1980年代以來，國家在資訊化資本主義（Informational capitalism）/數字資本主義（Digtal Capitalism）氛圍的引導下進入資訊科技發展的境界，國家職能與組織建制被導入不斷的調整之中，這都是為了配合資訊化的技術變革所必然做出的改變。環繞著資訊科技發展，對於政治、經濟、乃至於社會生活等，已經由於資訊科技典範的存在，形成了一個網絡（Network）。這個網絡，無固定界限且不斷重組，並對我們傳統理解社會發展的邏輯有著全然不同的影響。網絡化邏輯漸漸成為社會生活的主流趨勢。中國大陸在推動改革開放後，受到資訊化資本主義/數字資本主義氛圍的影響，亦必須放到這個網絡下來觀察，換言之，不再是以傳統的政治取向為主，而是一種融合政治、經濟、社會、文化等各向度的觀察。 本論文使用新制度主義（new-Institutionalism）的研究途徑作為切入點，探討中國大陸網路發展的政治建構，並應用文獻分析法（Document analysis）、內容分析法（Content analysis）、參與觀察法（Particpant observation）等研究方法輔助研究進行。第一，在被解釋項方面，瞭解中國大陸發展網際網路（Internet）的選擇，是因應國際環境發展抑或是改革開放政策所需，從國際環境到中國大陸國內環境來看如何影響中國大陸網際網路發展。第二，找出主要行動者，本研究主要的行動者，是中國大陸網際網路政策制訂者（國家/中國共產黨執政菁英），瞭解中國大陸一黨專政的政府如何制訂網際網路發展政策。第三，分析行動者資源，所謂資源，指的是中共在發展網際網路上的人力，包括國家機關的人員配置、網民的成員數目；物力則包括資訊基礎建設規模；動員能力則包括中共領導能力、管控度，社會運動以及最後的意識型態的合法性。這些資源的變化往往會影響中國大陸網際網路發展過程中制度的建立、維持與衰退。第四，探討行動者之間的關係，從法律層面可以看出中國大陸對網際網路發展的政治建構過程中的影響，藉由這些法規，我們可以見到中國共產黨與人民在網際網路上的制度關係，不過可以進一步討論還包括行動者對這些法規所做出反應？是反抗/遵循。第五，評估這些制度性關係對於被解釋項的影響，當我們從實際行政層面與法律層面瞭解了行動者之間的制度性關係後，就要評估在整個中國大陸網路發展架構之下，國際環境與國內環境對於中國大陸網路發展的政治建構有哪些制度性關係。最後，提出研究發現、研究限制與後續研究建議。 本論文的基本內容，主要由下面六個章節構成： 第一章 導論，首先提出研究假設，就網際網路做為一種媒介力量，運用支配性媒介與多元主義式媒介兩種模式，對中國大陸網路發展所產生離心（Centrifugal）/向心（Centripetal）的情況，區分出四種假設觀點進而提出研究問題。其次，提出新制度主義研究途徑與文獻分析法（Document analysis）、內容分析法（Content analysis）、參與觀察法（Particpant observation）等研究方法，共同建構了理論分析框架。最後針對網路社會研究定義與中國大陸網路發展相關中、英文獻進行檢閱與整理。 第二章 中國大陸資訊化與網際網路之發展與應用。分析指出中國大陸是在經歷文革動亂後，所面對的是以西方資訊化為主導的資本主義體系，是以資訊科技為基礎的加速發展的全球化形勢。並成功由國家主義轉變為由國家所引導的資本主義，並整合進入全球經濟網絡之中。在資訊化浪潮（NII；GII）的帶動下，中國大陸所要推動的資訊化發展戰略，既非西方國家的道路—先工業化再資訊化，也非貿然捨棄工業化直接推動資訊化，而是發揮中國大陸的後發優勢（Advantage of Backwardness），將工業化和資訊化結合起來，推動產業結構的升級，實現國民經濟跨越式發展。因此，網際網路成為中共資訊化發展的重要核心。 第三章 中國大陸網民社會結構分析。依據目前中國大陸官方與民間公認具有權威的網路發展研究中心「中國互聯網絡信息中心」的統計調查報告為基礎，採用的便是1999-2006年間，「中國互聯網絡信息中心」所公布歷次網際網路發展狀況統計調查資料，予以進行比對分析其網民社會規模與網民行為特徵的發展趨勢。 第四章 中共對網際網路的管控。將中共管控網路的原因、原則、體制演變、實際作為與立法條例等予以清楚分析。第一，除資訊流通所導致的負面效應（如色情氾濫、賭博、毒品、散播病毒、詐騙、駭客等）外，中共在政治層面管控網路原因還包括開放的網路資訊（中國大陸內部及國際）傳播與「和平演變」、網路殖民主義的威脅。第二，中共為列寧主義（Leninism）一黨專政的國家，對於網路發展會超越其權限管轄是不容許的。因此在管控原則上，中共對網路管控的總體原則就是積極發展、加強管理、趨利避害、為我所用。第三，中國大陸的網際網路管控體制，基本上與資訊產業發展有關，其演變可分為三個階段：一是1994年以前的實驗時期體制（Experimental Era Regime）；二是1994年至1998年的過渡管理體制（Transitional Regulatory Regime）；三是1998年經中共九屆全國人大會議，決議裁併原先郵電部及電子工業部而成立信息產業部（Ministry of Information Industry）。第四，在管控網路戰略上，管控網路上流通訊息方法可分為：「非技術性網路監察戰略」（Non-Technological Internet Censorship Strategies）與「技術性網路監察戰略」（Technological Internet Censorship Strategies）兩種。在實際管控網路作為上可分為十二種，包括內部網的管控與過濾軟體的篩檢、防火牆、網路技術軟、硬體控制、國家工作人員對內容進行監控、成立舉報電話與網站、招募網評員引導網上輿論、實施網路實名制、要求國內外科技公司協助管控網路、設置網路警察、對網吧的管制、擴建官方與中文網站、以價制量管控網民瀏覽國外網路資訊、網德宣傳與行業自律等等。第五，中共在網路立法條例中存在著中央統一領導和一定程度分權的，多級並存、多類結合的立法許可權劃分。 第五章 網路興起對中共執政能力的挑戰與影響。首先，分析改革開放以來的中共執政能力弱化的原因，包括社會結構不穩定、社會矛盾問題加深、黨政功能弱化。其次，分析網路傳播對中共執政能力的挑戰，包括網路傳播突破中共管制「輿論一律」與衝擊共黨意識型態的建構。最後，分析網路興起對中共執政下中國大陸民主化的影響，從學界普遍存在的三種論述角度（肯定論、否定論、懷疑論），予以評析。 第六章 結論。第一，在研究發現部分，引用Wei Wu在1996年觀察中國大陸網際網路發展狀況時，曾經提出中國大陸網路發展的七項缺點，進行整體研究的檢證與反思。第二，在研究限制與檢討部分，針對研究文獻蒐集、網路發展的動態與中共政權的封閉性等進行研究限制與檢討的分析。第三，在後續研究建議部分，針對理論分析架構與研究方法的反思，提出後續研究議題與方向的建議。 總體而言，網際網路所呈現出來的虛擬特質與現實政治權力的轉換，在中共這樣一個專制政體中，網路是否可以進一步成為轉換中共一黨專政權力的工具，這在學界的研究中，顯示存在著截然不同的觀點（肯定論、否定論、懷疑論）。不過可以確定的是，網路對於中國大陸的開放、自由化有一定的作用，不過也對中共合法化其執政能力有進一步的幫助。關鍵在於，中國大陸的改革開放是否會持續下去；改革及開放的幅度是否會繼續擴大。可以期待的是，隨著中國大陸改革開放的幅度增大，社會經濟發展進步，當民眾普遍擁有經濟與知識條件上網時，縱使在取得資訊資源所有權上有其困難度，侷限在中共的控制與支配之下，但其實恰好也代表中共管控網路的型態正在逐漸瓦解。筆者相信，中國大陸網路發展將建築在人際關係之上，而並非透過所有權關係被實現，個體將被賦予能力，大陸民眾透過網路的普遍使用，將從中共一黨專政的威權中解放出來，網路將成為加速中國大陸民主化寧靜革命的催化器。 / Since the 1980s, the country has entered the state of IT development with the introduction of Informational Capitalism/ Digital Capitalism and the national function and organizational construction have been led to continuous adjustments. These were the necessary change to comply with informational technique reform. It was surrounded with IT development and for political, economic and social lives, they formed a network because of the existence of IT paragon and the surrounding of IT. The network had no regular boundary and constantly recombined which revealed totally different influence on our traditional logic understanding social development. Network logic gradually became the mainstream in social lives. After facilitating the reform and liberation, China was influenced by the air of Informational capitalism/Digital Capitalism and it must manage the observation under this network. In other words, it was no longer based on traditional political orientation; instead, it was the observation combing the dimensions such as politics, economy, society and culture. This paper used the research channel of neo-Institutionalism as the start to explore the political construction of Internet development in China and employed the research methods such as document analysis, Content analysis and Participant observation to support the study. First of all, as to the explanatory aspects, the paper tried to understand if China’s selection to develop Internet was to respond to international environment development or for the policy of reform and liberation. The paper then explored the influences from the whole international environment to the domestic environment of China on Internet development in China. Secondly, the researcher found out the major actors. The major actors in this research were the Internet policy makers of China (national/the political elite of the Communist Party of China). The paper tried to understand how the one-party dictatorial government of China established Internet development policy. Thirdly, the researcher analyzed the actors’ resources. So-called resources meant the human resource of China for developing Internet, including the human deployment of national institutions and the number of Internet users; material resources included information-based construction scale; mobilization capacity included the ability of Chinese leaders, degree of control, social movement and the legitimacy of ideology. The change of these resources usually would influence the establishment, maintenance and declination of the system during the process of Internet development in China. Fourthly, the paper explored the relations among the actors. From legal aspects, we can realize Chinese influence on the political construction process of Internet development. Through these regulations, we can find out the institutional relation between the Chinese Communists and people on Internet. However, we can further discuss the actors’ reaction to these regulations. Did they rebel against or follow it? Fifthly, the researcher evaluated the influence of these institutional relations on explanatory aspects. After we understand the institutional relations among the actors from the actual administrative and legal aspects, we have to find out the institutional relations between international and domestic environments and political construction of Internet development in China under the framework of Internet development in China. Finally, the researcher proposed the research findings, limitations and suggestions for future studies. The basic content of this paper mainly consists of the following 6 chapters: Chapter Introduction: the researcher initially proposed the hypotheses, by treating Internet as a kind of media and using the models of dominant media and pluralism media upon Centrifugal/Centripetal situations of Internet development in China, allocated four assumption views and further proposed the research questions Secondly, the researcher proposed the research methods such as