Browsing by Author "Adams, Faried"

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    Critical theory and school governance : advancing an argument for democratic citizenship
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005-12) Adams, Faried; Waghid, Yusef; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
    In this dissertation I critically explore school governance in relation to a liberal conception of deliberative democracy incorporating an argument for democratic citizenship. The notion of decentralisation and representative democracy informed collective decision making with the advent of South Africa’s constitutional democracy. This emphasis on participatory democracy aims to enhance nation building/citizenship as South Africa endeavours to sever its ties with its Apartheid past. Entrenched in the practice of representative democracy particularly in the context of schools is educational governance implemented through School Governing Bodies (SGBs). I argue that the legitimate learner and parent voices seem to be excluded from SGB practices – a notion which reinforces the presence of weak democratic practices. My concern is that SGBs in disadvantaged communities do not necessarily adhere to the tenets of democracy as accentuated in the Constitution of South Africa, incorporating the Bill of Rights and the South African Schools Act (SASA of 1996). A weak form of democratic practice seems to manifest itself when the SASA and the implementation thereof are inconsistent with each other, resulting in school governance practices operating in a manner contrary to what the Act purports. The promotion of democracy customarily involves protecting the legitimate (individual and community) interests of all. It is in this context that this dissertation attempts to find a route towards stronger democratic practices, therefore endorsing some of the principles of the South African Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the SASA. I argue that SGB practices seem to undermine these legitimate interests thus posing a dilemma for democracy. In addition current SGBs do not seemingly establish conditions according to which deliberative democratic practices can be achieved. And, unless SGBs also connect deliberative practices with citizenship as well as to “experiencing what is Other”, it would remain weakly democratic. For deliberative practices to happen I propose that conditions ought to be established whereby reasonableness and the incorporation of “the Other”, that is, learners and parents need to be included through pedagogic attentiveness – what can epistemologically referred to as “witnessing the “unknowability of the Other”, can counter such a weak democracy. In other words by including the marginalised voices that are seemingly excluded from SGBs, the potential to move towards strong democratic practices shall be enhanced.
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    Practices of school governing bodies in selected Grassy Park Schools : a challenge to democracy
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Adams, Faried; Waghid, Yusef; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the major features of the democratisation of education in South Africa revolves around the decentralisation of school governance. In this regard, important decision-making responsibilities have devolved from central government to "self-governing" school communities, incorporated into School Governing Bodies. This study explores the current practices of School Governing Bodies in selected schools in the Grassy Park area. It seeks to demonstrate that there seems to exist a dichotomy between the ideals of democratic policies as espoused in the South African Schools Act, and the manner in which these policies are implemented. The promulgation of the South African Schools Act of 1996 heralded the beginning of a new phase in the governance of schools. However, the promulgation of policy does not necessarily imply the effective implementation thereof. This thesis argues that despite the existence of the South African Schools Act, school governing practices do not seem to be conclusively democratic. Unless school governing practices are reconceptualised and restructured akin to a notion of deliberative democracy such practices would continue to remain less democratic.