For many years the South African educational platform has been the target of international and national criticism for its apartheid ideals. Since 1994 the former Model C high school has endured a changing landscape characterised by the ideals of educational transformation. However, the current face of the former Model C high school has been marred by the challenge of learner ill-discipline. This research aimed to explore the challenges experienced by female principals in a former Model C high school. A literature review focussed on female leadership and school discipline through the lens of a theoretical framework based on the ethics of care and transformational leadership theories. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected and analysed. The analysis revealed that school discipline was a major challenge to the principal personally and professionally, and to the school. It further highlighted the strong need for support by the Department of Education. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study evaluates the school feeding programme at Magog Primary School. It sets out as its objective to find out how the programme operates and its potential impact on school children, including challenges, if any, and recommends solutions to mitigate the challenges. It was motivated by the need to provide information which could be used as a basis to ensure that the nutritional and educational objectives of the National School Nutritional Programme are achieved. A review of literature demonstrated that, within the developmental framework, the point of view of civil society, government and the academia on the school feeding programmes are a valuable strategy to intervene in the nutritional and cognitive development of learners. It also made it evident that there are diverse views as to whether the School Feeding Programme is achieving its intended objectives. The findings of this study suggest that, although the programme has the potential to improve nutrition and health, enrolment, attendance and cognitive development, there are still some challenges and areas that need to be addressed and improved. These challenges arise as a result of lack of effective monitoring and evaluation, geographical location of the schools and other implementation flaws. The consequences are that the objectives of the National School Nutritional Programme are placed at risk. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

This research study investigates the current staffing processes at the former South African Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education and aims to identify critical issues regarding staffing processes employed by SGBs of former South African Model C schools. It suggests guidelines in support of a more transformative staffing process to address the gap between the staffing needs of SGBs and departmental policy for transformative staffing, and recommends strategies that can be applied by SGBs to address challenges concerning transformative staffing. An in-depth investigation of the literature revealed that much of governance depends on partnerships among different institutions and the great need to teach SGBs and other stakeholders how to collaborate—not just how to monitor or adhere to contracts. The literature revealed that school governance, although complex, is an important part of the education systems around the world (especially in South Africa). A qualitative research design and methodology were employed to investigate the phenomenon of staff transformation at former Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education by means of interviews with participants. A complete and strict process for ethical clearance was followed to validate the study. The empirical investigation revealed that there are no clear transformational guidelines from the Department of Education (DoE), which creates the notion that former Model C schools are not compelled to transform their staff to be representative of the demographics of their learners. In addition, the data revealed that some SGBs are particularly resistant to staff transformation at their schools because (as some have put it) their schools are for white people in the same way as township schools are for black and coloured people. They do not see the need for the transformation of staff at their schools, because even black parents choose to send their children to former Model C schools for the quality of education offered by these schools. The study further revealed that most of the principals are concerned about the lack of role models for the overwhelming number of learners of colour at their schools; they acknowledge the need for urgent staff transformation at their schools. Based on the findings of the study, a transformative framework for staffing former Model C schools was developed. This framework requires the collaborative cooperation of all the stakeholders to transform the staff of the former Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education successfully and efficiently. / Hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek die huidige personeelvoorsieningsprosesse by die eertydse Suid-Afrikaanse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys en stel ten doel om kritieke vraagstukke ten opsigte van personeelvoorsieningsprosesse te identifiseer wat deur skoolbeheerliggame (SBLe) van eertydse Suid-Afrikaanse Model C-skole gebruik