neo-Institutionalism, document analysis, Content analysis and Participant observation to collectively construct the framework of theoretical analysis. Finally, the researcher reviewed and reorganized the Chinese and English literatures with respect to the research definitions of Internet society and Chinese Internet development. Chapter 2 discusses the development and application of Chinese informationalism and Internet. The analysis indicated that after the Cultural Revolution, China faced the capitalism system based on Western informationalism and it was the accelerated IT-based global trend. China successfully transformed from nationalism into capitalism led by the country and was integrated in the global economic network. Under the wave of informationalism (NII,GII), the informational development strategies facilitated by China was not the way of Western countries—first industrialization and then informationalism and it did not directly promote informationalism and eliminate industrialization; instead, China fulfilled the Late-Developing Advantage and combined industrialization and informationalism to promote the upgrading of industry structure and carry out cross-development of national economy. Thus, Internet became the key of informational development of China. Chapter 3 is the social structure analysis of Chinese Internet users. According to statistical report of the Internet development research center acknowledged by official and private institutions at present, “CNNIC”, the researcher adopted the historical statistical survey data of Internet development announced by “CNNIC” from 1999 to 2006 to compare and analyze the developing trends of social scale and behavioral characteristics of Internet users. Chapter 4 discusses the Chinese control over Internet. The researcher clearly analyzed the reasons, principles of Chinese control of Internet, the development of systems, actual acts and legal regulations First of all, besides the negative effects caused by information flow (such as porno spreading, gambling, drugs, virus spreading, fraud and hackers), the reasons for Chinese to control Internet in political aspect also included liberal Internet information (Mainland China and the world) transmission and peace development and the threat of Internet colonialism. Secondly, China was the country of one-party governance of Leninism and it did not allow the Internet development to go beyond the limit of its authority. Therefore, as to control principle, the overall principles of Chinese control over Internet were active development, management enhancement, approaching benefits and avoiding disadvantages. Thirdly, Chinese Internet control system was basically related to information industry development. The evolution could be divided into three regimes: the first was the Experimental Era Regime before 1994; the second was the Transitional Regulatory Regime from 1994 to 1998; the third was the Ministry of Information Industry established from the original Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and Ministry of Electronics Industry upon the resolution of the 9th Chinese National People’s Congress in 1998. Fourthly, as to control Internet strategies, the message flow methods of control Internet could be allocated into two kinds: “Non-Technological Internet Censorship Strategies” and “Technological Internet Censorship Strategies”. As to actual Internet control, it could be divided into 12 kinds, including Internet network control and the selection of screening software, fire wall, software and hardware control of Internet techniques, national workers’ supervision on content, establishment of report phone call and