Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In April 1994, after South Africa's first democratic elections, a new era in education commenced.
The education system was transformed to a unitary system and a programme of legislation was
launched aimed at promoting democratic ideals and practices. Of particular importance to schools
was the South African Schools Act (Act No. 84 of 1996) by which significant powers were granted
to School Governing Bodies (SGBs) at local level In addition to the school principal, a SGB was
to be composed of elected representatives of four main stakeholder groups: educators, non-educator
staff, learners (in Grade 8 or above) and parents. The powers and responsibilities allocated by the
Act indicated that the introduction of SGBs had far-reaching potential to improve school
effectiveness and, more importantly, to contribute to the growth of democracy in South Africa.
The writer of this study was an educator, resident in the Northern Province and with significant
first-hand teaching experience in schools in rural and semi-rural areas of the province, as well as
experience as a member of a SGB. This experience had made him keenly aware of the role that
SGBs could play in improving schools with which he was familiar. The purpose of the research
was therefore to investigate the role of SGBs in rural areas of the Northern Province.
To evaluate the role of SGBs, the researcher aimed to investigate aspects such as whether SGBs
were in fact properly established, e.g. through the conduct of proper elections, how stakeholders
perceived their roles, what functions were typically performed by SGBs, the perceptions of
roleplayers about significant progress and or problems, and what needs for help or training were
experienced. In particular the research aimed to discover whether there were particular needs
associated with SGBs in the rural areas in order to determine what sort of capacity-building was
required.
The approach used in the investigation followed four main steps. Firstly, a literature study provided
the basis for analysis and clarification of important concepts. Secondly, the legal and policy context
was described, paying particular attention to the specific legislation and documents that frame
school governance in South Africa. Thirdly, the writer examined the context of Northern Province,
describing four stages in the history of educational administration and focusing on rural
communities in particular. The fourth perspective was gained by an empirical study of a sample of
ten secondary schools in the rural and semi-rural areas around the town of Thohoyandou. The method of investigation was to use questionnaires and interviews to obtain data from
representatives of all five stakeholder groups in SGBs at each of these schools.
The findings led to the conclusion that SGBs were largely well-established in the rural areas of
Northern Province. They were widely accepted as legitimate and worthwhile structures but there
were specific important needs for training and capacity-building. Perhaps the most important
finding was that parents in rural areas appear to find it very difficult to become involved in the
educational life of schools and are especially reluctant to serve on SGBs. Reasons for this apparent
apathy were found to lie in problems of illiteracy and feelings of ignorance or inferiority.
These conclusions enabled the researcher to make specific recommendations for improving the role
and functioning of SGBs. Recommendations were made for improving the role of SGBs as a whole
as well as for capacity-building relating to the needs of each stakeholder group. A particular
emphasis of these recommendations was on ways in which the unique needs of rural communities
can be met. This was seen as a priority in order to improve education in secondary schools in these
historically underdeveloped areas and through that, promote the growth of democracy in the rural
areas of Northern Province. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika se eerste demokratiese verkiesing op 26 April 1994 het 'n nuwe era vir die onderwys
ingelei. Een unitêre en eenvormige geïntergreerde onderwysstelsel is gevestig en 'n program
geloods van nuwe wetgewing gerig op die bevordering van demokratiese ideale en praktyke. Van
besondere belangrikheid vir skole was die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolewet (Wet Nr 84 van 1996) wat
bepaalde magte aan skole op plaaslike vlak afgewentel het deur die instelling van Skool
Beheerliggame (SBLs). Saam met die skoolhoof, was SBLs saamgestel deur verkose
verteenwoordigers van vier hoof belanghebbende groepe: opvoeders, nie-opvoederpersoneel,
leerders (in Graad 8 of bo) en ouers. Die magte en verantwoordelikhede deur die Wet aan SBLs
geallokeer was 'n aanduiding dat die instelling van SBLs verreikende potensiaal gehad het om
skooleffektiewiteit te bevorder sowel as 'n belangrike bydrae te maak tot die ontwikkeling van
demokrasie in Suid-Afrika.
