The aim of the study was to investigate the training of school governing bodies in the Free State Province from an education management point of view. Since 1994 the South African government has adopted a number of policy documents aimed at democratizing education in the country. The transformation of education in the new South African context encompasses the idea of partnership in which participants - such as parents, educators, learners (in secondary schools) play an active role in taking decisions on behalf of the school. The State alone cannot control schools, but has to share its power with other stakeholders. However, this can only happen if participants in school governance are trained to have power and the capacity to decide on matters affecting their schools. Hence, training is the cornerstone of affirming governors in the execution of their roles and responsibilities. Since school governing bodies are composed of a cross section of people with different ideologies, expectations and levels of education - training is necessary to prepare then for co-operative governance. Without adequate and on-going in-service training, it is unlikely that school governing body members can make informed decisions. The empirical method, namely qualitative research, was successful in obtaining information from participants about the training offered to them. It also established how participants felt and thought about their experiences and perceptions about the training they received, whether it built capacity or not. A number of recommendations were made with regard to the research findings for stakeholders to note. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The school effectiveness, the school's ability to deliver (produce results), and the improvement of the matriculation (Grade 12) results in the Limpopo Province has been a priority ever since the new democratic government took over in 1994. The Limpopo Province has always scored lower than all the other nine provinces in the country in the matriculation (Grade 12) results. Among the reasons given as contributing to this state of affairs, was the ineffective way of governing and administering schools. This research investigated the development of the school governing structures in the Limpopo Province. The focus was mainly on revealing the nature of the school governing structures that existed in the province and how those governing structures influenced the overall performance of the schools. The researcher found that the most suitable school governing structures for the Limpopo Province schools are those that will provide parents with more meaningful participation in the education of their children and will inculcate democracy in the governance of schools. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (History of Education)

The concept of parental involvement has been viewed as an ideal style of leadership and management for school development purposes. In South Africa’s case, it is an educational policy which is expected to reign in all school management bodies. Many theorists envisaged parental involvement as enhancing active involvement of parents and it has been advocated by many scholars who believe it is the best leadership style in implementing democratic values to education, particularly South African rural education, which is still in a transitional stage. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which parents contribute towards education of their children. This study involved transformative case study as a research design at one rural school in Waterberg district in South Africa. This research employed three data collection techniques, namely semi-structured interviews, focus groups and document analysis. When formal education was introduced in South Africa schools it was regarded as exceptional environment for teachers, school administrators and learners. To a large extent, parents and the communities regarded themselves as something outside of the education system. The main findings of this study revealed that there is a lack of joint understanding and shared vision between educators and parents in the School Governing Body. This problem underpins other more symptomatic problems, such as lack of accountability in the matter of school finances, differences in understanding the roles of School Board members and lack of parents’ motivation from the school management. It highlighted some of the challenges that hinder the effective involvement of parents in rural school governance, such as poor educational background among parents. The study has also revealed challenges and consequences of non-parental involvement in school governance. The conclusion that could be drawn from the study is that in schools where parent-community involvement is highly visible, teacher effectiveness is apparent and this contributed significantly to the improvement of learner performance while in schools where parent-community involvement is non-existent or minimal, the result is the opposite. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and practices of School Management Teams (SMTs) in the control and management of school bullying in the Tshwane West District of the Gauteng Province. This study came out of a global concern about the security and safety of learners in schools. While there is substantial international and national literature on violence in schools, South Africa continues to experience high levels of violence in schools more than ever before and this in the Tshwane West District is no exception. In this study, a mixed method approach was undertaken to explore the experiences and practices of SMTs in the controlling and managing of bullying in the Tshwane West District. The questionnaires and focus group interviews were used as research tools for data gathering to unpack the experiences of the SMTs. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study sought to explore perspectives and experiences of leaders of secondary schools’ stakeholders on leadership. The experiences of parents and learners who are not necessarily leaders in schools about secondary schools leadership were also explored. Participants were afforded the opportunity to suggested strategies for leadership improvement in secondary schools. This study is underpinned by academic literature and the shared leadership theoretic framework. The study espoused a qualitative research methodology and used a case study approach as a research design. The study included secondary school principals, deputy principals, HODs, teachers, parents, SGB chairpersons, RCL presidents and learners. Semi-structured interview questions, focus group interview questions, notebook, a voice recording device and observation sheets were used as data collection tools. The findings showed that there is little-shared leadership in schools; principals do not share their leadership with their deputy principals where deputy principals are overshadowed by principals. SMTs drive their resolutions through teachers’ throats during staff meetings where teachers rubberstamp SMT decisions. RCLs are not recognised and in many cases, they are not part of SGBs. Leaders of stakeholders are encouraged to use the democratic leadership style, autocratic leadership style and laissez-faire leadership style. Principals of secondary schools should involve all stakeholders in decision making. Leaders of stakeholders should be workshopped by the principal and the Department of Education on shared leadership. There should be shared leadership in secondary schools. The following leadership styles should be upheld in secondary schools based on character traits which are; honesty, loyalty, kindness, and forgiveness. Leaders should also uphold democratic principles which are consultation, collective planning, collective accountability, debates and stakeholder involvement. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed.