website, recruitment of Internet critic to lead on-line discussion, practice of on-line name system, requirement on domestic and oversea technology companies to assist with Internet control, installation of Internet police, control over Internet bars, expansion on official and Chinese networks, controlling the Internet users’ browsing on oversea Internet information by prices, Internet morality promotion and self-discipline of industry. Fifthly, there were the lawmaking permission divisions of central unified leading and certain degrees of right division, multi-level co-existence and multiple combinations in Internet regulations. Chapter 5 presents the challenge and influence of the rise of Internet on Chinese governing ability. First of all, the researcher analyzed the reasons of declining governing ability of China since the reform and liberation, including unstable social structure, deeper social contradictory and declining party and the government administration. Secondly, the researcher analyzed the challenge of Internet transmission on Chinese governing ability, including Internet transmission breaking through “public opinion as a whole” of Chinese control and the construction of influencing the ideology of Communist Party. Finally, the researcher analyzed the influence of the rise of Internet on Chinese democratization under Chinese governance and analyzed through three statement angles generally existed in academia (positivie view,negative view and skeptical view ). Chapter 6 is the conclusion: Firstly, as to research findings, the researcher cited Wei Wu’s proposal of 7 disadvantages of Chinese Internet development when he observed the Internet developing situation of China in 1996 to manage the examination and reflection on overall study. Secondly, as to research limitation and review, the researcher managed the analysis of research limitation and review with respect to research literature collection, Internet development and the closeness of Chinese regime. Thirdly, with regard to suggestions for future studies, the researcher proposed the suggestions for future study issues and directions with respect to theoretical analysis framework and reflection of research methods. In the studies of academia, there were totally different views (positivie view, negative view and skeptical view ) with respect to the transformation of virtual characteristics presented by Internet and realistic political power and if Internet can further become the tool to transform Chinese one-party tyrannical power such Chinese tyrannical regime. However, one thing can be sure is that Internet functioned with respect to the liberation of China; nevertheless, it was helpful for China’s legalization of their governing ability. The key is in that if the reform and liberation of China will continue and if the scope will keep on expanding. What we can expect is that with the increase of reform and liberation in China and advancement of social and economic development, the people generally can use Internet under economic and knowledgeable condition and even they have difficulty to acquire the ownership of information resources and are limited to Chinese control and dominance, it also shows that the pattern of Chinese Internet control is breaking down. The writer believes that Internet development of China will be based on impersonal relationships instead of carried out by ownership relationships and the individual will be empowered with capacities. Through the general use of Internet, Chinese people will be liberated from Chinese one-party authority and Internet will become the catalysis accelerating the peaceful revolution of democratization in China.

