School Governing Body Members Research Articles

Implementation of School Safety Policy in Primary and Secondary Schools

The educational environment within schools serves as a conduit for achieving the educational goals and objectives of each country. Research conducted over a period suggests that effective teaching and learning can only occur in a safe and secure environment. Yet, even with existing laws, policies, regulations, and programs on school safety, teachers and learners face persistent threats to their safety both inside and outside the school grounds in Naboomspruit Circuit Schools. This study examined the implementation of school safety policies in primary and secondary schools within the Naboomspruit circuit in the Waterberg District in Limpopo Province. The study population consisted of principals, teachers, school governing body members, and learners from five (5) schools within Naboomspruit circuit. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, including two schools from quintiles 1 to 3 (representing poor communities), two schools from quintiles 4 to 5 (representing affluent communities), and one combined school covering grades 1 to 12. The study's key features encompassed evidence-based practices to address school safety challenges. Codes were employed to protect the identities of participants and schools involved in the study. The study's trustworthiness was assessed through criteria like credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. The study findings revealed that schools partially implemented school safety policies, often without communicating them to learners and/or stakeholders. The study concluded by offering recommendations for addressing school safety challenges, grounded in contextual factors. The findings and recommendations are relevant to education managers, NGOs, parents and stakeholders who possess full or partial interest in the field of education or school safety.

Using the Theory of Learning Organisations to Understand the Role of Principals in School Health Promotion: A Case Study

The role of principals is increasingly recognised as important in school health promotion. There is a significant body of literature regarding school health promotion and its benefits for learners and the school community, but little is known about the role of principals. Using Senge’s theory of learning organisations as a framework, this study qualitatively sought to understand the roles of principals in promoting healthy school environments. The study used a combination of semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups to gather data from six school management team members; seven teachers; and three school governing body members from a high school in Fezile Dabi District of the Free State. Individual interview data was obtained and focus group discussions were conducted to confirm the findings. The data gathered was analysed using a combination of inductive classification and theory analysis. The study’s main findings demonstrate that principals should (i) provide leadership in health promotion activities within their schools and in collaborations and partnerships with the external community and (ii) have personal mastery, vision, knowledge and thinking skills to be able to play their role effectively. Furthermore, it was found that all five principles of the theory of learning organisation can be used to understand the role of principals in school health promotion. Based on these findings it is recommended that a learning culture be created in schools. The findings of this research suggest implications regarding both the practice of providing leadership in school health promotion and practices in the preparation of principals and teachers for the task of School Health Promotion. Keywords: Learning Organisations, School Health Promotion, School leadership, Team Learning

Examining the school governing bodies’ and their financial management roles and functions in public schools

The purpose of this paper is to examine the school governing bodies (SGBs) and their financial management roles and functions in public schools. Participants were 24 members of the SGBs’ finance committees who were selected through a purposive sampling technique. A qualitative research approach was followed, and an exploratory case study design was applied. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and secondary documents, and it was analyzed through thematic and document analysis techniques. The findings revealed that members of SGBs do not understand their financial management roles and functions as they do not have the requisite knowledge and skills (Bisschoff & Thurlow, 2005; Dlomo et al., 2022; Sebidi et al., 2023). The findings also revealed that some financial decisions are not taken by designated finance committees, and this compromises the financial management responsibility of SGBs. Furthermore, this study finds that parent members of the SGBs are mostly financially illiterate and passive in meetings, hence their reliance on the school principal for financial decisions (Kruger et al., 2022). This study concludes that members of SGBs must be adequately trained in financial management skills so that they can effectively support their schools.

The rights and roles of parents on school governing bodies in South Africa

The South African Schools Act of 1996 mandates the establishment of school governing bodies (SGBs) comprising parents, educators and non-educator members of staff. Since parents form the majority on SGBs they have been placed in a powerful position and are able to influence the school budget, language policy, discipline and the appointment and promotion of teaching and administrative staff. In addition, the new structure of school governance provides the opportunity to establish a new relationship between the state and parents, set a new direction for education, and provide a learning space where the critical skills of civic capacity might be extended. This paper examines the extent to which this has been achieved. Data was obtained by means of a questionnaire completed by parents and teachers, followed by in-depth interviews with selected principals and school governing body members. Findings suggest that problems still exist around issues of marginalisation of black parents in racially mixed schools, levels of education of parent governors, poverty and lack of resources in rural communities and a lack of understanding between governance and management of schools. Ways in which the rights and roles of parents in school governance can be improved are included in the paper.

