Improving school performance through effective SGB governance in previously disadvantaged schools
- Authors: Mbengashe, Andile
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: School boards -- South Africa , School-based management -- South Africa , School improvement programs -- South Africa , Academic achievement -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8910 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021050
- Description: The lack of the visible and practical involvement of parents in schools that are in previously disadvantaged communities is not only depriving the present learners and their parents of their democratic right to participate in shaping their future, but that of the coming generation and leaders of tomorrow as well. South Africa as a country is about twenty years into democracy and already the education system has been chopped and changed about four times but with no success. The schooling system in previously black communities is deteriorating. The government of the day has been prioritising education for about fifteen years now, the budget for education is equal to the budget for the whole country in some of the neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe but the quality and standard are far worse than in those countries. The cost of the current problems in education mostly in previously black township schools is far too much to imagine. The main challenge seems to be the nature, character, skills and capabilities of parents serving in school governing bodies. This study is so important because of the situation that exists in schools that are situated in historically disadvantaged communities where the parents who get elected to school governing bodies are still, despite workshops and training offered by the Department of Education, unable to manage and govern schools and thus render the school governing body ineffective. The Department of Education through its programmes does conduct governance, financial management and policy formulation workshops. These efforts from the government side do not seem to bear any fruit because parents, after attending the training and workshops are still unable to create well-managed and properly governed schools. The primary objective of this study is to improve the organisational performance of schools in previously disadvantaged communities in the Uitenhage District of the Department of Education situated in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality by investigating how effective school governing body governance could contribute to such performance. More specifically, the study investigates the relationship between effective school governing body management, as a dependent variable, and parental/community involvement, finance and resource management, school governance, learner discipline/conduct, and quality education as independent variables. The population of the study was high school principals and school management team (SMT) members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality focusing mainly on historically or previously disadvantaged schools in the Uitenhage district of the Department of Education. The study used convenience sampling where seventeen (17) high schools were selected. In each school, school management team members and a principal were requested to fill in a questionnaire. In total 105 questionnaires were distributed and 85 were fully completed and returned. Questionnaires were collected, data captured and analysed and a report was written. The empirical results revealed the following weaknesses in the SGBs of high schools in the Uitenhage District of the Department of Education in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality: the SGBs do not effectively formulate school policies; the SGBs do not effectively provide support to educators in performing their professional duties; the SGBs are not fully involved in supplementing resources supplied by the state in order to improve quality of teaching and learning; and the schools are weak on community engagement. On the other hand, the following positive elements of SGBs were highlighted in the empirical results; the schools are rated good regarding the following variables/issues: quality of teaching and learning, utilisation of school resources, school governance, professionalism of staff and extra-mural activities; the SGBs know and participate in the academic and extra-mural programmes of the schools; the SGBs successfully prepare the annual budget for the schools; the SGBs are effectively governing the schools; the SGBs do appoint auditors to audit the school's books and financial statements; the schools have achieved audited financial statements without a disclaimer; the schools have a disciplinary committee that deals with the learner code of conduct and attends to disciplinary problems. The study highlights areas in school governance that should be improved, as well as recommendations on how to improve them. Recommendations for future research are also provided.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Mbengashe, Andile
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: School boards -- South Africa , School-based management -- South Africa , School improvement programs -- South Africa , Academic achievement -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8910 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021050
