This study constitutes an attempt to describe and analyse the quality of selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa, and provide criteria by which the quality of programmes could be assessed. The need for, and importance of, providing quality early childhood development programmes is highlighted. The influence of educational pf:lilosophies on programmes is recognised, hence the total development of the child and educational philosophies related thereto are discussed. Factors and components within programmes that contribute to high quality are explored. Moreover, criteria by means of which quality early childhood development programmes may be assessed, are provided. In this regard criteria for the formulation of aims, selection and the organisation of content, assessment, role of the teacher and parent involvement in programmes are suggested. It is against these criteria that selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa are described and analysed. programmes conclude the study. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Text in Afrikaans / Die verskynsel van gedesentraliseerde onderwyshestuur, of selfbestuur van skole (SBS), 1s 'n helangrike internasionale ontwikkeling in onderwyshestuur. 'n Afwenteling van gesag vind vanaf 'n hoer onderwysheheerliggaam na die plaaslike hestuurs- of skoolvlak plaas. Die nuwe wyse van selfhestuur van skole in Engeland en Wallis word saamgevat met die term Local Management of Schools (LMS), terwyl die soortgelyke inisiatief in die VSA en Kanada School-Based Management (SBM) genoem word. Talle aspekte van SBM en LMS sluit in 'n groot mate aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse variant van SBS, die bestuur van staatsondersteunde (Model C-) skole. In aansluiting by die literatuuroorsig wat in hierdie navorsing gedoen is, is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met opvoedkundiges wat direk by die bestuur van staatsondersteunde skole betrokke is, ingesamel. Klem is deurentyd in hierdie studie gele op die skoolhoof se veranderde bestuurstaak ten opsigte van die bestuur van die personeel en die gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid. bestuur van finansies, die bestuur van ouer- en Ten slotte is die volgende onder meer bevind: 'n Oorwegend deelnemende, deursigtige bestuurstyl van die skoolhoof is 'n wesenlike vereiste vir die eff ektiewe selfhestuur van skole. Die hestuur van die finansies bet die grootste enkele verandering in die rol van die skoolhoof in staatsondersteunde skole teweeggebring. Elke hoof behoort die kundigheid van 'n verskeidenheid persone te benut, en hy behoort soveel personeellede as wat prakties moontlik is, by die bestuur van die skool te betrek. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer.Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. / Decentralised educational management, or self-management of schools, is an important international development in the field of educational management In this process the decision-making authority is delegated from a central office to the local school level. In England and Wales this new approach is labelled Local Management of Schools (LMS), while School-Based Management (SBM) refers to basically the same initiative in the USA and Canada. Many aspects of the South African variation of selfmanagement of schools, namely the management of state-aided (Model C) schools, are quite similar to SBM and LMS. In addition to the literature review undertaken for this study, qualitative data have been gathered through interviews with a number of educationists who are directly involved in the management of state-aided schools. The main focus was on the changed management role of the principal with regard to financial management, staff management, and the management of parent and community involvement The research concluded with the following findings: A participatory, transparent management style is the key to effective and successful self-management of schools. Financial management has caused the biggest single change in the task of the principal of a state-aided school. Every principal ought to consult as widely as possible, and involve as many staff members as is practicable in the financial management of the school. The principal, management body and parents ought to ensure that a partnership is developed in which there is openness, mutual trust and collaboration. The principal, as managing executive, should also try to ensure that the management body functions effectively. The parents, school community and pupils should be offered the opportunity to participate in a formal, controlled way in the strategic planning and management of the state-aided school / Educational Leadership and Management / D.Ed.

This study is based on a need for community involvement in farm schools to enhance effective teaching and efficient learning. The rationale behind it was to determine the current state of community involvement in farm schools in the Pietermaritzburg area, with a view to determining the extent to which the current community i nvolvement, namely, the active participation of parents, teachers, the farmer, the church, the state and the private sector could be extended on a large scale. The study revealed that the community involvement dimension of schooling is central to the teaching profession. If neglected, no effective teaching and efficient learning can materialise. The role of the farm school principal in the realisation of this goal is indispensable. The empirical survey and literature revealed that farm school principals can address the serious shortcoming concerning the participation of community members in the affairs of farm schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of parental involvement in children’s education in the rural Mawa and Molototsi circuits in the Mopani district, Limpopo Province. Three-hundred-and-thirty (330) teachers participated in this research survey. The results indicated that the common perception amongst teachers was that parental involvement had positive benefits for both learner performance and social behaviour. The study also revealed that schools used involvement initiatives and strategies to a lesser extent than expected. Primary schools reported higher rates of parental involvement than secondary schools, which suggested that parents of primary school children were likelier to involve themselves in school governance than those of secondary school children. The extent to which the school used media to promote parental involvement was found to be small and moderate. The respondents also perceived certain social and economic barriers as moderate to large impediments to parental involvement. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

