School Governing Bodies Research Articles

영국 학부모정책의 동향 및 시사점: 학부모 참여 활성화 및 책무성 강화를 위한 학부모정책

This study analyzed recent trends in UK parent involvement policies to draw implications for parent policies in South Korea. A comprehensive literature review revealed four key areas. First, while the UK has long encouraged parental involvement, recent discussions have increasingly centered on strengthening parental accountability. Second, the UK emphasizes the shared responsibilities of schools, students, and parents, as outlined in family-school agreements. Third, the UK's School Governing Bodies act as major decision-making bodies, while parent councils facilitate effective communication between schools and parents, and PTAs encourage active voluntary parental participation. Finally, the UK’s parent policies clearly define the roles, powers, and responsibilities of parents through systematic legal frameworks. Based on these findings, this study proposes enacting 「The Family and School Partnerships for Student Education Act」 and introducing the School-Parent Agreement system in Korea.

The efficiency of financial management systems in selected schools in the Amathole West education district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Managing school finances by school governing bodies (SGBs) in South African secondary schools has proven to be a challenge that has several negative consequences for education, infrastructure, and other resources. The purpose of this article was to assess the efficiency of financial management systems (FMSs) in selected schools in the Amathole West education district. A case study design and qualitative approach were employed in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select SGB members from 2 schools in the district. The research participants were interviewed using face to face and telephonic interviews. We found that while there is understanding and alignment of financial systems by SGBs, insufficient or limited financial resources, inconsistencies in dealing with financial management matters, and government deposit allocation delays, SGBs’ level of education and bank operations pose challenges and lead to the misalignment of school operations. Based on the study, we suggest that SGBs adopt strategies to enhance the financial management of schools, namely monitoring and evaluation, the appointment of qualified SGB members, increased training, a stipend system for SGBs and timeous deposit of funds to schools.

The Effect of the Relationship between Principals and School Governing Bodies on Grade 12 Learner Performance

This case study explores the effect of the relationship between the principal of a secondary school within a poor community and the school governing body (SGB) on Grade 12 learner performance. The paper challenges the negative stereotype of the relationship between school principals and SGBs in lower-quintile schools. Much of the literature reports on allegations by principals that SGBs do not contribute to the improvement of schools; rather, they interfere negatively with the management thereof. This paper is couched in the collegial model. Using a single case study, the findings are based on qualitative data collected during interviews conducted with the principal and the chair of the SGB as well as observations in the classrooms and on the school grounds. The study found that there was a good relationship between the principal and the SGB chair. The paper concludes that a harmonious relationship between the principal and the SGB allows the SGB to support the school, resulting in enhanced Grade 12 academic performance in mathematics. A harmonious relationship between the principal and SGB forms the foundation for the academic performance of learners, as the majority of the SGB is represented by parents of the school. The data collected during the research study suggests that the greater school community must ensure that the chair of the SGB and the school principal have a good relationship and that the SGB is supportive of the school in advancing its educational activities.

Perception of School Governing Bodies About Decentralisation of School Governance in Eswatini, Swaziland

Perception of School Governing Bodies About Decentralisation of School Governance in Eswatini, Swaziland

Undiminishing school governance: investigating ‘governance maturity theory’ for school governing bodies

ABSTRACT Organizational maturity can inform decision-making, build strategy and underpin development. This paper argues that ‘Governance Maturity Theory’ (GMT) can act as a developmental modality for school Governing Bodies – and offers an alternative to disciplinary mechanisms such as inspections. Evidence generated by governors, Chairs, and Governance Professionals of Boards in England were used to map the value of inspections for developing school governance and to co-construct GMT. Grounded in organizational maturity theory and governmentality, the project developed two key findings. First, despite inspections driving much of what schools and Boards did, they had diminished the role of governance and had negligible value as either a developmental framework or for ascertaining the value of governors’ work. Second, GMT could support Boards to build their decision-making and strategic leadership capabilities and drive their development. The paper concludes that GMT can enable Boards to resist the inspectorate’s gaze and its notions of undemocratic ‘good’ governance and move towards mature strategic leadership.

