The management of school finances is one of the major responsibilities facing principals and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) since the implementation of the South African Schools Act (SASA) in 1996. Schools and their governing bodies have broad financial responsibilities, including managing funding from the respective provincial department, setting and managing school fees, preparing the school’s budget as well as raising additional funds to augment the school budget. As democratically elected structures, School Governing Bodies stand to account to various stakeholders for public funds they manage. The South African Schools Act of 1996 provides guidelines on how schools should manage their finances - roles and responsibilities of individuals entrusted with school funds are also outlined. This study was undertaken to determine the extent of accountability and transparency practised by some Johannesburg South primary schools in managing school finances. A comprehensive literature study was explored, encompassing different aspects or components of financial school management such as budgeting, financial organisation as well as financial control and reporting. This study employed a qualitative research methodological approach. In order to establish the issue of accountability and transparency in managing school finances, semi-structured interviews were conducted to principals, SGB members, finance officers and finance committee members of various selected schools. Data were qualitatively analysed and findings from the study objects revealed that some schools lack accountability and transparency in managing their finances - SGBs experience major challenges in executing their financial responsibilities. Results further delineated that insufficient training of SGB members, overlapping responsibilities and dysfunctionality of finance committees are some underlying factors that hinder schools from managing their finances efficiently, effectively and economically. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study was to find ways of improving the quality of teaching and learning in the Erongo primary schools in Namibia. The study focussed on the numerous education reforms that Namibia underwent since independence in 1990 and how these have assisted in providing quality education to all its inhabitants. The quality of the education has been a topic widely debated and the Government of Namibia’s records of attempts to create a change within the education system can be found in published documents such as: Records of attempts by the Namibian Government to improve the quality of education in the country are found in published documents such as; Ministry of Basic Education and Culture (1992a); Ministry of Education and Culture, (1992b); Ministry of Education and Culture (1993); Ministry of Basic Education and Culture (1999); Ministry of Education and Culture (2003); Government of the Republic of Namibia (1999); Government of the Republic of Namibia (2004); Government of the Republic of Namibia (2007a) and Government of the Republic of Namibia, (2007b). In this study, the researcher looked at the inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes of education in schools, tried to define the term quality in education, and also focussed on both the human and material resources that influence education. Through this, focus was placed on the school as a unit that could provide change. The investigation was conducted in 18 schools, randomly selected, in the Erongo region in the western part of Namibia. Initially, the researcher intended to administer two questionnaires at the 25 schools selected, but during data collections, principals at some schools indicated that their teachers were unwilling and reasons were given, as mentioned in Chapter 5 of 5.1. Therefore, the initial total of schools selected could not be met. In the 18 schools, more participants completed questionnaires than others. However, the total of 50 questionnaires was completed as envisaged. For the interviews, the researcher randomly selected twenty percent (20%) from the teachers who completed the questionnaires thus a total number of 10 teachers were selected. The need for quality in schools is seen as a major challenge and places huge demands on educational institutions. The frameworks selected in this study are relevant because they can be applied to the understanding of the concept of quality in the education context and direct the improvement of the whole school towards educational change and assist in addressing the factors that could hamper the quality of education provided. The study also focused on the education systems in four Sub-Saharan countries: Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malawi and three European countries: Germany, Belgium and Finland. These countries were selected to find ways that could assist its quest to provide quality teaching and learning in schools. The Sub-Saharan countries have shown that change has an impact on the outcomes of education, yet to reach these outcomes, many reforms and transformations need to take place. This has important implications for the education system in Namibia where various reforms and transformations are currently taking place