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)

The study aimed to determine the impact of the role of the School Governing Bodies in the schooling system with regard to the implementation of education policies, including the South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996 as amended). In order to determine the role of the participants mentioned above who represented the SGBs in this project, the researcher interviewed them at their convenient times and environment. This study used a qualitative approach, since it involved a series of in-depth interviews, document analysis and field notes (see 4.5.4 and 4.5.5). The first interviews were individual interviews with school principals (see Annexure A). This was followed by focus group interviews with executive members of SGBs (see Annexures B, C and D). Learners were interviewed in the form of focus groups (see Annexure E). Observations too played an important role during the meetings with SGBs (see Annexure F). The findings indicate that SGB members who were interviewed had minimal knowledge of how their role affected the schools that they governed. It was also clear from interviews that training conducted by individuals from the Department of Education seemed not to be effective as they failed to make members of the SGBs understand the school policies on the South African Schools Act policy document. The study revealed that the school policies embodied in SASA documents and the South African Constitution were not understood and as such their effective use was not realised. In other words, the members of the SGB lacked proper knowledge of how to guide their school in order to run smoothly and efficiently. Again, the study revealed that there is a serious need to train members of SGBs at the school level because those interviewed complained about: the time allocated for their training, and the language used in their training by the facilitators. All the above factors have a strong bearing on the fact that the majority of members of SGBs are illiterate (see Section 5.3.2). Finally, the study revealed that: principals are expected to perform dual roles of representing their schools (as mentors) and simultaneously represent the Department of Education in an ex-officio position (see Section 5.3.1). Therefore, the study proposed that the principal must only represent his school and a neutral person be appointed by the department to represent it in all the SGBs in the circuit. Lastly, the study emphasised the need of the SGB members to work with other qualified individuals in the community who are experts in some areas of learning such as lawyers, accountants, farmers, architects, and business people (see Figure 5.1). All stakeholders are relevant, but they need to be made to function according to their qualifications and expertise and also respect the boundaries of specialisation of the others. In conclusion, the recommended and proposed model was deliberately designed and structured to offer practical solutions to the problems discussed in the research findings. It is also essential that the training be accompanied by some assessment, in order to determine whether the SGB members have understood what they were taught. Furthermore, there should be follow-ups to ascertain to what extent the SGB members have implemented what they were taught in their schools, which is not happening at present. / Die doel van die studie was om die rol en/of impak van deelnemende skole se beheerrade op die implementering van onderwyswetgewing en/of beleid was. Aangesien die studie kwalitatief van aard was, het die navorser hoofsaaklik van waarneming en onderhoude (indiepte indiwiduele sowel as fokusgroeponderhoude) gebruik gemaak om data in te samel. Navorsingsbresultate dui aan dat deelnemende skoolbeheerraadslede se geletterdheidsvaardighede en begrip van onderwyswetgewing en beleid gebrekkig is en dat opleiding wat deur amptenare verbonde aan die Departement van Onderwys verskaf is gebrekkig was. Gevolglik was die imlementering van onderwyswetgewing en beleid deur genoemde skoolbeheerrade as ‘n reël ondoeltreffend. Die resultate dui verder aan dat daar van skoolhoofde verwag word om sowel hul skole as die Department van Onderwys op skoolbeheerraadsvergaderings te verteenwoordig en dat, ten einde hul skole doeltreffend te bestuur, skoolbeheerraadslede ander gekwalifiseerde/professionele indiwidue in die gemeenskap – regsgeleerdes, boekhouers, boere, argitekte and besigheidsmense – in die skoolbeheerraad se aktiwiteite behoort te betrek. Op grond van hierdie bevindinge beveel die navorser dus aan dat (a) skoolhoofde slegs hulle skole op skoolbeheerraadsvergaderings behoort te verteenwoordig; (b) ‘n neutrale persoon deur die Departement van Onderwys aangestel word om dié se verteenwoordiger te wees; (c) die teoretiese opleidingsmodel wat hy in sy studie voorstel, moontlik kan bdra tot die uitskakeling van heelparty van die probleme/uitdagings wat in die studie uitgelig word; (d) opleiding een of ander vorm van assessering moet insluit ten einde te bepaal of bywonende skoolbeheerraadslede die nodige begrip verwerf het, en (e) opleiding deur skoolbesoeke opgevolg word om te bepaal tot welke mate dit skoolbeheerraadslede tydens opleiding geleer het toepas. / Maikemišetšo a phatišišo ye ke go utulla karalo yeo lekgotlataolo la sekolo le nago nayo go lenaneo la sekolo malebana le phethagatšo ya melawana ya thuto, le go akaretšwa le lenaneo la Taolo ya Dikolo (Act 84 of 1996 as amended). Gore go hlaolwe karalo ya batšeakarolo ba ka gare ga SGB tabeng ye, mofatišiši o boledišane le bona tikologong le nako yeo e ba swanetšego.Phatišišo e dirišitše mokgwa wa boleng ka ge