Mapping the form of continuing professional development in public-private partnership schools in the Western Cape

Public-private partnership (PPP) schools in the Western Cape, South Africa, are known as collaboration schools. The management of these schools is outsourced to private entities known as school operating partners and these are, inter alia, also contracted to provide support to teachers through continuing professional development (CPD). The CPD activities are meant to up-skill teachers to improve teaching and learning and ultimately, advance learner performance. Although this is a valid principle, there is a need to evaluate the CPD received by collaboration schools. This paper profiles CPD provided in PPP schools to add to the understanding of this new form of schooling that which has taken hold in the Western Cape. Data were collected in the form of questionnaires and in-depth individual interviews with school operating partners, Western Cape Education Department officials, school leadership, teachers, and school governing body members. An analysis of the gathered information reveals that CPD received by teachers tends to focus narrowly on teaching and learning, and lacks the provision of a broad, expansive, and holistic notion of education. It also indicates the need for a better understanding of how such schools provide professional development support for teachers, and the effects on the provision of equitable and quality education for all.

Decentralised Strategic Planning and Capacity Development as Drivers of Leadership Performance in Schools

The purpose of this article is to determine the association between decentralised strategic planning and capacity development as driving forces of leadership for improved performance in public high schools in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. This study used pragmatism as a research paradigm and followed a parallel convergent mixed methods research approach. The sample comprised 170 respondents consisting of 130 school governing body (SGB) members and 40 Department of Education (DoE) officials. Quantitative data were collected from SGB members through a survey while qualitative data were collected from participants using focus group discussions (FGDs) and individual interviews. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis while SPSS software was used to analyse quantitative data. In testing the hypothesis, it was proven that decentralised strategic planning capacity in SGBs was associated with the effectiveness of strategic planning in Mpumalanga’s high schools. The study revealed that the variables, capacity development and decentralised strategic planning, are well associated, and influence leadership for improved performance in high schools. The study also found that school leaders who can develop capacity are able to promote better performance in their schools. Meanwhile, the qualitative results concurrently supported the results of the quantitative study as the influence of capacity development on decentralised school planning proved to have improved school performance and effective decentralised school leadership.

Utilisation of ICT Tools for School Governance amid COVID-19 Crisis in South Africa

Teaching and learning activities in South African schools are a focus of several research on the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resources during the COVID-19 crisis. However, more studies are required to examine how the school principals and the parent-members of the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) used the ICT tools to undertake communication on school governance activities during the COVID-19 lockdown. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis in South African schools, this study examined the use of ICT technologies for decision-making communications relating to issues of school governance between the principals and the SGBs. Utilising a quantitative research methodology, information was gathered from 126 school principals who were chosen at random from the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) in East London, South Africa. The data analysis method employed was descriptive statistics. The findings showed that the majority of SGB parent members had basic ICT skills, could read and write, used ICT tools like smartphones, voice calls, and SMS messaging, which enabled them to interact with school principals and take part in decision-making related to school governance activities during the COVID-19 crisis. The participants described some of the difficulties associated with their choice of ICT tools, including broken smart phones, a lack of expertise with WhatsApp and Telegram, and slow message answers. The study concludes that the SGBs need to align their school policies with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and adopt more ICT platforms for effective communications, governance, teaching, and learning activities in the new normal. It also recommends that, school principals and other SGB members still need to be trained and retrained for the use of ICT tools for efficient virtual or online participation in meetings; and there is also a need to equip SGB members with digital devices such as tablets, laptops, smartphones, and internet data subscriptions to encourage their participation in meetings from homes, offices or any other locations outside of school premises.

AN EXPLORATORY SURVEY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN VHEMBE DISTRICT SCHOOLS

The study was conducted at Malamulele Central and Malamulele-West educational districts of Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. Data was gathered from 4 schools. Three of the 4 schools were public schools, whereas 1 of the schools was a private school. All 4 schools fall under the same circuit. The study was conducted in order to assess and evaluate the quality of leadership provided by the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in the 4 schools. The 4 schools were Jim Yingwane High School (Public school), Mahlefunye Primary School (Public school), EPP Mhinga High School (Public school), and Holy Rosary Catholic School (Private or independent school). The total number of students in the 4 schools was 2, 500. Data was collected on a total of 49 variables of the study by using a questionnaire. All 4 schools were under the Malamulele Central and Malamulele-West educational districts of Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. From among the 4 schools, 3 are public schools, whereas 1 is a private schools. All 4 schools fall under the same circuit. Data was collected from 27 members of SGBs and 58 teachers and 20 circuit officials (105 participants of study). Data was collected from 105 eligible participants by using a self-administered questionnaire of study. The quantitative aspect of study entailed collecting data from n=105 respondents. Frequency tables, percentages, pie charts and bar charts were used for summarising results. The results showed that 69 of the 105 respondents (66%) of the 105 respondents were happy with the quality of academic leadership in SGBs. The remaining 36 of the 105 respondents (34%) were not happy with the quality of academic leadership in SGBs.