to address the quality of education in schools. The European countries have been found to have good quality schools and their policies in education are aimed at achieving quality education. The strengths and weaknesses of the countries selected for this study could serve as essentially vital lessons to the challenges the Namibian government is still faced with in respect of the teaching and learning process. This study used the mixed method for data collection. Both questionnaires and interviews were used and the study was conducted in the Erongo education region of Namibia. The findings of this study indicated that schools are still faced with many challenges in realising the ultimate goal of Vision 2030, whereby all citizens would receive quality education and meet the challenges of an industrialised country. The results of the study suggested that quality human and material resources were still lacking which resulted in schools not being able to provide the quality of education envisaged by the Ministry of Education. The immense administrative work given to teachers has surfaced as one of the areas that need improvement and that could result in teachers being able to utilize sufficient time in the classrooms during teaching. As far as the material resources were concerned, it was discovered that learners, at some schools, shared desks and chairs as well as textbooks. There appears to be a slow pace with which Information, Communication and Technology is introduced and used in schools. The need for computers in schools; the need for learners to become familiar with technology; and the need for teacher training in the use of computers appeared to be a dire need. Although the clustering system of schools has being regarded as very valuable in the improvement of quality teaching and learning in classrooms, there was however a need expressed for funds to assist in transport costs to attend the meetings as schools were situated at vast distances from each other. The study has thus arrived at the conclusion that stakeholders, namely teachers, principals and heads of departments are attempting to improve the quality of teaching and learning at their schools but are however hampered by the factors mentioned. The need for improved quality teaching and learning is a challenge at schools and support is needed from the Ministry of Education to reach the ultimate goal of the Government of the Republic of Namibia in providing quality teaching and learning to all its learners. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study focused on learners’ assessment practices in overcrowded classes in Kamwenge District, Uganda. Apart from a literature review, an empirical investigation based on qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data by the researcher at 4 primary schools in Kamwenge district so as to find answers to the research questions. The empirical findings elicited that all teachers agreed that assessment was useful to them and had a clear idea of what classroom assessment was all about. An interpretive paradigm made it possible for the researcher to gain an in-depth understanding of learners’ assessment practices within their school contexts. There was a mismatch between what teachers said they do and what they practiced and this follows that the majority of teachers may have the theoretical knowledge of methods and tools used to assess learners but fail to translate it to classroom practice. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

In the climate of poor student achievement and a lack of skilled teachers in natural science and mathematics, the main research question of this study was: How can the professional development of primary school teachers be managed by means of action research? The aim of the study was to develop, implement and evaluate a site-based collaboration programme to promote the professional development of the teachers in these subjects within a home-based or semi home-based teaching context. The theory of situated learning within a community of practice (CoP) was used as conceptual framework. Purposeful and convenient sampling was implemented to select participants. Five grade 4 teachers, five grade 5 teachers, four grade 6 teachers and eight members of the school management team participated in the three year study. During the planning phase a needs analysis was done. During the action phase, lead teachers were responsible for the planning in one or two subjects. The teachers met once every six school days (about 30 meetings per year), for up to two hours to discuss content and methodological issues, plan assessment strategies, analyse and reflect on results and decide on intervention strategies. The grade 4, 5 and 6 groups completed six, four and two action research cycles respectively, and the school management team six action research cycles of about six months each. To evaluate the professional development that resulted, data collection was by means of observation, field notes, typed minutes, four focus groups, 12 individual interviews, teachers’ files, a questionnaire and students’ books and achievements. The results indicate that the professional development of primary school teachers could be managed and constantly improved by means of action research. When school managers organise teachers into communities of practice and implement action research cycles, the teachers learn in a context-sensitive way. This learning is characterised by two social stages involving participation in the subject and grade CoP, and an independent stage of personal involvement when teachers internalise knowledge and practices of other teachers. The professional development of the teachers was in the areas of content knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge, assessment literacy and professional attitudes. Student achievement improved. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The researcher undertook a study of the management of curriculum change in basic schools in Mongu Township in Zambia with a view to provide recommendations for improvement in the management of curriculum change. A conceptual analysis of key concepts relevant to the research was done in Chapter 2, while Chapter 3 presented how curriculum change was managed in several other countries. This formed the theoretical basis for directing the empirical study. For the qualitative empirical study two basic schools were investigated out of the 10 schools in Mongu Township in the Western Province of Zambia. The basic research objective of the empirical research was to investigate the management of curriculum change provided by the managers and class teachers. The qualitative research strategy adopted was a case study. The research methods that were used to collect empirical data were semi-structured, unstructured, and focus group interviews, institutional and classroom observations, and document analyses. The researcher discovered that the management of curriculum change, the implementation of the educational programmes and the interpretation of the educational policies were inadequately executed in the studied schools. Research findings inter alia also indicated: that the managers and class teachers were found to possess inadequate management skills; that professional capacity building programmes had little impact on managing curriculum change; that the job descriptions and management roles of the managers and class teachers were not adequately executed to conform to the management functions model which was used to describe how curriculum change should be managed. The institutional and classroom challenges experienced by the managers and teachers contributed to the inadequate execution of their curriculum management tasks. It was possible for the researcher to indicate many shortcomings in the management of curriculum change and change processes, and to make meaningful recommendations to address them. / Umcwaningi wenze ucwaningo lokuphatha ukushintshwa kwekharikhyulamu ezikoleni eziyisisekelo sokuqala emaLokishini aseMongu eZambia ngomqondo wokwenza izincomo ngokuthuthukiswa ukuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu. Uhlaziyo lwemiqondo esemqoka kucwaningo lwenziwe kwiSahluko 2, kanti iSahluko 3 sibeka indlela yokuthi ukuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu kwenziwe kanjani emazweni ambalwa. Lokhu kube yisisekelo sethiyori yocwaningo olwenziwe ngezinto ezibambekayo ngaphandle. Ukwenza ucwaningo ngaphandle lwe-qualitative, empirical kuphenyisiswe ngezikole ezimbili zesisekelo phakathi kwezikole ezilishumi zaseLokishini laseMongu kwiProvinsi (isifundazwe) seNtshonalanga saseZambia. Injongo enkulu yocwaningo lwesisekelo lwangaphandle bewukuphenyisisa ngokuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu okwenziwa ngabaphathi kanye nothisha bamaklasi. Kwenziwe i-case study njengesu lokwenza ucwaningo lwe-qualitative research. Izindlela zocwaningo ezisetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa i-empirical data, kusetshenziswe amaqembu okugxila ngezingxoxo ngokwenza ama-semi-structured, kanye nama-unstructured interview, kanye nokubukela ngokuqaphela ukusebenza kwamaklasi ezikhungweni kanye nokuhlaziya imibhalo. Umcwaningi uthole ukuthi ukuphathwa kwekharikhyulamu, ukusetshenziswa kwezinhlelo zemfundo kanye nokutolikwa kwemigomo yezemfundo kwakungasetshenziswa ngokwenele ezikoleni okucwaningwe ngazo. Imiphumela yocwaningo phakathi kokunye, ikhombise: ukuthi abaphathi kanye notshisha bamaklasi abanawo amakhono alingene okuphatha; nokuthi izinhlelo zobuprofeshini zokuthuthukisa amakhono zaba nomphumela omncane ekuphathweni koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu; kanti futhi ukuchazwa kokwenziwa komsebenzi kanye nezindima zokuphatha kwabaphathi kanye nothisha bamaklasi kwakungalandelwa ngokwanele ukuze kulandele imodeli yemisebenzi yezokuphatha, okwakusetshenziswa ukuchaza ukuthi ukushintshwa kwekharikhyulamu kumele kuphathwe kanjani. Izinselele ezikhona ezikhungweni nasemagumbini okufunda, abaphathi nothisha abahlangabezana nazo zaba nomthelela ekuphathweni ngokungenele kwemisebenzi yokuphatha ikharikhyulamu. Kwakhonakala ukuthi umcwaningi akhombise ukuntengantenga okukhulu kwezokuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu kanye nokushintsha izinqubo zoshintsho, kanti futhi nokwenza izincomo ezibambekayo zokubhekana nokuntengantenga. / Monyakišiši o dirile nyakišišo ya taolo ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo ka dikolong tša motheo tša Lekheišene la Mongu