- Description: The lack of the visible and practical involvement of parents in schools that are in previously disadvantaged communities is not only depriving the present learners and their parents of their democratic right to participate in shaping their future, but that of the coming generation and leaders of tomorrow as well. South Africa as a country is about twenty years into democracy and already the education system has been chopped and changed about four times but with no success. The schooling system in previously black communities is deteriorating. The government of the day has been prioritising education for about fifteen years now, the budget for education is equal to the budget for the whole country in some of the neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe but the quality and standard are far worse than in those countries. The cost of the current problems in education mostly in previously black township schools is far too much to imagine. The main challenge seems to be the nature, character, skills and capabilities of parents serving in school governing bodies. This study is so important because of the situation that exists in schools that are situated in historically disadvantaged communities where the parents who get elected to school governing bodies are still, despite workshops and training offered by the Department of Education, unable to manage and govern schools and thus render the school governing body ineffective. The Department of Education through its programmes does conduct governance, financial management and policy formulation workshops. These efforts from the government side do not seem to bear any fruit because parents, after attending the training and workshops are still unable to create well-managed and properly governed schools. The primary objective of this study is to improve the organisational performance of schools in previously disadvantaged communities in the Uitenhage District of the Department of Education situated in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality by investigating how effective school governing body governance could contribute to such performance. More specifically, the study investigates the relationship between effective school governing body management, as a dependent variable, and parental/community involvement, finance and resource management, school governance, learner discipline/conduct, and quality education as independent variables. The population of the study was high school principals and school management team (SMT) members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality focusing mainly on historically or previously disadvantaged schools in the Uitenhage district of the Department of Education. The study used convenience sampling where seventeen (17) high schools were selected. In each school, school management team members and a principal were requested to fill in a questionnaire. In total 105 questionnaires were distributed and 85 were fully completed and returned. Questionnaires were collected, data captured and analysed and a report was written. The empirical results revealed the following weaknesses in the SGBs of high schools in the Uitenhage District of the Department of Education in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality: the SGBs do not effectively formulate school policies; the SGBs do not effectively provide support to educators in performing their professional duties; the SGBs are not fully involved in supplementing resources supplied by the state in order to improve quality of teaching and learning; and the schools are weak on community engagement. On the other hand, the following positive elements of SGBs were highlighted in the empirical results; the schools are rated good regarding the following variables/issues: quality of teaching and learning, utilisation of school resources, school governance, professionalism of staff and extra-mural activities; the SGBs know and participate in the academic and extra-mural programmes of the schools; the SGBs successfully prepare the annual budget for the schools; the SGBs are effectively governing the schools; the SGBs do appoint auditors to audit the school's books and financial statements; the schools have achieved audited financial statements without a disclaimer; the schools have a disciplinary committee that deals with the learner code of conduct and attends to disciplinary problems. The study highlights areas in school governance that should be improved, as well as recommendations on how to improve them. Recommendations for future research are also provided.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
'n Eenvormige dissiplinestelsel vir skole in die Bitou 10-streek
- Authors: Freislich, Maria Francina
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: School discipline -- South Africa , School boards -- South Africa
- Language: Afrikaans
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9506 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1236 , School discipline -- South Africa , School boards -- South Africa
- Description: Discipline in the government schools in South Africa has deteriorated during the past fifteen years. There are many different reasons for that. The aim of this study was to develop a uniform programme of discipline which can be used for application in all ten schools in the Bitou area. To reach this aim, the following procedures were followed: • A study has been done regarding the supporting role of the Bitou 10 foundation in the designing and management of a uniform discipline program. • A summary of the disciplinary problems in government schools has been given with possible reasons why discipline has deteriorated. • A study has also been made of various programs of discipline which have been used in various countries in the past. Certain aspects of those programmes have been used in this study to compile an effective programme of discipline for all the schools in the Bitou area. • Criteria for a positive discipline program have been put together. This study has been done in the Plettenberg Bay area. This area has ten schools which include primary- and high schools, single medium- and double medium schools, multi-cultural and mono-cultural schools and also some schools which have hostels. This study showed that not all schools in the Bitou area follow the same disciplinary programme. This study also makes recommendations on the possible implementing of such a uniform system of discipline. This study does not only show what the role is of the principal and teachers responsible for discipline, but also indicates the role and task of the parents and the community. Research on the application of discipline can never end because new ideas and methods will always be found to create an ideal programme in order to make the process more effective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Freislich, Maria Francina
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: School discipline -- South Africa , School boards -- South Africa
- Language: Afrikaans