(DIS)ENABLERS OF DEMOCRATIZATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL GOVERNANCE IN ZAMBIA

This study sought to explore the functioning of school governing bodies (SGBs) with a view to understand how SGBs enable or disenable democracy in selected secondary schools in the Southern Province of Zambia. The study utilized a qualitative research approach and was underpinned by the conceptual framework of decentralization. The sample comprised members of SGBs (2 chairpersons, 2 head teachers, 2 parent governors, and 2 teacher governors). Data collected from interviews were analyzed thematically, while observations and document review data were analyzed using content analysis. The study established the existence of both enabling and disenabling elements in SGBs. The study concluded that the SGBs were, in the main, democratic and had implemented the principle of decentralization with participation by all eligible stakeholders. Despite the presence of democratic features, certain undemocratic elements were identified in the SGBs. The study further revealed that the SGBs’ lack of adequate preparation impacted negatively on effective delivery by members, and this was in part attributed to some of the disenabling elements found among SGBs. The study, among other things, advocates for the training of school governors if they are to act more democratically.

"They would not like it if men taught in the foundation phase": SGBs' perceptions of the employment of male FP teachers

Efforts to recruit and retain men in the Foundation Phase (FP) teaching and learning have been made all over the world. In South Africa, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) are tasked with the responsibility of diversifying schooling by recommending to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) the employment of teachers in all educational phases. Two and a half decades after the dawn of democracy in South Africa, the teaching of children in the early years is still dominated by women. This study explores how SGBs in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa approach the employment of male teachers in FP. Using a qualitative research approach, we used a semi-structured focus group discussion to generate data with five SGB parent-component members. We analysed the data thematically and found that SGBs' employment of male FP teachers is based on societal constructions of gender over employment policy guidelines. The SGB members showed a lack of policy understanding and at times misinterpreted the policies. These findings have implications for education policymakers and teacher training institutions in facilitating the smooth incorporation of males into FP teaching.

Management versus Governance Power Contests Facing Principals in Schools: Power Relations

The focus of the article is about issues that secondary schools face in terms of the responsibilities of principals and school governing bodies (SGBs) in terms of dispersed leadership rather than one-man role-based leadership. Methods: The study investigates issues of schools surrounding distributed leadership practices using data from research on the connection between the principal and school governing bodies. This research used qualitative and quantitative data collected from secondary school administrators, SGB members, and teachers as part of a design research project. Implications: According to the findings, concentrating on distributed leadership methods may assist overcome some of the drawbacks of providing feedback to a single leader. Findings: In Gauteng secondary schools, opposing ideas and expectations predominate. Where SGBs and principals struggle against one another, ambiguous rules are found. Some principals impose terms on SGBs, while SGBs impose terms on principals. Dysfunctional schools are caused by weak governance and management. In terms of financial problems, there is a lack of transparency in schools. Principals contribute to school problems by refusing or failing to accept their ineptness. They continue to run schools inefficiently; they do not fully engage teachers in school management; they mistreat parents; they impose terms on SGBs; they contribute to dysfunctional schools; school resources are embezzled for purposes not related to the running of schools, and they mix up their work with that of the SGBs. Principals and SGBs should be made aware that cooperation, rather than competition, may be more effective in reducing power struggles in schools.

The Effectiveness of Financial Management Strategies in Public Primary Schools in the South Africa

This paper reports a sequential mixed methods study on the effectiveness of financial management strategies in achieving organisational success and stability in public primary schools in Dwarsloop Circuit, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The study involved six schools and a sample of 78 participants, comprising 72 School Governing Body (SGB) members and six primary school managers. The study shows that the South African Schools Act, 1996 and the Public Finance Management Act, 1999, are key legislation used to govern and administer the finances of public schools in South Africa. It was ascertained that SGB members with a background in teaching, had a better understanding of the South African Schools Act, compared to SGB members who were parents without teaching experience. The research further shows that most schools in the Dwarsloop Circuit do not use strict internal controls nor is there clear and consistent segregation of duties as key aspects of financial management. It is recommended that all SGB members undergo mandatory training required to execute their duties effectively. The Department of Education in conjunction with the relevant agencies, should ensure an annual financial audit is conducted of all schools in the Dwarsloop Circuit of Mpumalanga Province.