go la Zambia ka kgopolo ya go fa ditšhišinyo tša kaonafatšo taolong ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo. Tshekatsheko ya kgopolo ya dikgopolo tše bohlokwa go nyakišišo e dirilwe ka go Kgaolo ya 2, mola Kgaolo ya 3 e bolela ka ga ka fao phetošo ya kharikhulamo e laotšwego ka dinageng tše dingwe tša go balega. Se se bopile motheo wa teori wa go hlahla nyakišišo ya epirikale. Go nyakišišo ya epirikale ya khwalithethifi, dikolo tše pedi tša motheo di nyakišišitšwe go tšwa go dikolo tše lesome tša Lekheišene la Mongu ka Profenseng ya Bodikela bja Zambia. Maikemišetšo a motheo a nyakišišo ya epirikale e be e le go nyakišiša taolo ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo ye e fiwago ke balaodi le barutiši. Nyakišišokakaretši e amogetšwe bjalo ka leano la nyakišišo ya khwalithethifi. Mekgwa ya nyakišišo yeo e šomišitšwego go kgoboketša datha ya epirikale e be e le dipoledišano tša sebopego sa seripa, tša go hloka sebopego, le tša tebantšho ya sehlopha, tša institšhušene le ditlhokomelo tša ka phapošing ya borutelo, le ditshekatsheko tša tokomane. Monyakišiši o utulotše gore taolo ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo, phethagatšo ya mananeo a thuto le tlhathollo ya dipholisi di be di sa phethagatšwe ka go lekana ka dikolong tše di nyakišišitšwego. Dikutullo tša nyakišišo magareng a tše dingwe gape di laeditše: gore balaodi le barutiši ba phapoši ya borutelo ba hweditšwe go ba ba na le mabokgoni a taolo a go hlaelela; gore mananeo a kago ya bokgoni a profešenale a na le khuetšo ye nyane godimo ga go laola phetošo ya kharikhulamo; le gore ditokomane tša tlhaloso ya mošomo le mešomo ya taolo ya balaodi le barutiši ba phapoši ya borutelo ga se di phethagatšwe ka go lekana go latela mmotlolo wa mešomo ya bolaodi, yeo e šomišitšwego go hlalosa ka fao phetošo ya kharikhulamo e swanelago go laolwa. Ditlhotlo tša institšhušene le tša phapoši ya borutelo tše di lemogilwego ke balaodi le barutiši di bile le seabe go phethagatšo ye e sa lekanego ya mešongwana ya taolo ya kharikhulamo ya bona. Monyakišiši o kgonne go laetša ditlhaelelo tše ntši ka taolong ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo le ditshepetšo tša phetošo, le go dira ditšhišinyo tša go kwagala go di lokiša. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose for this study was to analyze conflict management according to the challenges experienced by the women principals in the Hammanskraal area in the Gauteng Province when they attempt to maintain superior- subordinate relationships in primary schools. The objectives of the study were identified as follows: 1. Literature investigation into the nature of conflict management and the feminist theoretical perspective regarding the under-representation of women in the higher managerial positions in the public institutions 2. The semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect information with regard to conflict management from a woman principal, two heads of the departments and two educators in a primary school in the Hammanskraal area, Gauteng Province. The findings supported the literature review that women principals are more effective in the area of conflict management than are the male principals. 3. The study has recommended that women should be afforded an opportunity to occupy the principalhood in the schools. / Educational Studies / M.Ed (Education Management)

The study investigated parents’ involvement in managing primary schools in Oromiya National Regional State, Ethiopia. The main concern of this study revolved around the challenges that lead to the decline in parental involvement in their children’s schooling, low stakeholders’ participation in the management of primary schools, lack of awareness of students and their families on the school context that leads to increased rates of learner achievement. Furthermore, the study investigated the existence of conflict in role perception manifested in assuming that schools could play their roles in children’s education without parents’ interference, and both parties working together for their children’s achievements. In the study, a qualitative research methodology was employed. This qualitative study examined parental involvement in their managing primary schools through semi-structured interviews with five primary school principals, five parent –student teacher association chairpersons and 12 parents who had children in elementary school through focus group discussions. The findings of this research were centred around families’ participation in their children’s learning, understanding how parental involvement enhances learners’ achievements, views of schools and teachers on parental involvement, school assistance of parents in their parenting tasks and strategies to allow parents to take part in their children’s schooling. The conclusion drawn from this study is that the Ethiopian educational policy tries to advocate parental involvement in managing primary schools for improving educational quality at its level and through obtaining better family school governance experiences. School principals and PTA chairpersons did not seem to appreciate the possible advantages that could emanate from complete parental involvement in managing elementary schools. The study recommends approaches to manage and use schools, human and material resources, ways to involve uneducated parents in school management to use their indigenous knowledge in their children’s schooling, and parental involvement in managing primary schools in rural and semi-urban areas differs from other situations. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)