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9506 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1236 , School discipline -- South Africa , School boards -- South Africa
- Description: Discipline in the government schools in South Africa has deteriorated during the past fifteen years. There are many different reasons for that. The aim of this study was to develop a uniform programme of discipline which can be used for application in all ten schools in the Bitou area. To reach this aim, the following procedures were followed: • A study has been done regarding the supporting role of the Bitou 10 foundation in the designing and management of a uniform discipline program. • A summary of the disciplinary problems in government schools has been given with possible reasons why discipline has deteriorated. • A study has also been made of various programs of discipline which have been used in various countries in the past. Certain aspects of those programmes have been used in this study to compile an effective programme of discipline for all the schools in the Bitou area. • Criteria for a positive discipline program have been put together. This study has been done in the Plettenberg Bay area. This area has ten schools which include primary- and high schools, single medium- and double medium schools, multi-cultural and mono-cultural schools and also some schools which have hostels. This study showed that not all schools in the Bitou area follow the same disciplinary programme. This study also makes recommendations on the possible implementing of such a uniform system of discipline. This study does not only show what the role is of the principal and teachers responsible for discipline, but also indicates the role and task of the parents and the community. Research on the application of discipline can never end because new ideas and methods will always be found to create an ideal programme in order to make the process more effective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
How effective are school governing bodies regarding maintaining discipline in schools situated in poor socio-economic areas?
- Authors: Hawkins, Alan Hilton
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: School boards -- South Africa , School discipline -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9475 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/972 , School boards -- South Africa , School discipline -- South Africa
- Description: Poor discipline in public schools has become a major concern following the abolishment of corporal punishment by the National Department of Education. The educators in schools were left with no constructive alternatives to maintain discipline by the educational authorities and had to find and implement alternative disciplinary measures. Ill-disciplined learners capitalised on the situation, resulting in the deterioration of discipline in public schools. The aim of this research is to identify how effective SGBs are regarding the maintenance of discipline in schools situated in poor socio-economic areas. For this purpose, a qualitative study was conducted in four secondary schools in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Different data-collection techniques, in the form of questionnaires, focus group interviews, observations and documentary analysis, were used to obtain the necessary data. Learners, educators and parent members of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) were used as participants for the study. The findings of the study indicated that parent SGB members lacks relevant and ongoing training and development for the task of executing their roles as disciplinarian bodies at their respective schools. The fact that these are lacking have contributed to the general deterioration of school discipline in the selected schools. The study concludes with suggestions on strategies that SGBs can implement to improve their capacity in improving and maintaining discipline. Such improved capacity will create an environment that is conducive for teaching and learning, especially in schools situated in impoverished areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Hawkins, Alan Hilton
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: School boards -- South Africa , School discipline -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9475 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/972 , School boards -- South Africa , School discipline -- South Africa
- Description: Poor discipline in public schools has become a major concern following the abolishment of corporal punishment by the National Department of Education. The educators in schools were left with no constructive alternatives to maintain discipline by the educational authorities and had to find and implement alternative disciplinary measures. Ill-disciplined learners capitalised on the situation, resulting in the deterioration of discipline in public schools. The aim of this research is to identify how effective SGBs are regarding the maintenance of discipline in schools situated in poor socio-economic areas. For this purpose, a qualitative study was conducted in four secondary schools in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Different data-collection techniques, in the form of questionnaires, focus group interviews, observations and documentary analysis, were used to obtain the necessary data. Learners, educators and parent members of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) were used as participants for the study. The findings of the study indicated that parent SGB members lacks relevant and ongoing training and development for the task of executing their roles as disciplinarian bodies at their respective schools. The fact that these are lacking have contributed to the general deterioration of school discipline in the selected schools. The study concludes with suggestions on strategies that SGBs can implement to improve their capacity in improving and maintaining discipline. Such improved capacity will create an environment that is conducive for teaching and learning, especially in schools situated in impoverished areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
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