Examining the Political Influences on School Governance in South Africa: A Case Study of the Zululand District

This research examines the impact of political party affiliations and interference on school management in the Zululand District of South Africa. Using an interpretive research approach and qualitative methods, including an extensive review of existing literature and data collection through interviews, the study conducts semi-structured interviews with 21 individuals from three public primary schools. It also explores the influence of political factors on School Governing Bodies (SGBs), including their involvement in party politics and the challenges they face in enhancing their capacities. The findings confirm significant political interference in school governance, particularly in rural areas where political affiliations influence decision-making. SGBs often align themselves with political parties, leading to governance inefficiencies and conflicts among parent governors. Through the lens of participatory democratic theory, the study reveals governance capture in rural schools, with discriminatory practices and corruption arising as consequences of political intervention. The recommendations call for empowering SGBs to navigate political pressures through policy reforms, ensuring autonomy for parent governors, and reassessing the permissible extent of political influence within the governance framework. Additionally, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is urged to address socioeconomic factors exacerbating corruption and to uphold integrity within school governance structures. By addressing the influence of politics and enhancing transparency, the DBE can cultivate a more equitable and effective educational environment for rural South African students.

Strategies to support rural-based schools in teaching and learning during COVID-19: The case of the Maune circuit in the Capricorn North district

With this study we investigated strategies to support rural-based schools in teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in 6 secondary schools in the Maune circuit, Capricorn North district of the Limpopo province, South Africa. A qualitative research approach using a case study research design was followed in the study. The population consisted of 42 school management teams (SMTs) and school governing bodies (SGBs) in the Maune circuit. Purposive sampling was used to select 18 participants. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. The social realist theory was adopted as theoretical framework using the concepts of structure, culture and agency as theoretical lenses. We found that the Department of Basic Education did not train SMTs and SGBs, which affected teaching and learning. We concluded that due to the unavailability of ICT infrastructure within the Maune circuit, teaching and learning during strict lockdown (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) were impossible and difficult when learners were rotating attendance. We recommend a shift from a blanket approach to school support to conducting an intensive needs analysis for each school in order to provide appropriate and relevant support. A social realist approach to school support is also recommended, where structure and culture are considered critical attributes for school development. It will be good for policy makers, role players and stakeholders to work together towards a common goal and carry out their agential role in ensuring that the needs of marginalised learners are met in schools.

Intervention Strategies for Challenges Experienced when Supporting Learners from Child-headed Households in Secondary Schools in South Africa

The study reported here aimed to explore the Intervention strategies for challenges experienced when supporting learners from child-headed households in secondary schools. Children from child-headed households experience challenges that hinder them from receiving good quality education. It is, therefore important for schools to ensure that classroom teachers are aware of the challenges experienced by children from child-headed households. This study followed the qualitative approach to explore the intervention strategies to be used. The study consisted of 20 participants (principals, Departmental Heads, teachers and School Governing Bodies) in South Africa. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The Bottom-up theory was the underpinning theory for our study. Thematical analysis was followed. This study revealed that children from child-headed households were not identified at schools. Therefore, schools do not have a database of children from child-headed households hence a lack of intervention strategies. We recommended that schools should establish the School Based Support Team and follow the collaborative model as an intervention to support children from child-headed households. The study provided insights on intervention strategies that schools and the Department of Education should implement for challenges experienced by schools when supporting learners from child-headed households. Keywords: Intervention Strategies, Collaborative Model, Child-Headed Household, Collaboration

Human Rights Education: Exploring the Safety of Teachers in South African Secondary Public Schools

