Despite educational legislation and school reforms to promote improved performance and quality education, underperformance among secondary school learners is still the norm in the rural schools of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This dissertation investigates the problem of learner underachievement by means of a literature study and an empirical inquiry. The former provides an overview of the provisions for and problems of rural schooling in both an international and local context and it is followed by a discussion of learner assessment and learner achievement in the South African education system, with specific reference to KZN's schooling system and the problem of learner underachievement. The empirical inquiry investigates the experience of learner achievement in four rural schools in KZN and makes use of qualitative data gathered during individual and focus group interviews conducted with a small sample of underachieving learners and their parents, educators and school managers. Based on these findings, recommendations for improvement are made. / Comparative Education / M.A. (Comparative Education)

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 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)

The primary objective of this study was to explore the effect of financial management training on task performance of selected School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in the JS Skenjana Circuit, Dutywa District in the Eastern Cape Province. The study looked at the extent to which financial management training assisted the SGBs in performing their roles and responsibilities effectively. A qualitative research was employed to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of the members of the SGBs regarding the effects of financial management training on their task performance. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and secondary documents. Respondents were members of the finance committee of the SGBs. The findings of the study show that training offered by the Department of Education (DoE) was inadequate and did not equip the SGBs adequately to manage school funds efficiently and effectively. Members of the SGB did not clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, including the legal framework regulating the management of school finances. This study recommends that the content of training offered to the SGBs should be reviewed to ensure its alignment with the context, roles and responsibilities of this important body. The DoE should use qualified trainers/facilitators and should also provide constant monitoring and support to SGBs. Further, the DoE should provide schools with mentors to support them on the management of finances. The DoE should develop a procurement management system that is evaluated at the level of a circuit and further ensure that all schools have functional procurement committees. Twinning of schools should also be considered to promote partnership and collaboration among schools. This should be done to increase financial prudence and overall school performance. The DoE should develop a financial assessment plan and remedial programmes, to assist schools that are not performing well in the management of finances. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Despite educational legislation and school reforms to promote improved performance and quality education, underperformance among secondary school learners is still the norm in the rural schools of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This dissertation investigates the problem of learner underachievement by means of a literature study and an empirical inquiry. The former provides an overview of the provisions for and problems of rural schooling in both an international and local context and it is followed by a discussion of learner assessment and learner achievement in the South African education system, with specific reference to KZN's schooling system and the problem of learner underachievement. The empirical inquiry investigates the experience of learner achievement in four rural schools in KZN and makes use of qualitative data gathered during individual and focus group interviews conducted with a small sample of underachieving learners and their parents, educators and school managers. Based on these findings, recommendations for improvement are made. / Comparative Education / M.A. (Comparative Education)

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 Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of principals and school board members (SBMs) regarding their working relationship in the Zambezi region of Namibia. Not much research about this area has been conducted in the Zambezi region and Namibia at large. The reviewed literature posits that principals play a major role in creating effective working relationships with SBMs. It also argues that positive working relationships between principals and SBMs are at the heart of making a school extraordinary. This working relationship can be fruitful if there is a closer understanding of the roles and responsibilities between the principals and SBMs. Three leadership theories that seemed to suit the study were analyzed and discussed. The transformational leadership, partnership and Dewey’s theory of democracy in education were relevant to this study. The three leadership theories guided the study in exploring the perceptions of principals and SBMs regarding their working relationships in the Zambezi region. They also guided the study to clarify the challenges that contributed to the lack of trusting working relationships between principals and SBMs in the Zambezi region in Namibia. The study is located in the interpretive paradigm, where a qualitative case study approach to the research problem was employed. For the purpose of the study, the researcher selected six schools, two primary schools, two combined and