word. Dit stel riglyne voor ter ondersteuning van ’n meer transfomatiewe personeelvoorsieningsproses om die gaping tussen die personeelbehoeftes van skoolbeheerliggame en die departementele beleid vir transformatiewe personeelvoorsiening te vernou en stel ook strategieë voor wat deur die skoolbeheerliggame gebruik kan word om uitdagings wat betref transformatiewe personeelvoorsiening die hoof te bied. ’n Omvattende ondersoek van die literatuur dui daarop dat die bestuur in ’n groot mate afhang van vennootskappe tussen verskillende instellings en die groot behoefte om skoolbeheerliggame en ander belanghebbers te leer hoe om saam te werk ‒ nie net hoe om kontrakte te moniteer of na te kom nie. Die literatuur het ook aan die lig gebring dat die bestuur van skole, hoewel ’n kompleks saak, ’n belangrike deel van onderwysstelsels wêreldwyd is (veral in Suid-Afrika). ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp en -metodologie is gebruik om die verskynsel van personeeltransformasie by eertydse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys te ondersoek deur onderhoude met die deelnemers te voer. ’n Volledige en streng proses vir etiese uitklaring is gevolg om die studie te bekragtig. Die empiriese ondersoek het gewys dat die Departement van Onderwys (DvO) geen duidelike transformasieriglyne gegee het nie, wat die opvatting ondersteun dat eertydse Model C-skole nie verplig is om te transformeer ten einde hulle personeel verteenwoordigend van die demografie van hulle leerders te maak nie. Bykomend hiertoe het die data aan die lig gebring dat sommige skoolbeheerliggame besonder weerstandig staan teenoor personeeltransformasie by hulle skole omdat (soos sommiges dit gestel het) hulle skole vir wit mense is op dieselfde manier as wat townshipskole vir swart en bruinmense is. Hulle sien nie die nodigheid om die personeel by hulle skole te transformeer nie omdat selfs swart ouers verkies om hulle kinders na eertydse Model C-skole vir die gehalte van die onderrig wat hierdie skole bied, te stuur. Die studie het ook gewys dat die meeste van die skoolhoofde besorg is oor die gebrek aan rolmodelle vir die oorweldigende aantal leerders van kleur by hierdie skole; hulle erken die behoefte aan dringende personeeltransformasie by hulle skole. ’n Transformatiewe raamwerk, gebaseer op die bevindings van die studie, is vir die personeelvoorsiening van eerstydse Model C-skole ontwikkel. Hierdie raamwerk verg die samewerking van al die belanghebbers om die personeel van die eertydse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys suksesvol en doeltreffend te transformeer. / Esi sifundo siphanda iinkqubo zokuqesha ezisetyenziswa kwizikolo zoMzantsi Afrika ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni. Injongo yaso kukuchonga imibandela etshis’ibunzi kwiinkqubo ezisetyenziswayo xa kuqeshwa abasebenzi ziikomiti ezilawula izikolo (iiSGB) zoMzantsi Afrika ezazifudula ziziiModel C. Sicebisa izikhokelo zokuxhasa inkqubo yenguqu ekuqesheni abasebenzi ukwenzela ukulungisa umsantsa ophakathi kwezidingo zokuqesha kweeSGB nomgaqo nkqubo wokuqesha obonakalisa inguqu, kwaye sinika iingcebiso ngamacebo anokwenziwa ziiSGB ekusabeleni imingeni emalunga nokuqesha okulandela inkqubo yenguqu. Uphando olunzulu loncwadi ludize ukuba ulawulo oluninzi luxhomekeke kwintsebenziswano phakathi kwamaziko ahlukeneyo kwanakwisidingo esikhulu sokufundisa iiSGB nabanye abathathi nxaxheba ngendlela yokusebenzisana – hayi nje ukuhlola okanye ukubambelela kwizivumelwano zengqesho (iikhontrakthi). Uncwadi ludize ukuba ulawulo lwezikolo, nangona lungxakangxaka, luyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yeenkqubo zemfundo kwihlabathi liphela (ngakumbi eMzantsi Afrika). Kwasetyenziswa indlela yophando lomgangatho ekuphandeni umbandela wokuqesha okubonakalisa inguqu kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni ngokwenza udliwano ndlebe nabathathi nxaxheba. Kwalandelwa inkqubo engqongqo yokuhlela ngendlela engenabuqhophololo xa kwakuqinisekiswa esi sifundo. Uphando olusekelwe ekuqwalaseleni amava lwadiza ukuba akukho migaqo nazikhokelo zokulandela inguqu kwiSebe lezeMfundo (iDoE), nto leyo inika uluvo lokuba izikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C azinyanzelekanga ukuba ziguqule ubume babasebenzi ngendlela eya kuhambelana nobume namanani abafundi bazo. Ngaphezulu, idatha yaveza ukuba ezinye iiSGB aziyifuni inguqu ekuqesheni kwizikolo zazo ngoba (ngokokutsho kwabanye) izikolo zazo zezabantu abamhlophe ngendlela efanayo nokuba izikolo zasezilokishini izezabantu abantsundu nabebala. Ezo SGB azisiboni isidingo senguqu ekuqesheni abasebenzi kwizikolo zazo ngoba nabazali abantsundu bayazikhethela ukuthumela abantwana babo kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kuba kufundiswa kakuhle kwezi zikolo. Esi sifundo saphinda sadiza ukuba uninzi lweenqununu luyakhathazeka kukungabikho kwabantu abangumzekelo omhle kubantwana abantsundu ezikolweni zazo; ziyavuma ezi nqununu ukuba kukho isidingo esingxamisekileyo senguqu ekuqesheni iititshala ezikolweni zazo. Okufunyaniswe kwesi sifundo kukhokelele ekuphuhliseni isikhokelo sokusebenza sokulandela inkqubo yenguqu ekuqesheni kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C. Esi sikhokelo sokusebenza sifuna intsebenziswano phakathi kwabathathi nxaxheba ekuguquleni abasebenzi kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni ngempumelelo nangokufezekileyo. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education)

