGBs had far-reaching potential to improve school effectiveness and, more importantly, to contribute to the growth of democracy in South Africa. The writer of this study was an educator, resident in the Northern Province and with significant first-hand teaching experience in schools in rural and semi-rural areas of the province, as well as experience as a member of a SGB. This experience had made him keenly aware of the role that SGBs could play in improving schools with which he was familiar. The purpose of the research was therefore to investigate the role of SGBs in rural areas of the Northern Province. To evaluate the role of SGBs, the researcher aimed to investigate aspects such as whether SGBs were in fact properly established, e.g. through the conduct of proper elections, how stakeholders perceived their roles, what functions were typically performed by SGBs, the perceptions of roleplayers about significant progress and or problems, and what needs for help or training were experienced. In particular the research aimed to discover whether there were particular needs associated with SGBs in the rural areas in order to determine what sort of capacity-building was required. The approach used in the investigation followed four main steps. Firstly, a literature study provided the basis for analysis and clarification of important concepts. Secondly, the legal and policy context was described, paying particular attention to the specific legislation and documents that frame school governance in South Africa. Thirdly, the writer examined the context of Northern Province, describing four stages in the history of educational administration and focusing on rural communities in particular. The fourth perspective was gained by an empirical study of a sample of ten secondary schools in the rural and semi-rural areas around the town of Thohoyandou. The method of investigation was to use questionnaires and interviews to obtain data from representatives of all five stakeholder groups in SGBs at each of these schools. The findings led to the conclusion that SGBs were largely well-established in the rural areas of Northern Province. They were widely accepted as legitimate and worthwhile structures but there were specific important needs for training and capacity-building. Perhaps the most important finding was that parents in rural areas appear to find it very difficult to become involved in the educational life of schools and are especially reluctant to serve on SGBs. Reasons for this apparent apathy were found to lie in problems of illiteracy and feelings of ignorance or inferiority. These conclusions enabled the researcher to make specific recommendations for improving the role and functioning of SGBs. Recommendations were made for improving the role of SGBs as a whole as well as for capacity-building relating to the needs of each stakeholder group. A particular emphasis of these recommendations was on ways in which the unique needs of rural communities can be met. This was seen as a priority in order to improve education in secondary schools in these historically underdeveloped areas and through that, promote the growth of democracy in the rural areas of Northern Province. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika se eerste demokratiese verkiesing op 26 April 1994 het 'n nuwe era vir die onderwys ingelei. Een unitêre en eenvormige geïntergreerde onderwysstelsel is gevestig en 'n program geloods van nuwe wetgewing gerig op die bevordering van demokratiese ideale en praktyke. Van besondere belangrikheid vir skole was die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolewet (Wet Nr 84 van 1996) wat bepaalde magte aan skole op plaaslike vlak afgewentel het deur die instelling van Skool Beheerliggame (SBLs). Saam met die skoolhoof, was SBLs saamgestel deur verkose verteenwoordigers van vier hoof belanghebbende groepe: opvoeders, nie-opvoederpersoneel, leerders (in Graad 8 of bo) en ouers. Die magte en verantwoordelikhede deur die Wet aan SBLs geallokeer was 'n aanduiding dat die instelling van SBLs verreikende potensiaal gehad het om skooleffektiewiteit te bevorder sowel as 'n belangrike bydrae te maak tot die ontwikkeling van demokrasie in Suid-Afrika. Die skrywer van die studie was 'n opvoeder, woonagtig In die Noordelike Provinsie en met eerstehandse ervaring van onderwys in skole in die landelike gebiede van die provinsie. Hy het ook ervaring gehad as lid van 'n SBL. Sy ondervinding het hom skerp bewus gemaak van die moontlike rol van SBLs in die verbetering en opheffing van skole waarmee hy vertroud was. Die doel van die navorsing was dus om die rol van SBLs in die landelike gebiede van die Noordelike Provinsie te ondersoek. Om die rol van SBLs te evalueer het die navorser besluit om aspekte te ondersoek soos die vestiging van SBLs, bv. of hulle welordentlik gevestig was, o.a. deur die bepaalde verkiesingsprosedures, die persepsies van belanghebbendes oor hulle eie rolle, die tipiese funksies deur SBLs gerig, die rolspelers se eie persepsies van beduidende vordering en/of probleme in die funksionering van hulle SBLs, en enige opvallende behoeftes. Die navorsing het veral gepoog om agter te kom of daar spesifieke eiesoortige behoeftes t.O.V. SBLs in gemeenskappe in landelike gebiede was. Om sulke behoeftes te kon bepaal sou bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van geskikte programme vir kapasiteitsbou by SBLs in landelike gebied. Die ondersoek het uit vier hoofstappe bestaan. Eerstens het In literatuurstudie bygedra tot die ontleding en verduideliking van belangrike konsepte. Tweedens is die wetlike en beleidskonteks beskryf, met besondere verwysing na die raamwerk van spesifieke wetgewing en dokumente wat skoolbeheer in Suid-Afrika bepaal Derdens het die skrywer die konteks van Noordelike Provinsie omskryf, insluitend 'n beskrywing van vier fases in die geskiedenis van onderwysbeheer Daar is ook veralop die eienskappe van landelike gemeenskappe gefokus. Die vierde perpsektief was deur 'n empiriese ondersoek verkry, gebasseer op 'n seleksie van tien sekondêre skole in die landelike en semi-landelike gebied rondom Thohoyandou. Die ondersoek het gebruik gemaak van vraelyste en onderhoude met verteenwoordigers van elkeen van die belanghebbende groepe. Daardeur is gegewens bekom van al vyf belanghebbende groepe by elkeen van die tien skole. Die bevindinge het tot die gevolgtrekking gelei dat SBLs reeds grootendeels gevestig was in die landelike gebiede van Noordelike Provinsie. Dit het geblyk dat SBLs wyd aanvaar was as legitieme instellings, maar dat daar spesifieke behoeftes was vir opleiding en kapasiteitsbou. Moontlik die belangrikste bevinding was dat ouers in die landelike gemeenskappe dit blykbaar baie moeilik vind om betrokke te raak in die opvoedingstaak en lewe van skole en veral skaam is om op SBLs te dien. Redes wat vir hierdie skynbaar apatetiese gedrag aangevoer is, was dat die meerderheid ouers ongeletterd is en dat gevoelens van onkundigheid, onbekwaamheid en minderwaardigheid ouers weerhou om deel te neem .. Bogenoemde gevolgtrekkings van die studie het die navorser in staat gestelom spesifieke aanbevelings te maak t.o.v. die ontwikkeling en verbetering van die funksionering van SBLs. Aanbevelings is gemaak om die rol van die SBL in die algemeen te verbeter, sowel as t.o.v. kapasiteitsbou gerig op die spesifieke behoeftes van bepaalde belanghebbende groepe. Die aanbevelings het in besonder klem laat val op die soeke na wyses waardeur die unieke behoeftes van landelike gemeenskappe aangespreek kan word. Hierdie behoefte word as 'n prioriteit beskou om onderwysverbetering in sekondêre skole in hierdie histories onderontwikkelde gebiede te versnel. Daardeur sou die ontwikkeling van demokrasie in die landelike gebiede van Noordelike Provinsie ook versterk en bevorder word.