In Botswana secondary schools, a positive climate is more of an ideal than a reality. It is the task of stakeholders particularly the headteacher's to create and sustain a conducive learning environment to improve pupils' academic and behaviour standards. To a large extent, the headteacher, as an individual occupying the highest official position in the school, determines how the school is run. His/her expectations, values, beliefs, relationships with teachers and the examples he/she sets for the whole school shape the climate in the school. The headteacher can promote or inhibit a positive climate through his/her leadership behaviour pattern. Thus, the headteacher's leadership style is significant in creating and sustaining a positive school climate. This study has been undertaken to examine the connectedness between headteacher leadership style and school climate. This research focuses on the improvement of climate in Botswana secondary schools through the headteacher's appropriate use of leadership styles in different situations with a view to answer the following questions: What different leadership styles are employed by school headteachers? What are the different types of climates in schools? Are the leadership styles of school headteachers responsible for the climate that exists in their schools? What are the implications of the headteachers' leadership styles for school climate? How can school climate be improved? What roles can the headteachers, teachers and other stakeholders play to improve school climate? The research report comprises six chapters: Chapter one contains the background information of the research, statement of the research problem, aim and objectives of the research, demarcation of the study, definition of concepts, research methods and the research structure. Chapter two presents a review of literature on leadership styles, factors affecting it and discussion of models from different perspectives form part of this chapter. However, the emphasis is on Hersey and Blanchard's situational model which proposes the appropriate use of leadership styles to suit situations. Chapter three covers a review of relevant literature on school climate and factors affecting it. Chapter four presents detailed report on the empirical study. Questionnaires each of which contains items on leadership styles and school climate were responded to by secondary school teachers and interviews were conducted with headteachers. Chapter five contains data analysis and interpretation. Various leadership styles used by headteachers and the corresponding climates were identified. The findings indicated that the type of climate that exists in schools is related to the headteachers leadership style. It emerged that organisational climates vary in schools and that the participating leadership style promotes an open organisational climate. Implications for school performance and for the nation's vision (Vision 2016) was given. Chapter six presents findings from the literature study as well as the empirical study, conclusions based on the findings and recommendations for improvement for practice and further research. / Educational Studies / DED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

Parents play an integral role in the support of early learning. This study focuses on parent support of learning in an international reception class in Copenhagen, Denmark. This study includes a literature review of parent support of early learning and school facilitation of parent involvement in early learning. A qualitative investigation of parental support of early learning, within the context of global mobility and multi-culturalism, was undertaken in Rygaards School, in particular in its Reception Class. It was established that very little support exists on a global, social and local level, for the globally mobile families whose children attend this particular international school. Furthermore, the school itself does not fully meet the needs of its globally mobile families. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations for introducing comprehensive parent involvement were proposed, amongst others the introduction of an Induction Programme for newcomers to Rygaards, strategies for compensating for the absence of a middle management amongst its teaching staff and the extension of parent participation in curriculum provision. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

