1. Reason for the investigation.
Authority and responsibility go hand in glove. Senior executive posts
carry heavy responsibilities, but arc vested with corresponding authority.
The implementation of authority in Afrikaans High Schools has boon
studied to ascertain :
• a fundamental foundation for a healthy approach to the question of
authority;
• how a policy of authority is compiled and which rules and regulations,
methods and techniques be implemented.
The task of the school principal has further been studied to ascertain
what is being done and what can be done to minimize problems in connection
with the implementation of 2nthority.
2. The method used for the investigation,
By studying the attitude of authority in literature; through the medium
of a questionnaire sent to school principals and by application of the
principles sot down in the Holy Scriptures, a standard for the application
of the vested authority could be formulated.
3. Finding.
3.1 Summary of the contents:
Chapter 1. In this chapter the concept formulation, the aims of
and the reason for the investigation were stated.
Chapter 2 discusses authority as the ability to give instructions and
take decisions by which others must abide. Authority means "to have
control over". God is the source of all authority. It has been
found that the authority-crisis in education is seated rather in
ideological differences than in the difference between adult and
child. On the authority of God's Holy word communism, liberalism,
permissiveness, etc., were weighed and found wanting. The dangers
lurking in the confusion and weakening of Christian principles are
discussed. It is further stated that under the correct authority
the educated, who is free to do as he wishes, chooses the Path of
Truth.
In Chapter 3 the questionnaire is discussed and an account given
of the replies received. Despite shortcomings in the questionnaire,
valuable data was collected.
In Chapter 4 a valuation of the authority vested in a high school
was assessed. It is declared that a high school would be an excellent
institution for authority if dedicated educators, through
personal involvement, honesty, hard work, sympathy and inspiration
could succeed in influencing pupils to dedicated effort, determination
and the acceptance of Christian values.
Delegation of authority is considered in Chapter 5. It is an
expedient which, used correctly, can be of inestimable value to
a principal. Methods of delegation are discussed.
In Chapter 6 attention is given to the necessity of discipline and
school rules. Rules must be reasonable and lead to self-discipline.
According to principals, school rules originate mainly as a result
of two reasons:
• it is imperative for a school to ensure that everyone benefits
from the educational programme:
• it is imperative that the pupils themselves learn to respect
authority and to lead them to responsible self-disciplined
citizenship with respect for order, co-operation and the bonds
of a Christian community. Discipline and rules are not an aim
in themselves, but are aids to more elevated educational objectives.
The danger of too many "don'ts" is that undecided,
irresolute people, who are under the impression that everything
which is not specifically forbidden is permissible, will emerge.
Chapter 7 deals with the implementation of the democratic principle
in high schools. With careful application of the system, subordinates,
especially scholars, can share in the application of this authority.
In this manner a constructive contribution can be made to solve the
problem of the shortage of leaders, resulting in responsible, self-reliant
people.
The school principal in his office is considered in Chapter 8. His
task, character and problems are discussed, and full consideration
given to aids for the prevention of problems in regard to discipline.
The most important accessories namely discipline, sound human
relationships, a happy staff and pupils are studied. A principal
must maintain a pious atmosphere in his school. It is further
pointed out that vocational consciousness, love, strong leadership
qualities and the ability to inspire are essential characteristics in
a principal. This chapter explains that although principals are
entrusted with a task which would probably become progressively more
difficult, they could call on help from above:
“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it".
(1 Thes. 5: 24).
In Chapter 9 the summary of the contents, the findings from the
literature and the recommendations are given. The important
findings from the questionnaires have been used through the whole
contents, and some interesting facts emerged, which are briefly as
follows:
• The majority of principals of Afrikaans High Schools who
completed the questionnaire were Afrikaans-speaking.
• 52,2% of the principals h:we had less than five years'
experience.
• 66% of the schools have written school regulations. 87% of
those regulations have not been submitted to the Transvaal
Education Department.
• 63% of the principals are of the opinion that the school’s
authority also applies after school hours outside of the
school gates.
• With regard to hairstyles 46% consider that their rules are
more strict than neighbouring schools, and 80% have stricter
rules at school than those enforced by the parents.
• 67% allow no dancing at school whatsoever.
• 84% find that pupils comply spontaneously with school rules.
• 51% do not separate boys and girls during breaks.
• 91% know to what church denomination the head prefects belong.
• 16% practise democratic prefect elections by pupils.
• 75% hold prefect elections where both teachers and pupils vote.
The greatest single problem at schools appears to be in finding
suitable staff for the various posts. Parents support the school's
authority and principals are of the opinion that the majority
of parents prefer a strict school.
Principals are of the opinion that their wives are not in duty bound
to partake of any work at school, but that on investigation they may
help.
A list of preferences for arriving at decisions in regard to
authority is given.
A further list of preferences for ideals for their school is also
given, as well as a list of the tasks which principals find most
difficult in their application of the authority vested in them.
The findings from the literature are mainly as follows:
There appears to be strong, revolutionary, unchristian attitude in
education, the whole crisis being seated in the conflict of forces
which do not acknowledge God and the Christian philosophy. It
appears that change is imminent, the problem being where changes
are to be made. Mortimer Smith says "But change must be based
on something more substantial than the slogans, ideological zealotry,
and utopian sentimentality that all too often mark the movement for
alternative schools”.
The following recommendations are given:
Christian educators will have to reflect on their vocation lest they
fall into the trap where the means are regarded as the end, and where
everyone is satisfied as long as good citizens are the end product
of their work as teachers. Vague devotion and half-hearted education
do not meet the demands of the present time. The onslaught against
Christianity is too fanatical.
Too much is speculated about the superficial and non-essential in
the implementation of discipline. Young people are driven away
from authority by attempts to enforce rules, which were not founded on
sound and strict principles. The demands of discipline must rest on
sound principles and the child must be led to decide for himself
whether he wishes to build on those principles.
Problems encountered in this investigation which require further
research are mainly:
• How many ideal scholars who are dedicated Christians remain thus
once they leave school?
• Why does an antipathy towards religion exist in so many young
people? Is it as a result of their upbringing or have they
received wrong religious instruction?
• The shortage of staff requires urgent research on the question of
how mere work can be done with fewer people. What percentage of
our country's graduated manpower is connected with education,
despite the critical shortage? We must no longer look for men in
the educational field but certainly at methods by which we can
ultimately manage to do more work with fewer men. Educational
research should enter this field of study.
In conclusion it is stated again that all is well in n school where
God is the authority in the hearts and minds of principal, teachers
and pupils. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/9506 |
| Date | January 1976 |
| Creators | Boshoff, Willem Johannes |
| Publisher | Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Language | other |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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