This paper examined the extent and nature of safety for teachers in their different school settings and further underscored the importance of safety for teachers in the school context. The current school environment is violent owing to the increasing lack of teachers’ ability to maintain order in schools due to the uncertain alternatives to corporal punishment. This creates a hostile learning environment that weakens the teachers’ position of power and prohibits them from using their authority and fulfilling their duty to provide learners with compassionate monitoring. A qualitative interpretivist research paradigm was used in this study employing Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) as a research framework. A CER framework aims to strengthen the liberating, enlightening, emancipating, and empowering democratic values of equality and justice among the researcher and the participants in the research setting. A team of four teachers, a principal, and the School Governing Body (SGB) member from each school were purposively sampled to apply the principles of PAR in Lejweleputswa District in the Free State Province in South Africa. A focused group was employed to answer the following questions: What are the perceptions of secondary school teachers regarding their safety in the school setting? To what extent does learners’ violent behaviour threaten teachers’ safety at schools? And, how can teachers be assisted to change their minds regarding Human Rights Education as a tool for peaceful education? Data was analysed thematically. The findings of this research showed that teachers do not feel safe at their workplace, they fear both learners and parents who most of the time come to humiliate them physically and emotionally in front of their learners. The study contributes to a debate on the safety of teachers in schools for professional development. Keywords: Human Rights Education, Teacher-Learner Relationships, Teachers’ Safety, Parental Involvement.

Cultural Ramifications on the Educability of Pregnant and Parenting Learners at Four South African High Schools

The study investigated how the socio-cultural and traditional practices of school-based education duty-bearers influenced the educational access and participation of pregnant and parenting learners (PPLs) who chose to continue with schooling after falling pregnant. Using a qualitative case study research design, four high schools with high rates of girl pregnancy from one South African education district were purposively selected. The participants included 8 school governing body (SGB), 8 school management team (SMT), 8 pregnant-monitoring teachers (PMT), 8 class teachers, 8 PPLs and 8 mainstream learners who schooled with PPLs. Data were collected through individual interviews for PPLs for their confidentiality, and focus group interviews for all the other participants. Study results indicated that due to cultural, traditional perceptions and practices, the South African national education policy measures on the prevention and management of learner pregnancy which allows schoolgirls to return to school after giving birth was loosely observed and implemented at the schools. The reasons for these are; a) Negative attitudes of teachers and mainstream to PPLs; b) Domestication of motherhood and childrearing by community; c) Mythological discernment of PPLs by mainstream learners; d) Character contamination; and e) Femininity as a negative label on PPLs in a formal school setting. Thus, from the findings, it is recommended that school-based duty bearers be trained on democratic education policy frameworks and their implementation strategies, to benefit the vulnerable children such as PPLs, among others.

Non-Educator Stakeholders and Public-School Principals' Views on the Proposed Amendments to the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996

On 13 October 2017, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) published Government Gazette No 41178 pertaining to the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (hereinafter BELA). The draft bill proposes to amend certain sections of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996. The DBE gave education stakeholders a window period to make inputs on the proposed Bill. Over 5000 submissions were received.
 On 27 and 28 January 2020, Ms Angie Motshekga (Minister of Basic Education) invited the educator unions and governing body federations to further consultations on the Bill. The Bill was again circulated to the public in 2021 in Government Gazette number 45601 after further amendments.
 In this article, the authors discuss school principals’ (as education stakeholders) opinions on the proposed amendments with a specific focus on school admission and language policies.
 The research on which this article is based was located within the framework of government and management terms like the decentralisation and recentralisation of the powers of principals and school governing bodies (SGBs) and the recent phenomenon of political realism.
 The research took the form of a qualitative case study using triangulation (semi-structured interviews, literature review and document analysis) to gather data.
 The data produced mixed results. Some education stakeholders were very critical of the proposed amendments to the South African Schools Act while other groups welcomed the proposed changes. Some principals felt that the government was employing political realism in rescinding (recentralising) some of the powers that had been devolved to them in 1996 after the dawn of democracy in South Africa. They believed that the recentralisation would impede their autonomy when they carry out their professional and governance duties (the duties the school governing body delegated to the principal) in partnership with their SGBs. They believed it represented a regression to apartheid education. Other principals welcomed a more centralised governance approach where school leadership was dysfunctional and where SGBs provided no meaningful assistance to school principals.

