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)

The study was conducted in the Brits District. Six schools were chosen of which 3 belonged to the former model C schools where the language of teaching and learning is Afrikaans, and the other 3 schools were previously disadvantaged/rural schools. A qualitative study was used to garner information in the form of interviews, document analysis and observation. The study attempt to find out the exact role that the School governing body (SGBs) play in the implementation of language policy as stipulated in the Constitution. It was revealed that of the 2 types of schools the school governing body (SGBs) for former model C schools are aware of the role they have to play in the implementation of the language policy whereas the school governing body (SGBs) for the rural schools are still grappling with their role as custodian of language policy implementation. A number of concepts emerged from the study where it became apparent that rural schools and former model C school’s play field were not equally levelled from the onset. Former model C school governing body (SGBs) seem to be aware of their role in the implementation of language policy, whereas the rural school, school governing body (SGBs) are aware of their other roles e.g. school maintenance, school fund and hiring of educators. On the other hand they are of the opinion that language policies is for the principal and the school management team. In addition it was observed that the school governing body (SGBs) for rural schools has low morale, do not have the language policy document and generally lack interest in the services they are supposed to provide critical theory underpins this study. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Abstract in English, Xhosa and Southern Sotho / This study was about the lack of uniform financial reporting guidelines to be used by South African School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in preparing their financial statements and financial records, which resulted in the inconsistencies and the lack of comparability in the financial statements of section 21 schools. The researcher aimed to develop recommended practice guidelines to be used by SGBs of public schools in South Africa when preparing their financial statements. The research was conducted through a qualitative approach using document analysis, supplemented by individual interviews. Provincial guidelines and selected schools’ financial statements were analysed. Schools’ principals, finance officers, auditors, School Governing Body treasurers, as well as districts officials were interviewed. The participants were selected using a purposive sampling method. Without generalising, the findings revealed that the existing provincial guidelines as well as the financial statements of the selected schools, are not consistent. The inconsistencies affect the comparability of the financial information negatively and that may also have negative impact on the reliability of financial information. The findings from the interviews, supported by the literature review, revealed that there is a need for uniform guidelines in terms of preparation of schools’ financial statements. The findings also revealed that the majority of SGBs opt for the examination of accounting records and financial statements instead of the audit thereof. Recommended practice guidelines were developed using information acquired through the literature review and the data acquired through document analysis and interviews. The study recommended amongst others that a further study be conducted on the effectiveness of financial management training in addressing the financial reporting challenges of South African public schools and whether the examination (instead of audit) of schools’ financial records and financial statements should still be acceptable. / Thutopatlisiso eno e batlisisitse go tlhokagala ga kaedi e e tshwanang ya dipegelo tsa ditšhelete e e ka dirisiwang ke Makgotlataolo a Dikolo tsa Aforikaborwa (diSGB) fa a baakanya dikanego tsa ona tsa ditšhelete mmogo le direkoto tsa ditšhelete, e leng se se bakileng gore go se nne le go tsamaelana le tlhaelo mo ntlheng ya tshwantshanyego ya dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo tsa Karolo 21. Maikaelelo a mmatlisisi e ne e le go tlhama kaedi e e tlaa atlenegisiwang ya tiriso e e tlaa dirisiwang ke diSGB tsa dikolo tsa setšhaba mo Aforikaborwa fa di baakanya dikanego tsa tsona tsa ditšhelete. Thutopatlisiso e dirilwe ka mokgwatebo o o lebelelang mabaka go dirisiwa tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, e tshegediwa ke