two senior secondary schools, as sites to explore the research problem. It is important to mention that the findings of the study cannot be generalized to all school boards in Namibia, since the research was limited to six schools in the Zambezi region only. The researcher summarized the findings of the study according to the four research questions. The findings derived from this study revealed that the majority of principals and SBMs perceived their working relationship as collegial. However, the study also revealed that some SBMs did not have a good working relationship with the principals. SBMs were not aware of how the finances of the school were utilized. Furthermore, they accused principals of not being transparent when it came to staff appointments. The findings from this study also revealed that, when there was a good working relationship between principals and SBMs at the school, it became easier to maintain discipline among learners and that learners performed better. There needs to be good communication between principals and SBMs, as principals and SBMs are important partners when it comes to the smooth running of a school. There were consultations between principals and SBMs on matters regarding school development. It was, furthermore, learnt that, where there were consultations between principals and SBMs, unity and trust were developed. The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (2001:15; 2016:2) in Namibia clearly points out that “For every state school, a school board must be established to administer the school affairs and promote the development of the school and learners of the school” and to “ensure the school is effective in its teaching and learning programme”. However, the study revealed that principals and SBMs were not working in accordance with the Education Act, Act 16 of 2001. SBMs lost interest in participating in school activities. It became evident that SBMs did not seem to be attending school board meetings when invited and rendered many excuses. It emerged from the findings that parent SBMs wanted to be given sitting allowances when attending school board meetings. The findings from the study indicate that there should be good communication between principals and SBMs. Regular school board meetings could help build a good working relationship between principals and SBMs. School board training should be organized for principals and SBMs. To mitigate the challenges faced by principals and SBMs regarding their working relationship in the Zambezi region of Namibia, recommendations associated with understanding of and adherence to policies, working together, communication, trust and fear among SBMs, are that all schools should have scheduled school board meetings that are communicated very early to everyone concerned and SBMs should be given sitting allowances. The researcher recommends that principals and SBMs receive compulsory and appropriate training that will help them to understand and perform their roles and responsibilities well. Where necessary, school board trainers should use a vernacular language (or seek the services of an interpreter) so that parent SBMs who are not fluently bilingual can understand and grasp all essential concepts of the training programme. In addition, the researcher recommends that community members, who are educated and knowledgeable but do not have children at the school, should be co-opted to serve on the school board. There should be clear policies and processes regarding the recruitment of staff who works at the school. The researcher posits that effective communication can be enhanced by employing vernacular languages in meetings to ensure that parent SBMs understand all the proceedings and are involved. It is advisable for the principal and other SBMs to communicate effectively, keep to what they say and always follow through with tangible actions. To reduce fear demonstrated by Learners’ Representative Council (LRCs) serving on the school board during meetings, it is advisable to give appropriate training so that they can gain a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities. In order for principals to work in harmony with SBMs, it is essential to have well-defined roles, as well as to treat everyone fairly and respectfully. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of the study was to investigate participants’ views on the role of school governing bodies (SGBs) in enhancing school effectiveness in South African schools with a view to promoting learners’ sustainable academic achievement. The study was undertaken at ten (10) South African schools in the Western Cape *Province in South Africa, in a metropolitan area. The study adopted the case study as the principal research design, and it was informed by the mixed methods paradigm; thus, qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used. Non-probability and probability sampling techniques were used for the selection of the site of study and the participants. A representative sample of 189 participants was used from a target population of 567 participants. The study was informed by multiple theories. The study found that most of the participants perceived maladministration and mismanagement of the SGBs as a major problem affecting the governance in most public schools in South Africa. It was found that the adoption of a vibrant and robust school governance strategy is the solution/panacea to solving this persistent problem of a lack of proper governance in schools. The introduction of a school governance education and regulatory framework for the SGBs was singled out to be the ‘pivotal’ strategy that policy-makers should adopt to strengthen the role of the SGBs. It was further established that the role of the SGBs in South African schools should be strongly supported by a multi-agency response to enhance the effective running of the education system to propel learners’ academic achievement. The study findings further revealed that the SGBs in South African schools lack the necessary assumed or anticipated knowledge regarding school governance. The study has the potential to contribute to the scholarly literature on how the SGBs can be supported to enhance effectiveness in South African schools and improved academic achievement. An analysis of global experiences and best practices revealed some new insights which could improve the functioning of the SGBs in South African schools. It also emerged that training trainers or educating teachers and other stakeholders can help capacitate individuals and transform South Africa’s basic education. The study concluded that school governing bodies are an indispensable entity in education and require the necessary backing by multi-stakeholders. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen the local school governance strategies and support existing mechanisms currently being employed in South African schools to successfully provide an environment that supports learners’ sustainable academic achievement. In line with the above, the study recommends the resourcing of the SGBs to assist them in executing their mandate. In addition, the study recommends further research in this seemingly grey area to contribute to the knowledge body regarding instituting good school governance in South African schools. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education Management)

Financial management remains a challenge in many schools because most managers lack proper training. Schools are still unclear on the features and functions of a school’s budget. The implementation and control of the budget and evaluation remain problematic. According to Mestry (2004: 26), there are many Principals and School Governing Body (SGB) members who lack the necessary financial knowledge and skills and are placed under tremendous pressure because they are unable to work out practical solutions to the financial problems of the school. In many instances it has been reported that principals and SGBs have been subjected to forensic audit by the Department of Education due to the mismanagement of funds through misappropriation, fraud, pilfering of cash, theft and improper control of financial records. The South African Schools Act no. 84 (SASA) prescribes how the school should manage their funds. It also provides guidelines for the SGB and the principal on their roles and responsibilities in managing the finances of the school. SGB must perform all functions as stipulated in section 20 of the Schools Act (South Africa, 1996). The study has will find that the SGBs in township schools have a challenge in the management of funds in schools. This is due to the fact that parents in the SGBs of the selected township schools lack of knowledge and expertise making it difficult for them to contribute meaningfully in governance. The Department of Education trains SGBs on roles and responsibilities, but it seems as if training is not effective. The budget is drawn up efficiently and finance records are well managed in some township schools in some township schools. The researcher in some township schools recommends that the treasurer of the SGB should be someone with expertise in accounting or financial 5 skills. This will reduce the administrative duties that are performed by the principal on behalf of the parents in the SGBs. The Department of Education should strengthen the training given to the SGBs so that they can perform their duties efficiently and effectively. All stakeholders should be consulted when the budget is drawn. Schools should foster good working relations between the SMTs and the SGBs / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This research focuses on the issue of parent involvement at selected secondary schools in the Zeerust District of the North West Province in order to gain an understanding of relevant participants’ views on the following aspects that relate to the management of parent involvement: the concept of parent involvement, ways in which parent involvement should be realised, its benefits and challenges, as well as strategies to improve the management of parent involvement in the education of learner children. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein’s theories of overlapping spheres and her typology of parent involvement, as well as Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. These frameworks provided a meaningful lens for interpreting data and making recommendations in the final chapter. The researcher undertook an extensive literature study and conducted interviews with principals, SGB chairpersons, as well as selected SGB parent members and other active and inactive parents from the selected schools in the Zeerust district. The research shows, inter alia, that parent involvement has various benefits and that it faces several challenges which affect the management thereof. Benefits concern improvement in terms of academic performance of learners, provision of teaching and learning resources, relationships between parents and the school, learner motivation and school attendance. Challenges to parent involvement that were identified were time constraints of parents, poor communication between home and school, parents’ lack of interest and commitment, principals’ limitations in terms of the management of parent involvement, parents’ limited education, negative parental attitudes and negative teacher attitudes. Key recommendations were made in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s micro, exo- and macrosystem for addressing the management of parent involvement in a synergetic manner. They concerned, inter alia, the national Department of Basic Education in the macrosystem, provincial Departments of Basic Education in the exosystem and schools and parents in the microsystem. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)