A Critique of the Democratic Functionality of the School Disciplinary Committee Structures within a South African Rural Setting

The South Africans Schools Act mandates institutional policy duty bearers such as the school governing bodies (SGBs) and school disciplinary committees (SDCs) through which education stakeholders such as school principals, teachers, parents and learners to democratically formulate and implement school policies. The effectiveness of these bodies in carrying out their responsibilities in most cases is left to speculation. Based on a case study of high schools in a rural district setting in South Africa, this paper reports on the extent to which SDCs are democratically constituted and function in conducting their responsibilities. A qualitative approach was employed to gather data from a purposeful sample of 53 participants at two secondary schools that comprised 10 SGB members, 10 school management team (SMT) members, 9 SDC members, 10 Representative Council of Learners (RCL), 4 class teachers and 10 previously disciplined learners (PDLs). Focus group and individual interviews were the primary data gathering instruments but were complemented by document analysis to cross-check participants’ narratives where necessary. Results indicated that the discharge of the SDC responsibilities was largely undemocratic in both composition and functioning, and therefore unjust in disciplining learners who acted outside school rules. On the basis of our findings, we recommend that the policy duty bearers in school institutional management structures such as the SMT, SGB, RCL and SDC should first be inducted on school policies, roles and responsibilities on assumption of duty.
 
 Received: 28 June 2020 / Accepted: 18 November 2020 / Published: 17 January 2021

Recruiting Competent Teachers in South Africa for a Sustainable Future: The Role of School Governing Bodies

Given the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 agenda, several countries have introduced various initiatives and reforms towards attracting and recruiting competent teachers to empower the next generation so that they can face global challenges and transform and sustain the development of society through education that is inclusive, equitable, of quality, and life-long. This study is, therefore, concerned with the role of school governing bodies to recruit competent teachers for a sustainable future. The study is grounded within the interpretative paradigm using a case study approach for data collection from a small sample consisting of ten school governing Bodies (SGBs) in uMkhanyakude District. The findings from this study establish that SGB members perform supervisory duties, prepare interviews, and conduct marking and selection as well as recommending staff. However, members of the SGB were not aware of the qualities required of competent teachers for a sustainable future. Furthermore, the study indicated that external influences and a shortage of qualified teachers are the major challenges encountered by members of SGBs in the process of recruiting competent teachers. The study concludes that the role of SGBs is significant and should not be downplayed if sustainable education that can transform our world is to become a reality.

School financial management: Insights for decision making in public primary schools

To realise the ideal of quality inclusive education, proper financial management is vital. Existing literature indicates that the mismanagement of school funds is largely due to principals and the school governing bodies (SGB) in many schools not having good working relationships with stakeholders and lacking the necessary financial skills, more specifically in schools in townships and rural areas. The study we report on in this article investigated the financial management of public primary schools situated in urban areas by adopting a qualitative research approach and employing a multiple case study research design. Five schools participated and data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with the principal, school accountant and chairperson of the SGB of the selected schools. Findings revealed that, despite the fact that all South African schools are governed and controlled by the South African Schools Act, the financial management of fee-paying schools differs from no-fee schools situated in townships and rural areas. In many schools, the unavailability of the parent members of SGBs and their limited financial skills were barriers to effective financial decisions. Based on these findings, we recommend that the relevant stakeholders involved in school financial management obtain continuous training from the Department of Basic Education, in order to empower and support school governors to effectively carry out their financial functions.

Collaboration practices between the two tiers of school leadership in eradicating underperformance

Collaboration between the school governing body (SGB) and the school management team (SMT) in underperforming schools remains the crest for successful action taken to turn around performance as envisaged in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (Republic of South Africa, 1996). Their interaction is crucial in advancing the course of performance improvement. In the study reported on here a qualitative method and an interpretivist approach was used to explore how shared leadership collaboration practices between the SGB and SMT can improve performance. A case of 3 purposefully sampled underperforming schools in the Gauteng West district was undertaken. Interviews with 3 principals (individually) and 3 focus group interviews with parent SGB members, SMT members and teachers were conducted. Findings show that when developmental needs of SGBs are considered significant and stakeholders are mobilised towards collective effort (letsema), collaboration and interaction enable school performance. It is recommended that SGB development be contextualised to enable swift interaction with stakeholders; the essence of the SGB and SMT collaboration in providing leadership and dealing with issues impacting on performance should be highlighted, so that they can plan activities that bring about improved performance. Employing courageous conversations to achieve institutional goals should be through collaborative endeavours that are inspired by ubuntu leadership practice.

