In 1991, one year after the Namibian independence, the Ministry of Education and Culture was organised in six departments and six regional directorates. The regional directorates were established as early as in 1991. The establishment of the regional directorates was the first step towards decentralisation of education management, which took a form of de-concentration. During the late 1990s, the regional directorates were subdivided into thirteen regional education directorates to be in compliance with the central government policy of decentralising functions from the head offices of various ministries to the regional administrations in the thirteen regions. During 2000, the Namibian Ministry of Education introduced cluster-based school management as a decentralisation reform, granting authority and responsibility for managing school supervision and in-service training for school managers and teachers to clusters, to be implemented in all the thirteen education regions. Cluster–based school management reform has been adopted as a strategy for improving school supervision and teaching in Namibia. However, there is little empirical evidence on the effects of school clustering on the quality of teaching in Namibia. This study examined the implementation of cluster-based school management reform in the Namibian primary schools. The specific focus of the study was to assess: (1) the implementation of cluster-based school management reform in the Namibian primary schools; and (2) the relationship between cluster-based school management reform and improving teaching at classroom level. The data for this study were collected through: (1) survey research in thirty-seven primary schools in five regions: Caprivi; Erongo; Hardap; Karas and Kunene, and (2), case studies, based on interviews; focused group discussions; informal conversations; observations; and document analyses in the three primary school clusters in two of the five education regions. The study’s main findings are that the implementation of cluster-based school management reform has been constrained by resource scarcity and reluctance to share resources; potential threat to the authority of school inspectors and school principals; and incongruence between the ideologies existed prior to the introduction of the reform and the democratic ideology. The other main finding from this study is that there is insufficient evidence to show that the teaching methods of teachers who have received support from the school management reform are notably different from those who have not. This study demonstrates a number of obvious missing links between cluster-based school management and improving teaching, because the reform lacks: (1) clarity, guidelines and resources to support and monitor teaching in schools and at classroom level; (2) clarity on the roles and responsibilities of key implementers in improving teachers’ teaching practices; (3) capability to transform school traditions and culture into a culture which transforms teaching in schools; and (4) clarity on how teacher involvement can be utilised to improve teaching in schools. This study concludes that there is no evidence from this study that cluster-based school management reform relates to improving teaching. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Since the democratic election in 1994 and the publishing of the SA Schools Act on the 16th of November 1996 the South African education system has undergone a fundamental transformation. Pupils are regarded as a specific interest group that stands in a partnership relationship with other interest groups (stakeholders) in the school. The principle of partnership advocated by the South African Schools Act invites pupils to partake in and share responsibility for the governance, organising and funding of public schools. To participate in school management pupils have to be part of participative structures. Two such structures for pupil participation and representation exist in South African schools, namely SRC's and the governing body of the school. The aim of this research is to develop a model for pupil participation in the management of schools and specific attention was given to participative management of pupils on the SRC and governing body of the school. In order to operationalize the above mentioned aim an analysis of the nature of participative management by pupils was done on the basis of theoretical approaches to participative management. Participative management by pupils can only be successful if the following participative management techniques namely pupil participation, pupil empowerment, influence. participative decision-making, delegation, democracy, decentralization, committees and meetings are interwoven with the participative management process. Pupil participation can also be successful if the advantages of such participation is realised by all school interest groups. The structure and functioning of pupil participation in the management activities of the school is reviewed firstly by giving attention to the practices of pupil participation in the education systems of a few international countries. This is done by analizing the structure of each education system, the statutory directives for pupil participation and the structures for pupil participation in these education systems. Secondly the managerial involvement of pupils in the management activities of SRC's and the governing bodies of schools was reviewed, while certain lacunas that resulted from the lack of information were addressed by empirical research. As a result of the preceding criteria a model for pupil participation in school management was developed and certain findings and recommendations were derived from it. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

Since the democratic election in 1994 and the publishing of the SA Schools Act on the 16th of November 1996 the South African education system has undergone a fundamental transformation. Pupils are regarded as a specific interest group that stands in a partnership relationship with other interest groups (stakeholders) in the school. The principle of partnership advocated by the South African Schools Act invites pupils to partake in and share responsibility for the governance, organising and funding of public schools. To participate in school management pupils have to be part of participative structures. Two such structures for pupil participation and representation exist in South African schools, namely SRC's and the governing body of the school. The aim of this research is to develop a model for pupil participation in the management of schools and specific attention was given to participative management of pupils on the SRC and governing body of the school. In order to operationalize the above mentioned aim an analysis of the nature of participative management by pupils was done on the basis of theoretical approaches to participative management. Participative management by pupils can only be successful if the following participative management techniques namely pupil participation, pupil empowerment, influence. participative decision-making, delegation, democracy, decentralization, committees and meetings are interwoven with the participative management process. Pupil participation can also be successful if the advantages of such participation is realised by all school interest groups. The structure and functioning of pupil participation in the management activities of the school is reviewed firstly by giving attention to the practices of pupil participation in the education systems of a few international countries. This is done by analizing the structure of each education system, the statutory directives for pupil participation and the structures for pupil participation in these education systems. Secondly the managerial involvement of pupils in the management activities of SRC's and the governing bodies of schools was reviewed, while certain lacunas that resulted from the lack of information were addressed by empirical research. As a result of the preceding criteria a model for pupil participation in school management was developed and certain findings and recommendations were derived from it. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

Site-based management (SBM) is recent restructuring initiative in schools. The study is carried out with the aim of investigating the extent to which teachers participate in site-based management in schools. The researcher assumes that teachers are sidelined in site-based management in schools. An extensive literature review provides a theoretical foundation of the study and exposes the nature of site-based management. The qualitative approach is used in the case study. Data are collected through interviews that were conducted between July and September 2004. The interpretive paradigm is used in data collection, analysis and interpretation. The collected data are analysed through inductive analysis. The major research finding is that teachers are marginalised in site-based management in schools and that school-based decision making is still largely in the hands of school principals. It is recommended that principals and SMT's improve their management and leadership styles in order to allow for real participation of teachers in decision-making to take place. / Educational Studies / M.Ed (Education Management)

Site-based management (SBM) is recent restructuring initiative in schools. The study is carried out with the aim of investigating the extent to which teachers participate in site-based management in schools. The researcher assumes that teachers are sidelined in site-based management in schools. An extensive literature review provides a theoretical foundation of the study and exposes the nature of site-based management. The qualitative approach is used in the case study. Data are collected through interviews that were conducted between July and September 2004. The interpretive paradigm is used in data collection, analysis and interpretation. The collected data are analysed through inductive analysis. The major research finding is that teachers are marginalised in site-based management in schools and that school-based decision making is still largely in the hands of school principals. It is recommended that principals and SMT's improve their management and leadership styles in order to allow for real participation of teachers in decision-making to take place. / Educational Studies / M.Ed (Education Management)