The study aimed to determine the impact of the role of the School Governing Bodies in the schooling system with regard to the implementation of education policies, including the South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996 as amended). In order to determine the role of the participants mentioned above who represented the SGBs in this project, the researcher interviewed them at their convenient times and environment. This study used a qualitative approach, since it involved a series of in-depth interviews, document analysis and field notes (see 4.5.4 and 4.5.5). The first interviews were individual interviews with school principals (see Annexure A). This was followed by focus group interviews with executive members of SGBs (see Annexures B, C and D). Learners were interviewed in the form of focus groups (see Annexure E). Observations too played an important role during the meetings with SGBs (see Annexure F). The findings indicate that SGB members who were interviewed had minimal knowledge of how their role affected the schools that they governed. It was also clear from interviews that training conducted by individuals from the Department of Education seemed not to be effective as they failed to make members of the SGBs understand the school policies on the South African Schools Act policy document. The study revealed that the school policies embodied in SASA documents and the South African Constitution were not understood and as such their effective use was not realised. In other words, the members of the SGB lacked proper knowledge of how to guide their school in order to run smoothly and efficiently. Again, the study revealed that there is a serious need to train members of SGBs at the school level because those interviewed complained about: the time allocated for their training, and the language used in their training by the facilitators. All the above factors have a strong bearing on the fact that the majority of members of SGBs are illiterate (see Section 5.3.2). Finally, the study revealed that: principals are expected to perform dual roles of representing their schools (as mentors) and simultaneously represent the Department of Education in an ex-officio position (see Section 5.3.1). Therefore, the study proposed that the principal must only represent his school and a neutral person be appointed by the department to represent it in all the SGBs in the circuit. Lastly, the study emphasised the need of the SGB members to work with other qualified individuals in the community who are experts in some areas of learning such as lawyers, accountants, farmers, architects, and business people (see Figure 5.1). All stakeholders are relevant, but they need to be made to function according to their qualifications and expertise and also respect the boundaries of specialisation of the others. In conclusion, the recommended and proposed model was deliberately designed and structured to offer practical solutions to the problems discussed in the research findings. It is also essential that the training be accompanied by some assessment, in order to determine whether the SGB members have understood what they were taught. Furthermore, there should be follow-ups to ascertain to what extent the SGB members have implemented what they were taught in their schools, which is not happening at present. / Die doel van die studie was om die rol en/of impak van deelnemende skole se beheerrade op die implementering van onderwyswetgewing en/of beleid was. Aangesien die studie kwalitatief van aard was, het die navorser hoofsaaklik van waarneming en onderhoude (indiepte indiwiduele sowel as fokusgroeponderhoude) gebruik gemaak om data in te samel. Navorsingsbresultate dui aan dat deelnemende skoolbeheerraadslede se geletterdheidsvaardighede en begrip van onderwyswetgewing en beleid gebrekkig is en dat opleiding wat deur amptenare verbonde aan die Departement van Onderwys verskaf is gebrekkig was. Gevolglik was die imlementering van onderwyswetgewing en beleid deur genoemde skoolbeheerrade as ‘n reël ondoeltreffend. Die resultate dui verder aan dat daar van skoolhoofde verwag word om sowel hul skole as die Department van Onderwys op skoolbeheerraadsvergaderings te verteenwoordig en dat, ten einde hul skole doeltreffend te bestuur, skoolbeheerraadslede ander gekwalifiseerde/professionele indiwidue in die gemeenskap – regsgeleerdes, boekhouers, boere, argitekte and besigheidsmense – in die skoolbeheerraad se aktiwiteite behoort te betrek. Op grond van hierdie bevindinge beveel die navorser dus aan dat (a) skoolhoofde slegs hulle skole op skoolbeheerraadsvergaderings behoort te verteenwoordig; (b) ‘n neutrale persoon deur die Departement van Onderwys aangestel word om dié se verteenwoordiger te wees; (c) die teoretiese opleidingsmodel wat hy in sy studie voorstel, moontlik kan bdra tot die uitskakeling van heelparty van die probleme/uitdagings wat in die studie uitgelig word; (d) opleiding een of ander vorm van assessering moet insluit ten einde te bepaal of bywonende skoolbeheerraadslede die nodige begrip verwerf het, en (e) opleiding deur skoolbesoeke opgevolg word om te bepaal tot welke mate dit skoolbeheerraadslede tydens opleiding geleer het toepas. / Maikemišetšo a phatišišo ye ke go utulla karalo yeo lekgotlataolo la sekolo le nago nayo go lenaneo la sekolo malebana le phethagatšo ya melawana ya thuto, le go akaretšwa le