Die skrywer van die studie was 'n opvoeder, woonagtig In die Noordelike Provinsie en met
eerstehandse ervaring van onderwys in skole in die landelike gebiede van die provinsie. Hy het ook
ervaring gehad as lid van 'n SBL. Sy ondervinding het hom skerp bewus gemaak van die moontlike
rol van SBLs in die verbetering en opheffing van skole waarmee hy vertroud was. Die doel van die
navorsing was dus om die rol van SBLs in die landelike gebiede van die Noordelike Provinsie te
ondersoek.
Om die rol van SBLs te evalueer het die navorser besluit om aspekte te ondersoek soos die
vestiging van SBLs, bv. of hulle welordentlik gevestig was, o.a. deur die bepaalde
verkiesingsprosedures, die persepsies van belanghebbendes oor hulle eie rolle, die tipiese funksies
deur SBLs gerig, die rolspelers se eie persepsies van beduidende vordering en/of probleme in die
funksionering van hulle SBLs, en enige opvallende behoeftes. Die navorsing het veral gepoog om
agter te kom of daar spesifieke eiesoortige behoeftes t.O.V. SBLs in gemeenskappe in landelike
gebiede was. Om sulke behoeftes te kon bepaal sou bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van geskikte
programme vir kapasiteitsbou by SBLs in landelike gebied.
Die ondersoek het uit vier hoofstappe bestaan. Eerstens het In literatuurstudie bygedra tot die
ontleding en verduideliking van belangrike konsepte. Tweedens is die wetlike en beleidskonteks
beskryf, met besondere verwysing na die raamwerk van spesifieke wetgewing en dokumente wat
skoolbeheer in Suid-Afrika bepaal Derdens het die skrywer die konteks van Noordelike Provinsie omskryf, insluitend 'n beskrywing van vier fases in die geskiedenis van onderwysbeheer Daar is
ook veralop die eienskappe van landelike gemeenskappe gefokus. Die vierde perpsektief was deur
'n empiriese ondersoek verkry, gebasseer op 'n seleksie van tien sekondêre skole in die landelike en
semi-landelike gebied rondom Thohoyandou. Die ondersoek het gebruik gemaak van vraelyste en
onderhoude met verteenwoordigers van elkeen van die belanghebbende groepe. Daardeur is
gegewens bekom van al vyf belanghebbende groepe by elkeen van die tien skole.
Die bevindinge het tot die gevolgtrekking gelei dat SBLs reeds grootendeels gevestig was in die
landelike gebiede van Noordelike Provinsie. Dit het geblyk dat SBLs wyd aanvaar was as legitieme
instellings, maar dat daar spesifieke behoeftes was vir opleiding en kapasiteitsbou. Moontlik die
belangrikste bevinding was dat ouers in die landelike gemeenskappe dit blykbaar baie moeilik vind
om betrokke te raak in die opvoedingstaak en lewe van skole en veral skaam is om op SBLs te dien.
Redes wat vir hierdie skynbaar apatetiese gedrag aangevoer is, was dat die meerderheid ouers
ongeletterd is en dat gevoelens van onkundigheid, onbekwaamheid en minderwaardigheid ouers
weerhou om deel te neem ..
Bogenoemde gevolgtrekkings van die studie het die navorser in staat gestelom spesifieke
aanbevelings te maak t.o.v. die ontwikkeling en verbetering van die funksionering van SBLs.
Aanbevelings is gemaak om die rol van die SBL in die algemeen te verbeter, sowel as t.o.v.
kapasiteitsbou gerig op die spesifieke behoeftes van bepaalde belanghebbende groepe. Die
aanbevelings het in besonder klem laat val op die soeke na wyses waardeur die unieke behoeftes
van landelike gemeenskappe aangespreek kan word. Hierdie behoefte word as 'n prioriteit beskou
om onderwysverbetering in sekondêre skole in hierdie histories onderontwikkelde gebiede te
versnel. Daardeur sou die ontwikkeling van demokrasie in die landelike gebiede van Noordelike
Provinsie ook versterk en bevorder word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53165 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Tshifura, Vhonani Willbert |
| Contributors | Taylor, D. J. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 124 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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