There is compelling evidence that parental involvement positively influences children’s academic achievement. Its benefits occur across all socio-economic classes. In spite of its significance, parental involvement has received scant attention in Zimbabwe. This qualitative study sought to establish how parents in a materially poor rural district of Zimbabwe were involved in their children’s education. Barriers to their involvement were investigated with the view to overcoming or mitigating them for the benefit of the affected primary school pupils. The attribution theory was used not only to substantially explain the status of parental involvement in Zaka District, but also to generate strategies to promote parents’ participation in their children’s school education. Observation, semi-structured interviews (for school heads), focus group interviews (for parents) and the open-ended questionnaire (for teachers) were used in this qualitative study covering ten primary schools. Respondents were selected through the use of chain reference sampling and sampling by case. A total of one hundred and forty (140) participants were selected. It emerged from the research that parents, teachers and school heads/principals had very limited understanding of parental involvement. They generally thought that it was confined to activities done at school such as payment of school fees and levies, providing labour for the construction or renovation of school buildings and providing teaching/learning resources. Most teachers, school heads/principals and parents believed that parents were too poor and too lowly educated to meaningfully be involved in their children’s education. However, there were a few parents who believed that their socio-economic status did not prevent them from participating in their children’s education. They actually indicated useful ways in which they could be involved. The research also revealed that parents, school teachers and school heads/principals made wrong attributions about themselves and each other in connection with limited parental involvement in their schools. Both school staff and parents, after identifying barriers to involvement, were willing to learn about how they could overcome or mitigate the barriers. They believed that the challenges they were facing regarding parental involvement were capable of resolution. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study constitutes an attempt to describe and analyse the quality of selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa, and provide criteria by which the quality of programmes could be assessed. The need for, and importance of, providing quality early childhood development programmes is highlighted. The influence of educational pf:lilosophies on programmes is recognised, hence the total development of the child and educational philosophies related thereto are discussed. Factors and components within programmes that contribute to high quality are explored. Moreover, criteria by means of which quality early childhood development programmes may be assessed, are provided. In this regard criteria for the formulation of aims, selection and the organisation of content, assessment, role of the teacher and parent involvement in programmes are suggested. It is against these criteria that selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa are described and analysed. programmes conclude the study. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Text in Afrikaans / Die verskynsel van gedesentraliseerde onderwyshestuur, of selfbestuur van skole (SBS), 1s 'n helangrike internasionale ontwikkeling in onderwyshestuur. 'n Afwenteling van gesag vind vanaf 'n hoer onderwysheheerliggaam na die plaaslike hestuurs- of skoolvlak plaas. Die nuwe wyse van selfhestuur van skole in Engeland en Wallis word saamgevat met die term Local Management of Schools (LMS), terwyl die soortgelyke inisiatief in die VSA en Kanada School-Based Management (SBM) genoem word. Talle aspekte van SBM en LMS sluit in 'n groot mate aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse variant van SBS, die bestuur van staatsondersteunde (Model C-) skole. In aansluiting by die literatuuroorsig wat in hierdie navorsing gedoen is, is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met opvoedkundiges wat direk by die bestuur van staatsondersteunde skole betrokke is, ingesamel. Klem is deurentyd in hierdie studie gele op die skoolhoof se veranderde bestuurstaak ten opsigte van die bestuur van die personeel en die gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid. bestuur van finansies, die bestuur van ouer- en Ten slotte is die volgende onder meer bevind: 'n Oorwegend deelnemende, deursigtige bestuurstyl van die skoolhoof is 'n wesenlike vereiste vir die eff ektiewe selfhestuur van skole. Die hestuur van die finansies bet die grootste enkele verandering in die rol van die skoolhoof in staatsondersteunde skole teweeggebring. Elke hoof behoort die kundigheid van 'n verskeidenheid persone te benut, en hy behoort soveel personeellede as wat prakties moontlik is, by die bestuur van die skool te betrek. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer.Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. / Decentralised educational management, or self-management of schools, is an important international development in the field of educational management In this process the decision-making authority is delegated from a central office to the local school level. In England and Wales this new approach is labelled Local Management of Schools (LMS), while School-Based Management (SBM) refers to basically the same initiative in the USA and Canada. Many aspects of the South African variation of selfmanagement of schools, namely the management of state-aided (Model C) schools, are quite similar to SBM and LMS. In addition to the literature review undertaken for this study, qualitative data have been gathered through interviews with a number of educationists who are directly involved in the management of state-aided schools. The main focus was on the changed management role of the principal with regard to financial management, staff management, and the management of parent and community involvement The research concluded with the following findings: A participatory, transparent management style is the key to effective and successful self-management of schools. Financial management has caused the biggest single change in the task of the principal of a state-aided school. Every principal ought to consult as widely as possible, and involve as many staff members as is practicable in the financial management of the school. The principal, management body and parents ought to ensure that a partnership is developed in which there is openness, mutual trust and collaboration. The principal, as managing executive, should also try to ensure that the management body functions effectively. The parents, school community and pupils should be offered the opportunity to participate in a formal, controlled way in the strategic planning and management of the state-aided school / Educational Leadership and Management / D.Ed.

This study is based on a need for community involvement in farm schools to enhance effective teaching and efficient learning. The rationale behind it was to determine the current state of community involvement in farm schools in the Pietermaritzburg area, with a view to determining the extent to which the current community i nvolvement, namely, the active participation of parents, teachers, the farmer, the church, the state and the private sector could be extended on a large scale. The study revealed that the community involvement dimension of schooling is central to the teaching profession. If neglected, no effective teaching and efficient learning can materialise. The role of the farm school principal in the realisation of this goal is indispensable. The empirical survey and literature revealed that farm school principals can address the serious shortcoming concerning the participation of community members in the affairs of farm schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)