Bibliography: pages 53-58. / Following the events of South Africa's democratisation in 1994, the country is undergoing transformation processes in virtually all spheres of life. Education is widely accepted as the one field where transformation is most needed. However at school level so many' complexities exist, that the management of the process of change and transformation requires a new approach to the effective training and development of education managers. It is precisely in this regard, that this research report seeks to offer an insight into the existing situation and understand the difficulties involved in attempts to address this need, with specific focus on the need for training and development of middle and senior management. One notable attempt to address the need for formal training and development programs for education managers and leaders in order to meet the demands of transformation, is the organisation development (OD) approach of the Teacher lnservice Project (TIP). Embodied in the OD approach of TIP, is the philosophy and methodology of Action Research, which encourages self-reflective enquiry and allows participants to be active in their own transformation process. In an attempt to locate TIP within the existing literature, the study shows how much it breaks new ground in the field. This new ground is reflected in the role assigned to action research within OD. TIP's approach to educational management and leadership, has value to both historically disadvantaged as well as advantaged schools, because its understanding of transformation is not solely based on the acquisition of material resources. The present educational crisis has to do with the provision of adequate resources to especially disadvantaged schools. The Western Cape Education Department (WECD) has taken cognisance of the transformational role of education management, in that it has called on Western Cape Business to advise on school administration. School governance and management would have full responsibility for monetary allocations and thus schools would be trained to run like small businesses. As stated by the Executive Director of the WCED, 'being a principal will change radically and require thinking like a company MD', (Cape Times, 13 March 1998). However this begs the question of how justified the implementation of corporate world practices in education is. One should bear in mind that fiscal expertise is but one of the plethora of skills which current education managers require. OD through action research could seemingly effect transformation of the entire system within which that school operates. Conclusions drawn from this research report clearly point to the interdependence of educational transformation as espoused by TIP - to restructure and redefine school management and the national attempt to consolidate democracy within education. TIP helps to focus attention on the need to implement School Based Management (SBM) as an exercise of empowering the teaching profession, because in essence, a critical and constructive disposition is developed in educators through Action Research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uct/oai:localhost:11427/17528 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Scholtz, Desireé Leonora |
| Contributors | Soudien, Crain |
| Publisher | University of Cape Town, Faculty of Humanities, Centre for Educational Research |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Master Thesis, Masters, MEd |
| Format | application/pdf |
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