The rights and responsibilities of parents are viewed very seriously in South Africa in that they are emphasised by the Act of Parliament. The South African Schools Act, No 84 of 1996, places the governance of every school in the hands of parents. The parents are in this way required to perform their roles within the orbit of this Act of parliament. This study is therefore directed at analysing the Schools Act and those sections of the law are discussed which have a direct bearing on the responsibilities and the rights of parents when involved with the school. A comparison is drawn between the national determinants of yesteryears regulating parental involvement as well as the new paradigm statutes regulating parental involvement in the school system. The findings of the literature study led to the empirical study. A questionnaire on this study comprising 46 items was developed. The subjects of this study were made up of 150 parents in the Lichtenburg District of the Department of Education in the North-West Province. The results of 137 respondents were statistically analysed. The study revealed that parents lack knowledge on the statutes relating to their involvement in the schools. Also, there are no measures taken by the schools to capacitate the parents to understand and apply the laws correctly. Finally, parents are not performing their roles adequately as is expected by the law. The findings of this study led to the recommendations on how parents could be helped to do what the law requires. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

In a society where the labour market is becoming increasingly knowledge intensive and more differentiated, education has assumed greater importance for the capitalist states integrative functions as for the competitiveness in the global economy. As a consequence, the educational system has become a key governing resource for the state to meet and manage different kinds of social changes and problems. Against this background the thesis raises the main question - “what kind of societal problems are the educational reforms studied here considered to be the solution of?” The aim of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of the changes of the formation of knowledge in Swedish upper secondary curriculum between the 1960s and 2010s. In what way attained these changes in view of knowledge legitimacy in relation to the socioeconomic context? And what do these changes mean in terms of the attribution of the positioning of upper secondary school pupils and teachers?   This thesis draws on a “classical” theoretical framework of curriculum theory (i.e. the frame-factor theory) this means that the analytical focus is directed at the relationship between the content of the curriculum and the social context. With theoretical and methodological inspiration from critical realism and critical discourse analysis (CDA) the thesis argue for an alternative way to theoretical and empirical examined this relationship. Three historical reform periods are used to explore the discursive changes in the formation of knowledge in the Swedish upper secondary education reforms.   The results show how changes in socioeconomic conditions, such as economic crisis, over time have acted as important triggers for governing mechanisms embedded in the control of the educational system. These changes and mechanisms, in turn, have resulted in some major discursive knowledge shifts between the reforms studied, from the 1960s combination of an economic-rational and an objective-subject knowledge discourse, through the deregulated goal-rational and socio-cultural oriented knowledge discourse of the 1990s towards the 2010s knowledge discourses that are characterized by an increased focus on learning outcomes and measurability. Against the background of these discursive shifts, the analysis also points to some underlying continuities in terms of a general “reform imperative”, based on a number of overarching values ​​such as efficiency and rationality. The result show how this imperative was embedded in all three educational reforms and has ruled the order of discourses about what was deemed to be legitimate curriculum knowledge, a professional teacher and a desirable pupil.

Med blicken på barnet syftar till att synliggöra hur barn skapas som subjekt när deras beteenden förbryllar, oroar eller utmanar personal i förskolan och hur utrymme för, eller begränsningar av, barnens möjligheter till att vara, kunna eller göra olika därmed framträder. Vidare belyser studien hur hanterings- och styrningsförslag av barnen och deras beteenden formuleras i specialpedagogiska sammanhang inom förskolan som diskursiv praktik. Huvudsaklig grund för studien är situationer där avdelningspersonal och specialpedagog möts för samtal samt texter som producerats i samband med dylika samtal. Studien vilar på en poststrukturalistisk teoribildning och har genomförts med ett diskursanalytiskt angreppssätt. Studien har genomförts utifrån antagandet om att språket medverkar till hur människor konstituerar, socialt konstruerar och förändrar sin verklighet. Även om det finns rörlighet och förändringskraft i språket kan, genom att ett specifikt sätt att tänka och tala inom en kontext reproduceras och fixeras, viss kunskap och vissa föreställningar bli dominerande och till slut tas så för givna att de inte längre ifrågasätts. Studien erbjuder en alternativ bild som kan öppna upp för reflektion och andra sätt att tänka och tala än de som har blivit och utmärkt sig som naturliga och dominerande i specialpedagogiska sammanhang inom förskolan.