In this study, the researcher explored the prevalence of distributed leadership practices in schools in Johannesburg South in order to illustrate how the principals in effective schools collaborated with different members of staff to ensure the school’s success. To this end, a literature study was undertaken on relevant theories and on the results of previous research on the issue. The study explored literature from local and international perspectives on distributed leadership to understand how this form of leadership impacted the functioning of primary schools in Johannesburg South. This was followed by an empirical investigation using judgemental and purposive sampling methods to select participants. A mixed methods research design was employed to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data from a single, structured questionnaire. Participants included 86 respondents from 9 primary schools. Throughout the research study, ethical considerations like keeping confidentiality of information provided and anonymity of research participants were upheld. Data analysis involved a mix of quantitative data analysis and content analysis. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the GDE and school principals on support needed by teachers if distributed leadership is to ensure school effectiveness. The study found that distributed leadership not only motivated teachers, but compelled them to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses, and contribute to school leadership by taking on roles that interest them. Schools in Johannesburg South have created a culture in which distributed leadership tends to flourish. Distributed leadership ensures that a myriad of well-developed teachers exist at all ranks of the school, who have the capacity to fill vacant positions when a need arises to ensure the smooth functioning of schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study was to find ways of improving the quality of teaching and learning in the Erongo primary schools in Namibia. The study focussed on the numerous education reforms that Namibia underwent since independence in 1990 and how these have assisted in providing quality education to all its inhabitants. The quality of the education has been a topic widely debated and the Government of Namibia’s records of attempts to create a change within the education system can be found in published documents such as: Records of attempts by the Namibian Government to improve the quality of education in the country are found in published documents such as; Ministry of Basic Education and Culture (1992a); Ministry of Education and Culture, (1992b); Ministry of Education and Culture (1993); Ministry of Basic Education and Culture (1999); Ministry of Education and Culture (2003); Government of the Republic of Namibia (1999); Government of the Republic of Namibia (2004); Government of the Republic of Namibia (2007a) and Government of the Republic of Namibia, (2007b). In this study, the researcher looked at the inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes of education in schools, tried to define the term quality in education, and also focussed on both the human and material resources that influence education. Through this, focus was placed on the school as a unit that could provide change. The investigation was conducted in 18 schools, randomly selected, in the Erongo region in the western part of Namibia. Initially, the researcher intended to administer two questionnaires at the 25 schools selected, but during data collections, principals at some schools indicated that their teachers were unwilling and reasons were given, as mentioned in Chapter 5 of 5.1. Therefore, the initial total of schools selected could not be met. In the 18 schools, more participants completed questionnaires than others. However, the total of 50 questionnaires was completed as envisaged. For the interviews, the researcher randomly selected twenty percent (20%) from the teachers who completed the questionnaires thus a total number of 10 teachers were selected. The need for quality in schools is seen as a major challenge and places huge demands on educational institutions. The frameworks selected in this study are relevant because they can be applied to the understanding of the concept of quality in the education context and direct the improvement of the whole school towards educational change and assist in addressing the factors that could hamper the quality of education provided. The study also focused on the education systems in four Sub-Saharan countries: Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malawi and three European countries: Germany, Belgium and Finland. These countries were selected to find ways that could assist its quest to provide quality teaching and learning in schools. The Sub-Saharan countries have shown that change has an impact on the