School governing bodies : their significance in the democratic transformation of South African society

Date
2000-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis seeks to demonstrate the potential of school governing bodies to further the process of democratising South African society. Among the main features of the democratisation of South African education, is the decentralisation of educational governance. In this process the decision-making authority has been devolved from central government to the local school level, thus preparing school communities for self-government and autonomy. The establishment of school governing bodies at all public schools in the country brings South Africa in line with current international trends for democratic local community participation and control in education. When this aspect of the education systems of three countries, the United States of America, England and Australia, are compared with South Africa's, it shows the extent of the latter's democratisation of educational governance. The background to local community participation in South African education according to various pieces of legislation passed, their failure to reform education, and other aspects which led to the promulgation of the Schools Act (1996), places school governing bodies in South Africa in proper historical context. An examination of the Schools Act reveals its democratic nature and identifies those aspects of school governing bodies which have the potential of furthering the democratisation process. The challenges that the changes in school governance bring with them are analysed to highlight their implications and significance for school governing bodies. School governing bodies offer new and exciting opportunities for enterprising and enthusiastic communities. School governors should, therefore, be urged to seize the opportunity to participate in school governance and in this way play their role in furthering the democratic transformation of South African society.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis poog om die potensiaal wat skoolbeheerliggame het om die proses van die demokratisering van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing te bevorder, aan te toon. Een van die hoofeienskappe van die demokratisering van die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwys, is die desentralisasie van onderwysbestuur. In hierdie proses is besluitnemingsgesag afgewentel vanaf sentrale regeringsvlak na die plaaslike skoolvlak, waardeur skoolgemeenskappe voorberei word vir self-beheer en outonomie. Die totstandkoming van skoolbeheerliggame by alle openbare skole in die land, bring Suid-Afrika in lyn met huidige internasionale tendense rakende die demokratiese plaaslike gemeenskapsdeelname aan beheer en bestuur in die onderwys. Wanneer hierdie aspek van die onderwysstelsels van drie lande, die Verenigde State van Amerika, Engeland en Australië, met die van Suid-Afrika vergelyk word, dui dit die omvang van die demokratisering van onderwysbeheer en -bestuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse opset aan. Die agtergrond van plaaslike gemeenskapsdeelname in die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwys volgens verskeie stukke wetgewing, hulle onvermoë om die onderwys te hervorm, en ander aspekte wat tot die afkondiging van die Skole Wet (1996) gelei het, plaas skoolbeheerliggame in die regte historiese konteks. 'n Ondersoek van die Skole Wet dui aan dat dit demokraties in wese is, en daardie aspekte van skoolbeheerliggame wat die potensiaal besit om die demokratiseringsproses voort te sit, word geidentifiseer. Die uitdagings wat die veranderinge in skoolbestuur met hulle meebring, word geanaliseer om hulle implikasies en betekenisvolheid vir skOOlbeheerliggame uit te lig. Skoolbeheerliggame bied nuwe en opwindende geleenthede vir ondernemende en geesdriftige gemeenskappe aan. Skoolbeheerliggame moet dus aangespoor word om die geleentheid aan te gryp om deelname aan skoolbestuur te hê en om sodoende hulle rol te speel in die bevordering van die demokratiese transformasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing.
Description
Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000.
Keywords
Education -- South Africa -- Administration, Education -- Management, School management and organization -- South Africa, School supervision -- South Africa, School boards -- South Africa, Dissertations -- Education
Citation