A Call for the Institutionalisation of School Social Work Services in the O.R. Tambo Inland Secondary Schools to Counter the Psycho-Social ills Among Learners

Undeniably, learners in many secondary schools are confronted with an array of psychosocial ills that have a detrimental effect on their academic performance and overall development. This paper endeavours to delve into the ills encountered by learners in secondary schools, thereby necessitating the institutionalisation of school social work interventions in the O.R. Tambo Inland. The study adopted an exploratory and descriptive approach, aiming to explore and describe the phenomenon under scrutiny. A qualitative research methodology was employed to conduct in-depth interviews with a group of 12 learners. Furthermore, the quintet of School Governing Body (SGB) constituents actively participated in a collective discourse, constituting a focus group discussion. The empirical data were analysed thematically, with the ecological perspective and General Strain Theory (GST) being an intrinsic theoretical framework. Evidence on the ground suggests that learners are unfortunately confronted with a multitude of psychosocial ills, including but not limited to substance abuse, financial difficulties, instances of bullying, depressive symptoms, experiences of sexual abuse, and occurrences of incestuous relationships. As such, the researcher proposes that the Department of Education (DoE) should place a higher emphasis on the recruitment and deployment of social workers within schools to address the psychosocial needs of vulnerable learners effectively.

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.

Managing Workplace Harmony as a Contributor to Institutional Functionality: A Case Study of the Sekhukhu in Limpopo Province, South Africa

This paper examined the contribution of workplace or schooling harmony to the functionality and high performance of secondary schools in the form of learners consistently producing brilliant results. The paper was motivated by diverse discourses about how the presence of a cordial and cooperative mood among schoolmates generates the spirit of collegiality and collectivism within secondary school learners. The paper is conceptual and empirical in nature within the qualitative research paradigm. The question guiding this paper is: why are myriad secondary schools not utilising schooling harmony to promote institutional functionality which leads to good learner performance? An interviewing technique and narrative enquiry were utilised to generate data. Out of the population of 16 public secondary schools in one of the circuits in Sekhukhune district in Limpopo Province, South Africa, six were conveniently sampled. In each of the schools, only representatives of the teacher components in the School Governing Body and Chairpersons of the Representative Council of Learners were selected as research participants. Altogether there were 12 research participants. Findings revealed that considering the dynamic nature of educational institutions workplace or schooling harmony could be a product of multi-facetted occurrences in an institution. Issues such as a sense of insecurity, a product of an identity crisis, the harrowing pain of growing up without a father, the impact of denial by a blood father, the absence of enlightened school leadership, mocking by fellow learners and becoming a victim of grade repetition were found to cause learner anger outbursts which negatively impacted institutional harmony. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that public educational institutions prioritise the provision of counselling and psycho-social support to victims of workplace or schooling disharmony to restore their emotional and mental stability. Such stability could enable those learners to cope with their schooling duties just like the rest of others. The contribution of this paper to scholarship is in terms of unveiling how effectively managed schooling or workplace harmony could contribute to institutional functionality and high performance of secondary schools. Keywords: Competition, Functionality, Harmony, Identity, Leadership, Security, Workplace.

The oversight functions of school governing bodies in the management of budgets

The South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 (RSA, 1996) heralded a shift in decision-making powers through decentralising school governance from the state to local communities. One of the primary functions of school governing bodies (SGBs) is to manage school finances. It is imperative for SGBs to design and implement irrefutable finance policies that clearly and unambiguously spell out specific structures and processes by applying relevant legislation and regulations enforced by the Ministry of Education. Using a generic qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm, this paper accentuates the oversight functions of SGBs to manage budgets effectively and efficiently. This research was grounded in a social constructivist paradigm and data were collected by way of semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Findings revealed that many SGBs place very little importance on the oversight functions of budgets which usually result in the mismanagement of school funds. This is reflected in poor finance policy formulation and implementation, and the absence of operational mechanisms (e.g. budget variance analysis) to curb wasteful and fruitless expenditure. Furthermore, challenges associated with the non-compliance of a finance policy and the failure of SGBs to take timely corrective action exasperate the problems of poor financial management.

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.