The study is in response to the recently enacted South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 (SASA), which sees the legislated inclusion of parents in school governing bodies. The Act promotes four distinct representative participants or stakeholders. These include parents, who constitute the majority, educators, learners and non-teaching staff. There is an indication that the SASA has tensions, ambiguities and contradictions which could allow either &quot / consumer market&quot / or &quot / citizen equity&quot / visions to prevail in practical terms. However, I argue that the SASA in practice is becoming dominated by the consumer vision that has a danger of creating unfair competition amongst schools and perpetuating the already existing inequalities in our society. In this mini-thesis, I attempt to investigate the nature of parental involvement in school governance in practice. I focus on their responsibilities in relation to policy matters as enshrined in the SASA, their commitment to executing their functions. The aim is to determine their capacity to fulfil their responsibilities with respect to their powers and functions.

M. Tech. Public Management Tshwane University of Technology / This study aims at making recommendations on how to improve the public financial management of secondary schools that were left unattended by the previous, apartheid-led, White government. According to South African School Act (SASA) (1996), no learner, especially of the mandatory school-going age, should ever have to encounter any financial or material difficulties to gain access to good-quality education.

The study is in response to the recently enacted South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 (SASA), which sees the legislated inclusion of parents in school governing bodies. The Act promotes four distinct representative participants or stakeholders. These include parents, who constitute the majority, educators, learners and non-teaching staff. There is an indication that the SASA has tensions, ambiguities and contradictions which could allow either &quot / consumer market&quot / or &quot / citizen equity&quot / visions to prevail in practical terms. However, I argue that the SASA in practice is becoming dominated by the consumer vision that has a danger of creating unfair competition amongst schools and perpetuating the already existing inequalities in our society. In this mini-thesis, I attempt to investigate the nature of parental involvement in school governance in practice. I focus on their responsibilities in relation to policy matters as enshrined in the SASA, their commitment to executing their functions. The aim is to determine their capacity to fulfil their responsibilities with respect to their powers and functions.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The democratic elections in South Africa in 1994 were followed by far-reaching changes. Legislation was changed to entrench the democratic principles of the young democracy and to involve South African communities in decision-making. For example, the South African Schools Act (84 of 1996) was introduced to promote democracy and to transform society. It merged the different pre-1994 education departments, to build an education system on a non-discriminatory basis, to protect the education rights of learners and to give parents more power in school governance. The introduction of school governing bodies with certain powers and responsibilities was a significant step towards the decentralisation of power in the South African school system. The aim of the study was to explore the role of school governing bodies in recommending candidates for appointment as school principals and to establish what challenges they experienced. A qualitative research design was used to answer the research question. Personal interviews were held with eight governing body members of two schools and a departmental official. Data was generated by semi-structured questions, enabling participants to share their experiences and perceptions of the recommendation process. The data was subsequently analysed and findings stated. The literature review in Chapter 2 revealed huge challenges for parents on governing bodies, especially in previously disadvantaged schools, with parents‟ illiteracy as a key factor. The school governing bodies that participated in the study were heavily dependent on the guidance of the departmental official. They moreover admitted that they were unable to carry out the recommendation process without the official‟s guidance. Secondly, the research findings showed that the governing body members had little knowledge of education policies and were inadequately trained. This study attempted to gain a deeper understanding of the school governing bodies‟ perspectives of their own abilities. Despite the challenges they experienced, they believed that they were able to fulfil their duties and that they did not need any schooling to serve on the school governing body. The results indicate that the literacy levels of members of school governing bodies nevertheless do play a role in their ability to carry out their duties and activities and that more intensive training is needed to enhance their capacity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na die demokratiese verkiesing in 1994 het grootskaalse veranderinge in Suid-Afrika plaasgevind. Wetgewing is verander om gestalte te gee aan die demokratiese beginsels van die jong demokrasie en om die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap te betrek in sekere besluitnemings. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolewet (84 van 1996) is byvoorbeeld ingestel om demokrasie te bevorder en om die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing te transformeer. Dit het die verskillende onderwysdepartemente van voor 1994 verenig om die onderwysongelykhede van die verlede reg te stel, leerders se regte ten opsigte van opvoeding te beskerm en die ouergemeenskap groter inspraak in en deelname aan skoolbeheer te gee. Skoolbeheerliggame is ingestel met sekere magte en verantwoordelikhede. Die vestiging van skoolbeheerliggame verteenwoordig ʼn betekenisvolle desentralisasie van mag in die Suid-Afrikaanse skolestelsel. Hierdie navorsing het beoog om die rol wat skoolbeheerliggame speel in die aanbeveling van kandidate vir aanstelling as prinsipale in skole na te vors en vas te stel watter uitdagings hulle ervaar. Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, is ‟n kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp gebruik. Data is verkry deur persoonlike onderhoude te voer met agt lede van twee skole se skoolbeheerliggame en een departementele amptenaar. Semi-gestruktureerde vrae het deelnemers in staat gestel om hul eie ervarings en persepsies van die aanbevelingsproses te beskryf. Daarna is die data ontleed en bevindings gemaak. Die literatuurstudie in hoofstuk 2 dui aan dat daar groot uitdagings is vir ouers op skoolbeheerliggame, veral in voorheen benadeelde skole, as gevolg van die ongeletterdheid van die ouers. Die skoolbeheerliggame in hierdie studie toon groot afhanklikheid van die hulp van die departementele amptenaar en erken selfs dat hulle nie die aanbevelingsproses sonder die hulp van dié amptenaar sou kon uitvoer nie. Tweedens is daar ook bevind dat die skoolbeheerliggame min kennis het van onderwyswetgewing en dat hul opleiding baie gebrekkig is. Hierdie studie het ook gepoog om ʼn dieper insig te verkry van die skoolbeheerliggame se perspektiewe van hul eie vermoëns. Ten spyte van die tekortkominge wat die lede van die skoolbeheerliggame ervaar, glo hulle dat hulle opgewasse is vir die taak en dat hulle geen skolastiese opleiding benodig om in ‟n skoolbeheerliggaam te dien nie. Die resultate toon egter dat die geletterdheidsvlakke van die lede van skoolbeheerliggame wel ʼn rol speel in die uitvoering van hul pligte en werksaamhede en dat meer intensiewe opleiding nodig is om hul kapasiteit te verhoog.

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)

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The introduction of school governing bodies provided communities with an opportunity to play a significant role in the organisation and governance of their schools. This involvement of significant stakeholders is purported to oversee that schools offer education of high quality to the learners. However, school governance is a legal responsibility, which requires the skills, knowledge and expertise to ensure that SGB members will be able to fulfil their concomitant legal duties. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the SGBs role in school governance in Kuyasa Secondary School, King Williams Town District. The findings revealed that the SGBs knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and the type of training they receive have a marked effect on their functionality. There is also a need to recruit SGB members with a particular level of education, knowledge, understanding and expertise to minimise the chances of failure.