go akareditšwe dipoledišano tša go tsenelela le phetleko ya dingwalwa tša maleba (cf 4.5.4 le 4.5.5).Poledišano ya pulamadibogo ke ya dihlogo tša dikolo (cf Annexure A).Seo se latetšwe ke dipoledišanothwi le maloko a makgotlaphethiši a makgotlataolo a dikolo (cf Annexures B, C le D). Go boledišanwe le barutwana ka sebopego sa dihlophana (cf Annexure E). Diphihlelelo le tšona di bile bohlokwa dikopanong tša makgotlataolo a dikolo (cf Annexure F). Dikutullo di laeditše gore maloko a SGB a go boledišanwego le ona, a na le tsebo ye nnyane ya ka moo batšeakarolo bja ona, bo nago le khuetšo dikolong tšeo ba di laolago. Dipoledišano di laeditše gore tlhahlo yeo balaodi ba Kgoro ya Thuto ba e abetšego maloko a SGB e a fokola ka ge e šitwa go kgontšha maloko a SGB go hlaologanya melawana ya thuto yeo e tšwago go molao wa taolo ya dikolo. Phatišišo e utulotše gore melawana ya thuto ye e akareditšwego ka go dingwalwa tša Molaotheo wa Afrika Borwa, ga e kwešišwe le gore ga e phethagatšwe ka tshwanelo. Maloko a SGB a hlaelelwa ke tsebo ya maleba go ka kgona go hlahla dikolo gore di sepetšwe ka katlego. Phatišišo e utulotše gape gore go tsomega tlhahlo ya maloko a SGB dikolong. Dintlha tše di laeditšwego di gatelela taba ya gore boati bja maloko a makgotlataolo a dikolo ga kgone go bala le go ngwala (cf 5.3.2). Mafelelong, go latetšwe gore dihlogo tša dikolo di raloke karalo ya go emela dikolo tša bona le go emela Kgoro ya Thuto ka bo emo bja semmušo (cf 5.3.1). Phatišišo e šišinya gore hlogo ya sekolo a emele sekolo sa gagwe gomme motho wa go ikema a emele Kgoro ya Thuto makgotlataolong a dikolo sedikothutong. Phatišišo e fetša ka go hlohleletša maloko a SGB go dirišana le ditsebi mafaphene a tša semolao, taolo ya ditšhelete le, balemi le ba bangwe (cf 5.1). Batšeakarolo ba bohlokwa ka moka ge go ka hlomphiwa bokgoni bja yo mongwe le yo mongwe. Go phethwa ka gore mokgwa wa tlhahlo o swanetšwe go sepelelana le tokelo go kgonthišiša kwešišo ya maloko a SGB go tšeo ba rutilwego. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The South African Schools' Act No 84 (SASA 1996) replaced Parents, Teacher and Students' Associations ( PTSAs) with School Governing Bodies whose members are democratically elected to perform mandated duties. The study focused on the role of SGBs in improving school performance in rural areas. The purpose was to investigate the role SGBs play in improving school performance in the rural areas of Taung. The SGB, as a concept and praxis, emanated from the need to involve communities, especially parents, in education. The assumption was that school improvement is dependent on responsibilities delegated to community members, especially parents, in the affairs of public schools. The study investigated the topic by a literature review on school governance, observation and interviews conducted with SGB members in three selected schools. Six focus group interviews were conducted on parents and educator components of the SGBs. The principals of the three selected schools were interviewed individually for the views on the topic. The data collected were arranged under selected themes and manually analysed and interpreted. The study reveals that * community members, particularly parents, caregivers and guardians are beginning to see themselves as equal partners with educators in education of children * the improvement in learner performance is the co-responsibility of the home and the school * community members (parents and guardians) must be empowered with relevant skills to enable them perform their tasks as school governors. The study recommends further research into greater representivity and involvement in Education. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Education Management)

The South African Schools Act of 1996 mandates the establishment of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in all schools with grade eight and higher. Amongst others, the SGB has the authority to develop a Code of Conduct for learners in a school. This study includes a literature review of discipline in schools, the functions of SGBs, the development and implementation of a Code of Conduct by the SGB. A qualitative investigation of the perceptions of parents, educators and learners, of discipline and dealing with misbehaviour was conducted in three secondary schools in the North-West Province. It was established that role-players differed in their understanding of coming to a common understanding of what to include in a Code of Conduct. It seems as if measures to deal with misbehaviour are often in violation of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Based on the findings, recommendations for addressing discipline by means of a Code of Conduct were proposed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This research focuses on problems encountered by School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in executing their financial task in four schools situated in the Ramotse Area, Hammanskraal, north-east of the city of Tshwane. The research methodology, which was employed, can be described as qualitative, exploratory and descriptive by nature. Data was collected by means of two focus group interviews, one involving the chairpersons of SGBs and the other involving the managers of the same schools. An analysis of the data has revealed a number of financially related problems, which SGBs in the Ramotse Area experience, amongst other things that parents fail to meet their financial obligations and subsidies tend to arrive late. The most important recommendation made is that SGBs should be trained both better and more frequently. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)