lenaneo la Taolo ya Dikolo (Act 84 of 1996 as amended). Gore go hlaolwe karalo ya batšeakarolo ba ka gare ga SGB tabeng ye, mofatišiši o boledišane le bona tikologong le nako yeo e ba swanetšego.Phatišišo e dirišitše mokgwa wa boleng ka ge go akareditšwe dipoledišano tša go tsenelela le phetleko ya dingwalwa tša maleba (cf 4.5.4 le 4.5.5).Poledišano ya pulamadibogo ke ya dihlogo tša dikolo (cf Annexure A).Seo se latetšwe ke dipoledišanothwi le maloko a makgotlaphethiši a makgotlataolo a dikolo (cf Annexures B, C le D). Go boledišanwe le barutwana ka sebopego sa dihlophana (cf Annexure E). Diphihlelelo le tšona di bile bohlokwa dikopanong tša makgotlataolo a dikolo (cf Annexure F). Dikutullo di laeditše gore maloko a SGB a go boledišanwego le ona, a na le tsebo ye nnyane ya ka moo batšeakarolo bja ona, bo nago le khuetšo dikolong tšeo ba di laolago. Dipoledišano di laeditše gore tlhahlo yeo balaodi ba Kgoro ya Thuto ba e abetšego maloko a SGB e a fokola ka ge e šitwa go kgontšha maloko a SGB go hlaologanya melawana ya thuto yeo e tšwago go molao wa taolo ya dikolo. Phatišišo e utulotše gore melawana ya thuto ye e akareditšwego ka go dingwalwa tša Molaotheo wa Afrika Borwa, ga e kwešišwe le gore ga e phethagatšwe ka tshwanelo. Maloko a SGB a hlaelelwa ke tsebo ya maleba go ka kgona go hlahla dikolo gore di sepetšwe ka katlego. Phatišišo e utulotše gape gore go tsomega tlhahlo ya maloko a SGB dikolong. Dintlha tše di laeditšwego di gatelela taba ya gore boati bja maloko a makgotlataolo a dikolo ga kgone go bala le go ngwala (cf 5.3.2). Mafelelong, go latetšwe gore dihlogo tša dikolo di raloke karalo ya go emela dikolo tša bona le go emela Kgoro ya Thuto ka bo emo bja semmušo (cf 5.3.1). Phatišišo e šišinya gore hlogo ya sekolo a emele sekolo sa gagwe gomme motho wa go ikema a emele Kgoro ya Thuto makgotlataolong a dikolo sedikothutong. Phatišišo e fetša ka go hlohleletša maloko a SGB go dirišana le ditsebi mafaphene a tša semolao, taolo ya ditšhelete le, balemi le ba bangwe (cf 5.1). Batšeakarolo ba bohlokwa ka moka ge go ka hlomphiwa bokgoni bja yo mongwe le yo mongwe. Go phethwa ka gore mokgwa wa tlhahlo o swanetšwe go sepelelana le tokelo go kgonthišiša kwešišo ya maloko a SGB go tšeo ba rutilwego. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The South African Schools Act of 1996 mandates the establishment of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in all schools with grade eight and higher. Amongst others, the SGB has the authority to develop a Code of Conduct for learners in a school. This study includes a literature review of discipline in schools, the functions of SGBs, the development and implementation of a Code of Conduct by the SGB. A qualitative investigation of the perceptions of parents, educators and learners, of discipline and dealing with misbehaviour was conducted in three secondary schools in the North-West Province. It was established that role-players differed in their understanding of coming to a common understanding of what to include in a Code of Conduct. It seems as if measures to deal with misbehaviour are often in violation of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Based on the findings, recommendations for addressing discipline by means of a Code of Conduct were proposed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of the study was to investigate the training of school governing bodies in the Free State Province from an education management point of view. Since 1994 the South African government has adopted a number of policy documents aimed at democratizing education in the country. The transformation of education in the new South African context encompasses the idea of partnership in which participants - such as parents, educators, learners (in secondary schools) play an active role in taking decisions on behalf of the school. The State alone cannot control schools, but has to share its power with other stakeholders. However, this can only happen if participants in school governance are trained to have power and the capacity to decide on matters affecting their schools. Hence, training is the cornerstone of affirming governors in the execution of their roles and responsibilities. Since school governing bodies are composed of a cross section of people with different ideologies, expectations and levels of education - training is necessary to prepare then for co-operative governance. Without adequate and on-going in-service training, it is unlikely that school governing body members can make informed decisions. The empirical method, namely qualitative research, was successful in obtaining information from participants about the training offered to them. It also established how participants felt and thought about their experiences and perceptions about the training they received, whether it built capacity or not. A number of recommendations were made with regard to the research findings for stakeholders to note. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The school effectiveness, the school's ability to deliver (produce results), and the improvement of the matriculation (Grade 12) results in the Limpopo Province has been a priority ever since the new democratic government took over in 1994. The Limpopo Province has always scored lower than all the other nine provinces in the country in the matriculation (Grade 12) results. Among the reasons given as contributing to this state of affairs, was the ineffective way of governing and administering schools. This research investigated the development of the school governing structures in the Limpopo Province. The focus was mainly on revealing the nature of the school governing structures that existed in the province and how those governing structures influenced the overall performance of the schools. The researcher found that the most suitable school governing structures for the Limpopo Province schools are those that will provide parents with more meaningful participation in the education of their children and will inculcate democracy in the governance of schools. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (History of Education)