outcomes of education, yet to reach these outcomes, many reforms and transformations need to take place. This has important implications for the education system in Namibia where various reforms and transformations are currently taking place to address the quality of education in schools. The European countries have been found to have good quality schools and their policies in education are aimed at achieving quality education. The strengths and weaknesses of the countries selected for this study could serve as essentially vital lessons to the challenges the Namibian government is still faced with in respect of the teaching and learning process. This study used the mixed method for data collection. Both questionnaires and interviews were used and the study was conducted in the Erongo education region of Namibia. The findings of this study indicated that schools are still faced with many challenges in realising the ultimate goal of Vision 2030, whereby all citizens would receive quality education and meet the challenges of an industrialised country. The results of the study suggested that quality human and material resources were still lacking which resulted in schools not being able to provide the quality of education envisaged by the Ministry of Education. The immense administrative work given to teachers has surfaced as one of the areas that need improvement and that could result in teachers being able to utilize sufficient time in the classrooms during teaching. As far as the material resources were concerned, it was discovered that learners, at some schools, shared desks and chairs as well as textbooks. There appears to be a slow pace with which Information, Communication and Technology is introduced and used in schools. The need for computers in schools; the need for learners to become familiar with technology; and the need for teacher training in the use of computers appeared to be a dire need. Although the clustering system of schools has being regarded as very valuable in the improvement of quality teaching and learning in classrooms, there was however a need expressed for funds to assist in transport costs to attend the meetings as schools were situated at vast distances from each other. The study has thus arrived at the conclusion that stakeholders, namely teachers, principals and heads of departments are attempting to improve the quality of teaching and learning at their schools but are however hampered by the factors mentioned. The need for improved quality teaching and learning is a challenge at schools and support is needed from the Ministry of Education to reach the ultimate goal of the Government of the Republic of Namibia in providing quality teaching and learning to all its learners. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The study deals with the management of discipline in a post corporal punishment environment in South Africa through a case study of selected primary schools in informal settlements in the North West Province. The following research questions were formulated:  What is the current thinking and practice of discipline in the primary schools in the informal settlements in the North West Province?  Which disciplinary measures and procedures are currently used in the selected primary schools?  How effective are the current management strategies of discipline used in the selected primary schools?  How can recommendations assist educators in selected primary schools to deal more effectively with disciplinary challenges? A literature review on the management of school discipline provided a conceptual framework for the empirical inquiry and indicated a lack of empirical studies on the management of discipline in primary schools in informal settlement in the North West Province. This matter is dealt with mostly frequently at high school level. An empirical study using qualitative research methods explored the management of discipline in twenty sampled primary schools in informal settlements in the North West Province, selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered by in-depth interviews and focus groups with educators, principals and School Governing Body chairpersons. Data were categorized into themes. Findings showed that some educators still view corporal punishment as the most appropriate strategy to deal with ill-disciplined behaviour in schools; hence corporal punishment is still rife in some of the sampled schools. However, other participants agree that corporal punishment should not be accommodated as stipulated by the South African Constitution and other legal frameworks, instead effective alternative strategies should be deployed to handle ill-disciplined behaviour. Inhuman and outdated approaches should be avoided. Diverse ways of dealing with discipline which are goal oriented and foster good relations between the learner and the educator should be implemented. Sound relations in turn lead to the production of learners with the potential to become good citizens. Based on the literature and empirical inquiry, recommendations were made which advocate educator training on handling discipline in primary schools and the design of effective strategies to maintain sound discipline. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)