Collaboration between school management teams and governing bodies in effectively managing public primary school finances

The South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 requires school governing bodies (SGBs) to take responsibility for the management of school finances. However, research in this field of study revealed that many SGB members lack the necessary knowledge and financial skills to effectively and efficiently manage schools’ finances. This has resulted in more financial responsibilities assigned to principals, who in turn solicit the assistance of other members of school management teams (SMTs), which include heads of departments (HoDs) and deputy principals. Given that principals and SGBs grapple with the demands of managing financial resources effectively, this study explores the necessity for SMTs to collaborate with principals and SGBs. Qualitative research was used to determine the factors that drive or hinder authentic collaboration among SMT members and SGB governors in the Gauteng West and Johannesburg West education districts. This research followed an interpretivist approach, focusing on the descriptive, contextual and exploratory nature of the inquiry. Findings revealed that collaboration between members of the SGBs and SMTs on school finances are usually non-existent. It is recommended that more structures and opportunities should be created to enable effective communication and teamwork among various role-players. Cultivating and sustaining collaborative relationships between members of SGBs and SMTs will certainly contribute to effective financial management. Keywords: budgeting; collaboration; financial management; professional management; school management teams; teamwork

Policy compliance of SGB members on their financial management roles in selected no-fee schools in Limpopo province of South Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of school governing bodies (SGBs) members’ role in financial management in no-fee schools so as to understand their compliance with policy frameworks when managing school finances. No-fee schools are schools in which the learners cannot be levied fees because of the poor socio-economic background of their parents, and are located in Quintiles 1-3 according to National Norms and Standards for School Funding Policy.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research design/approach within the interpretive paradigm was adopted for the study. A sample of 22 participants from six selected no-fee schools was purposefully selected to participate in the study. The participants were principals, SGB chairpersons, SGB treasurers and finance officers. Data were collected through interviews and document analyses and were qualitatively analysed through coding and categorisation.FindingsThe findings reveal that the perceptions, experience and understanding of SGB members on their financial management roles differ. They lacked the proper knowledge to manage their funds effectively. This lack of knowledge is mainly because of the members’ literacy level and limited training.Originality/valueThis study offers a novel empirical and theoretical perspective on finance of no-fee schools and SGBs. This research subsequently recommends that rigorous training of chairpersons and treasurers should be done by department officials located in the finance section. Further, training should be conducted in a language that would be understood by the intended recipients.

Management style and school violence: South African perspectives

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the reduction of school violence from the management point of view. It reflects on the utterances by teachers, principals, learners and members of school governing bodies (SGBs) to establish the influence that school management practices can have on the prevalence of school violence.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative case study. Thus, semi-structured interviews with teachers, principals, learners and members of SGBs were conducted. In addition, focus group interviews with pupils and observations were used to collect data.FindingsFindings suggest that most schools were still run in an authoritarian manner. Resultantly, it was also found that an authoritarian school management style practiced seemed to encourage the persistence of violence in schools.Practical implicationsPolicies should incorporate and emphasise the use of pragmatic, critical democratic style of management to address school violence. This is important because a well-run, inclusive and more democratic school can help to reduce external and internal forms of violence. The results from this study further indicate that a poorly run and badly organised school is more prone to various forms of violence.Originality/valueThe paper adds to the growing body of knowledge in the field of educational management and offers a reference point for further research in the pursuit to eliminate violence in schools. The findings may also be a useful resource for school principals, teachers, policy-makers and other stakeholders who are seeking to eliminate violence in schools.

More Heads are Better than One: School-Based Decision-Making in Varied School Environments

ABSTRACTIn this multi-case qualitative study the degree to which school-based decision-making (SBDM) is understood and conceptualised by the members of school governing bodies (SGBs) - educators, chairpersons of SGBs, principals, and learner representative councils-as well the extent to which decisions were shared among the various groups represented on the SGBs were examined. Multiple sources, such as meeting observations and interviews were used to collect data. Data revealed that decision-making processes in townships and rural schools seemed to be dominated by educators (educator-dominated SGB) and principals (principal-dominated SGB) respectively, while the urban school appeared to have achieved true shared decision-making (balanced decision-making). I therefore suggest that it is not sufficient to accept that promulgation at face value; and expect that implementation of policies in schools would suddenly convert these schools into true institutions practising and cherishing shared decision-making in their daily operations. Collective active efforts and ongoing training are still needed for the more effective functioning of SGBs. Although the research has tended to validate the findings of other studies, it has also made some contribution to the knowledge about the integration of the adapted governance models to analyse the extent to which decisions were shared among the members of SGBs in the selected three case studies. Its use in this study is, therefore, a methodological contribution to the study of SBDM.