dipotsolotso tsa batho bongwe ka bongwe. Go sekasekilwe kaedi ya porofense le dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo tse di tlhophilweng. Go botsoloditswe bagokgo ba dikolo, batlhankedi ba ditšhelete, baruni, batshwaratlotlo ba Makgotlataolo a Dikolo, gammogo le batlhankedi ba dikgaolo. Bannileseabe ba tlhophilwe ka go dirisa mokgwa wa go tlhopha sampole ka maikaelelo. Kwa ntle ga go akaretsa, diphitlhelelo di bontshitse gore kaedi ya ga jaana ya porofense gammogo le dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo tse di tlhophilweng, ga di tsamaelane. Go tlhoka go tsamaelana go ama go tshwantshanyega ga tshedimosetso ya ditšhelete ka tsela e e bosula mme seo se ka ama go ikanyega ga tshedimosetso ya ditšhelete. Diphitlhelelo go tswa mo dipotsolotsong, di tshegediwa ke tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, di senotse gore go na le tlhokego ya gore go nne le kaedi e e tshwanang malebana le go baakanngwa ga dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo. Gape bontsi jwa diSGB bo itlhophela gore go tlhatlhobiwe direkoto tsa palotlotlo le dikanego tsa ditšhelete go na le gore di runiwe. Go tlhamilwe kaedi ya tiro e e atlenegisiwang go dirisiwa tshedimosetso e e bonweng ka tshekatsheko ya dikwalo le data e e bonweng mo tshekatshekong ya dikwalo le dipotsolotso. Thutopatlisiso e atlenegisitse, gareng ga tse dingwe, gore go nne le thutopatlisiso e nngwe ya nonofo ya katiso ya botsamaisi jwa ditšhelete malebana le go samagana le dikgwetlho tsa dipegelo tsa ditšhelete mo dikolong tsa setšhaba tsa Aforikaborwa gammogo le go bona gore a tlhatlhobo (go na le boruni) ya direkoto tsa ditšhelete le dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa sekolo e sa ntse e tshwanetse go amogelesega / Ndzavisiso lowu wu lavisise hi makombandlela ya ndlela yo fanana yo endla xiviko xa swa timali leswi swi faneleke ku tirhisiwa hi va Tihuvo ta Vufambisi bya Swikolo eAfrika Dzonga ku nga South African School Governing Bodies (SGBs) ku lulamisela switatimende swa timali na tirhekhodo ta timali, leswi nga vangela leswaku ku va na mafambiselo yo ka ya nga fanani na ku va swilo swi nga pimanyiseki kahle eka switatimende swa timali eka swikolo swa Xiyenge 21. Muendli wa ndzavisiso u ve na xikongomelo xa ku endla xibumabumelo hi maendlelo na makombandlela lama ya faneleke ku tirhisiwa hi ti-SGB ta swikolo swa mfumo eAfrika Dzonga, loko swi lulamisa switatimende swa timali. Ndzavisiso wu endliwe hi ku landza fambiselo ra qualitative hi ku xopaxopa tidokumente, ku tlhela ku endliwa na mimburisano ya ti-interview na vanhu hi wun'we-wun'we. Makombandlela ya xifundzhankulu na switatimende swa timali swa swikolo swi xopaxopiwile. Ku endliwe mimburisano ya ti-interview na tinhloko ta swikolo (vaprinsipala), vaofisara va swa timali, vakamberi va swa timali (ti-odithara), vatameri va minkwama ya Tihuvo ta Vufambisi bya Swikolo (School Governing Body treasurers) xikan'we na vaofisara va tidistriki na vona ku endliwe mimburisano ya ti-interview na vona. Vokhoma-xiave va hlawuriwe hi ku tirhisa fambiselo ra sampuli ya xikongomelo ku nga purposive sampling method. Handle ko navisa vuyelo eka hinkwavo, vuyelo byi kume leswo makombandlela ya xifundzhankulu na switatimende swa timali eka swikolo swo karhi, a swi fanani. Ku hambana swi endla leswo ku nga vi na ku fambelana na ku pimanyiseka ka vutivi bya swa timali, na swona swi na vuyelo byo ka byi nga ri kahle na ku tshembeka eka vutivi bya swa timali. Vuyelo eka mimburisano ya ti-interview, hi ku seketeriwa hi ku hlayiwa ka matsalwa, swi kombise leswo ku na xilaveko xa makombandlela ya ku fanana hi ku landza ku lulamisiwa ka switatimende swa ta timali lomu swikoleni. Vunyingi bya ti-SGB byi endla na nkambelo kunene wa tirhekhodi ta timali na switatimende swa timali ku tlula ku lava leswo ku endliwa nxopanxopo lowu fambisanaka na ku xopaxopa vumbhoni bya swa matirhiselo ya timali ku nga auditing ya tibuku ta timali. Makombandlela lama ya bumabumeriwaka ya endliwe hi ku tirhisa vutivi lebyi nga kumeka eka ku hlayiwa ka matsalwa na data leyi nga kumeka hi ku xopaxopa tidokumente na mimburisano ya ti-interview. Ndzavisiso wu bumabumela, exikarhi ka swin'wana leswo ku endliwa ndzavisiso wun'wana hi ku tirheka ka vuleteri bya mafambiselo ya swa timali eka ku langutana na mintlhontlho leyi nga kona hi ku vika hi swa timali eswikolweni swa mfumo eAfrika Dzonga, no kumisisa leswo xana nkambelo kunene (ku nga ri nxopanxopo lowu xopaxopaku na vumbhoni ku nga auditing) ya tirhekhodo ta timali na switatimende swa timali swa ha fanela ku amukeriwa xana / College of Accounting Sciences / D. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)