SASA (SA, 1996) caters for the participation of a wide range of stakeholders who have an interest in education. In terms of section 23 of SASA (SA, 1996) the membership of the School Governing Body (SGB) consists of representatives of parents, educators, learners, support staff and the principal as ex-officio member. Section 23 (6) of SASA (SA, 1996) states that SGBs may co-opt a member or members of the community to assist in discharging its duties. This implies that participation in school governance is extended to members of the community, who are referred to as external stakeholders in this study. Therefore the aim of this research study was to investigate the extent to which these external stakeholders participated in the activities of school governance. The research made use of a qualitative research design to determine the extent of participation by external stakeholders in school governance. The findings revealed a lack of participation by external stakeholders in activities of school governance. The study further highlighted some of the challenges that hindered participation by external stakeholders such as transport problems which resulted in non-attendance of meetings, poor communication of information, lack of trainings resulted in lack of knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of SGBs, language barrier, lack of time and lack of confidence from some stakeholders. A model is thus proposed as a solution to involve external stakeholders to participate in the activities of school governance. This model would assist SGBs to involve external stakeholders in school governance. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Parents, together with the learners, are the customers and therefore major stakeholders of schools. The management of performance is vital for these stakeholders to ensure the most effective application of their resources. Therefore, this research on how SGBs and SMTs in Section 21 Schools apply performance management, at school level, to ensure effective management of the school and its resources was undertaken. Other key questions were: Which performance management tools do these schools use and what are the perceived benefits, gained by the application of performance management at school level? The research was supported by a detailed literature review covering education in South Africa, performance management and the available frameworks to evaluate the application of performance management and to gain a base for the analysis of the empirical data. Qualitative research was chosen as the preferred method of research since this was an exploratory study and qualitative research allowed key factors to emerge. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in order to obtain insight into the application of performance management and participants‟ perspective of the benefits gained by applying performance management. Interviews were conducted with the principals and a parent representative of each of the SGBs at these schools. An interview guide was used to guide the interviews. The findings showed that all the schools under investigation made use of the Integrated Quality Management System. Participants however agreed that this system was not adequate and they needed to add their own performance management tools in order to maintain their current performance and position as prestigious schools. Although all participating schools were using some form of benchmarking, setting goals and targets, measuring learners‟ performance on all activities and measuring learners‟ behaviour, the findings also revealed that most of the schools did not implement a formal system covering all the dimensions of a school. It was evident from the findings that most of the participating schools benefitted from the application of performance management in the form of effective management and personnel development. Findings from the evaluation of the performance management systems revealed that the implementation of performance management systems is seldom carried through to the final stages and information is not always used to draft strategy in order to improve performance. It was concluded that SGBs and SMTs of the participating schools complied with some requirements indicated in literature to apply performance management systems. However most of the methods or systems are not fully implemented and there are many shortcomings. The findings suggested that the Integrated Quality Management System is reviewed by the Department of Basic Education. Furthermore, it also suggested that schools need to create formal procedures and policies in order to ensure the complete and effective application of performance management and establish a clear link between performance measures and the overall strategy of the school. The study also suggested that the schools‟ management have to design a performance management system, incorporating all the dimensions of their school and refrain from focusing only on incentives. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

SASA (SA, 1996) caters for the participation of a wide range of stakeholders who have an interest in education. In terms of section 23 of SASA (SA, 1996) the membership of the School Governing Body (SGB) consists of representatives of parents, educators, learners, support staff and the principal as ex-officio member. Section 23 (6) of SASA (SA, 1996) states that SGBs may co-opt a member or members of the community to assist in discharging its duties. This implies that participation in school governance is extended to members of the community, who are referred to as external stakeholders in this study. Therefore the aim of this research study was to investigate the extent to which these external stakeholders participated in the activities of school governance. The research made use of a qualitative research design to determine the extent of participation by external stakeholders in school governance. The findings revealed a lack of participation by external stakeholders in activities of school governance. The study further highlighted some of the challenges that hindered participation by external stakeholders such as transport problems which resulted in non-attendance of meetings, poor communication of information, lack of trainings resulted in lack of knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of SGBs, language barrier, lack of time and lack of confidence from some stakeholders. A model is thus proposed as a solution to involve external stakeholders to participate in the activities of school governance. This model would assist SGBs to involve external stakeholders in school governance. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Parents, together with the learners, are the customers and therefore major stakeholders of schools. The management of performance is vital for these stakeholders to ensure the most effective application of their resources. Therefore, this research on how SGBs and SMTs in Section 21 Schools apply performance management, at school level, to ensure effective management of the school and its resources was undertaken. Other key questions were: Which performance management tools do these schools use and what are the perceived benefits, gained by the application of performance management at school level? The research was supported by a detailed literature review covering education in South Africa, performance management and the available frameworks to evaluate the application of performance management and to gain a base for the analysis of the empirical data. Qualitative research was chosen as the preferred method of research since this was an exploratory study and qualitative research allowed key factors to emerge. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in order to obtain insight into the application of performance management and participants‟ perspective of the benefits gained by applying performance management. Interviews were conducted with the principals and a parent representative of each of the SGBs at these schools. An interview guide was used to guide the interviews. The findings showed that all the schools under investigation made use of the Integrated Quality Management System. Participants however agreed that this system was not adequate and they needed to add their own performance management tools in order to maintain their current performance and position as prestigious schools. Although all participating schools were using some form of benchmarking, setting goals and targets, measuring learners‟ performance on all activities and measuring learners‟ behaviour, the findings also revealed that most of the schools did not implement a formal system covering all the dimensions of a school. It was evident from the findings that most of the participating schools benefitted from the application of performance management in the form of effective management and personnel development. Findings from the evaluation of the performance management systems revealed that the implementation of performance management systems is seldom carried through to the final stages and information is not always used to draft strategy in order to improve performance. It was concluded that SGBs and SMTs of the participating schools complied with some requirements indicated in literature to apply performance management systems. However most of the methods or systems are not fully implemented and there are many shortcomings. The findings suggested that the Integrated Quality Management System is reviewed by the Department of Basic Education. Furthermore, it also suggested that schools need to create formal procedures and policies in order to ensure the complete and effective application of performance management and establish a clear link between performance measures and the overall strategy of the school. The study also suggested that the schools‟ management have to design a performance management system, incorporating all the dimensions of their school and refrain from focusing only on incentives. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The rights and responsibilities of parents are viewed very seriously in South Africa in that they are emphasised by the Act of Parliament. The South African Schools Act, No 84 of 1996, places the governance of every school in the hands of parents. The parents are in this way required to perform their roles within the orbit of this Act of parliament. This study is therefore directed at analysing the Schools Act and those sections of the law are discussed which have a direct bearing on the responsibilities and the rights of parents when involved with the school. A comparison is drawn between the national determinants of yesteryears regulating parental involvement as well as the new paradigm statutes regulating parental involvement in the school system. The findings of the literature study led to the empirical study. A questionnaire on this study comprising 46 items was developed. The subjects of this study were made up of 150 parents in the Lichtenburg District of the Department of Education in the North-West Province. The results of 137 respondents were statistically analysed. The study revealed that parents lack knowledge on the statutes relating to their involvement in the schools. Also, there are no measures taken by the schools to capacitate the parents to understand and apply the laws correctly. Finally, parents are not performing their roles adequately as is expected by the law. The findings of this study led to the recommendations on how parents could be helped to do what the law requires. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The study is in response to the recently enacted South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 (SASA), which sees the legislated inclusion of parents in school governing bodies. The Act promotes four distinct representative participants or stakeholders. These include parents, who constitute the majority, educators, learners and non-teaching staff. There is an indication that the SASA has tensions, ambiguities and contradictions which could allow either &quot / consumer market&quot / or &quot / citizen equity&quot / visions to prevail in practical terms. However, I argue that the SASA in practice is becoming dominated by the consumer vision that has a danger of creating unfair competition amongst schools and perpetuating the already existing inequalities in our society. In this mini-thesis, I attempt to investigate the nature of parental involvement in school governance in practice. I focus on their responsibilities in relation to policy matters as enshrined in the SASA, their commitment to executing their functions. The aim is to determine their capacity to fulfil their responsibilities with respect to their powers and functions.