Studies on women principals and leadership have been conducted in both developed and developing countries. Not much research on women leadership has been undertaken in Sekhukhune region in rural Limpopo, South Africa. The study’s interests were in the representation of women in leadership in this region. It sought to explore leadership experiences of women principals working in secondary schools in rural areas. In addition, the study sought to understand what led to their appointment, particularly in a deeply traditional and patriarchal society such as Sekhukhune region, considering both barriers as well as enhancers and how they impacted on their progress to principalship. Data were collected by means of qualitative methods; semi-structured interviews were held with six women principals from public schools only. Structured observation was also conducted during school visits, as well during interviews wherein field notes were also taken. School documents such as SGB and minute books, some policy documents, noticeboard documents, time-books, attendance registers were analysed. Existing literature on women and leadership was reviewed. Data collected was transcribed, analysed, interpreted, and findings were presented. Women principals spoke of their everyday work experiences within the context of sharing challenges and strengths in their careers. The study found out that women are their own motivators, which serves as a strong enhancer. However, women still face organisational barriers particularly in the selection procedures where gender discrimination is evident. Findings revealed that women principals continue to face myriad administrative and personal challenges when caring out their managerial duties. These include resistance from communities and staff often displayed by stereotypical attitudes and discrimination. In order to cope with some of the challenges, participants in this study innovatively employed various leadership styles such as care and nurturing, collaboration, androgyneity and spirituality. Stereotyping still exists as leadership is viewed from a male perspective. In conclusion, this study discovered that women principals displayed some values of liberal feminism in their leadership experiences; they demonstrated that they can do great things by taking part in the public sphere. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)

The researcher explored problems that hamper the implementation of the HIV/AIDS Policy at a specific public high school in KwaZulu-Natal. The research was designed as a qualitative single case study. Various data collection methods were implemented: a one-on-one interview was conducted with the principal, while the SMT and Life Orientation team took part in focus groups and the school governing body members completed a questionnaire. The researcher succeeded in answering the research question: Which problems hamper the implementation of the HIV/AIDS Policy at the participant high school in KwaZulu-Natal? She identified the principal and school governing body’s limited knowledge of their obligations with regard to the implementation of the HIV/AIDS Policy, different beliefs and myths related to specific ethnic groups towards HIV/AIDS, non-disclosure as a result of negative stigma and discrimination, the lack of cooperation from parents, cultural and religious beliefs as the main problems hindering the implementation of the HIV/AIDS Policy at this school. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Tension between school principals and school governing bodies arises despite a clear demarcation in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 of the powers and responsibilities of school governing bodies. The aim of this study was to devise tension management strategies that can be used to manage tension between the principal and school governing body in three selected schools in Nkomazi West Circuit. A qualitative research approach was followed, and a multiple case study research design was employed. Multiple data-collection methods, namely, a literature study, in-depth interviews, qualitative questionnaires, a focus group discussion and observations, were employed, to ensure validity of the data through triangulation. The findings of the study revealed that the main sources of tension are the overlapping roles of governance and management, role uncertainty and blurring of responsibilities and the perceived high “illiteracy” rate among parent governors. Tension management strategies, tailor-made to each school, were developed. The new and innovative tension management strategies were related to the sources of tension present in each school. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)