A Framework for Implementing Positive Learner Discipline in Public Secondary Schools from the Context of the Mpumalanga Province

Abstract Introduction: Learner indiscipline has emerged as a global cause for concern for educators and parents in the 21st century. This study sought to develop a framework for the successful implementation of positive discipline. The study sought to provide answers revolving around the contributing factors towards learner indiscipline, the effects of indiscipline on teaching and learning, educators’ perceptions on positive discipline, factors leading to the ineffective implementation of positive discipline and the constituents of an effective framework for implementing positive discipline. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative approach. Districts were identified utilising convenience sampling, while participants were sampled purposively. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Six schools from two districts in the Mpumalanga Province were selected as the study sample. The sample comprised twenty-four participants, including principals, class teachers, Life Orientation teachers, and chairpersons of School Governing Bodies from each school. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data and present the findings. Results: The findings revealed that learner indiscipline is affected by several contributing factors such as family situation, community setting, human rights, peer pressure, educators, and learners themselves. Lack of stakeholder engagement, absence of training, overemphasis on learners’ rights and conditioning of educators and parents on corporal punishment are the factors that have led to the ineffective implementation of positive discipline. Discussion:To ensure the implementation of positive discipline is successful, a framework should support a multi-stakeholder consideration to engagement. Ubuntu values should be incorporated in re-packaging the positive discipline toolkit so that it suits the local context. Limitations: Only two education districts in one province of South Africa formed part of the study. Conclusions: Educators are to adopt a revised curriculum that accommodates positive discipline and Ubuntu values in related subjects taught in school. Effective implementation requires regular monitoring, evaluation and reviewing of the positive discipline approach. The study proposed an Afrocentric framework for the implementation of positive discipline.

Resources mobilisation challenges in rural schools of South Africa: What can we learn?

Government efforts to provide equal and quality education in rural schools has yielded minimal change in South Africa since the dawn of democracy in 1994.Growing inequalities and recent economic constraints exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic have further exposed and deepened resource scarcity among rural communities and schools. The South African Schools Act (1996) is clear that, through school stakeholders such as School Governing Bodies (SGB’s), schools are required to supplement resources provided by the State. However, there is a paucity of research that explores resource mobilisation challenges experienced by school stakeholders in rural schools of South Africa. The article is based on a qualitative research study, supported by the Asset-based theory and Resource mobilisation theory. To collect data, we used participatory approaches such as the Free Attitude Interviews (FAI) and SWOT analysis. Four main findings emerged from the data, which were used to make recommendations to address and improve the quality of education in rural communities.

Governance as subversion of democratisation in South African schools

ABSTRACT In post-apartheid South Africa, a foregrounding of democratic citizenship education through broadened and inclusive participation is especially evident in a decentralised school-based leadership, management, and governance system. Policy-wise, the involvement of parents in School Governing Body (SGB) structures is seen as an enactment of representative and collective consultation, key to the democratisation of schooling and education. In practice, however, the wide-sweeping authority of SGBs, has allowed several schools to continue a historical narrative of exclusion and inequality, effectively widening the gaps between historically advantaged and disadvantaged schools, and putting into effect renewed tensions of inequality and inequity. Key questions arise: has the state erred in its trust of SGBs to enact democratisation? Or are there limits to what democratisation can achieve? In considering these questions, the article explores re-considerations of governance so that interpretations of democratisation of schools are not used in the subversion of education as a public good.

Financial management decision-making of school finance committees in public primary schools in Mpumalanga province, South Africa

Subject to the South African Schools Act, 84 of 1996 section 16(1), the governance of every public school is vested in its governing body and it may perform only such functions and obligations and exercise only such rights as prescribed by the Act. Section 30(1a) of this Act demands school governing bodies to establish committees and appoint members of the School Governing Body (SGB) to such committees based on expertise. With this study I investigated the financial management decision-making of school finance committees in public primary schools in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. A qualitative approach was applied in the study. Focus-group interviews were used to collect data from the purposefully selected 2 public primary schools in which the finance committee members were involved. A case study design was applied. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse the collected data. All the participants demonstrated awareness of their financial management decision-making roles. Participants revealed that they did not perform their roles effectively due to their illiteracy levels, limited understanding of financial management legislation, inadequate training, interference of the principals in the management of finances, poor consultation and communication. I recommend to the Department of Education to provide financial committees with adequate support and training, to capacitate principals in the area of human relations and resource management and consider appointing financial management advisors at the circuit offices within districts to assist in guiding, monitoring and evaluating the financial management processes in schools on a regular basis.