An investigation into the principal's role in facilitating the effective participation of the School Governing Body in promoting quality education in public schools
type: CreativeWork
description: The South Africa Schools Act, (Act No. 84 of 1996) which came into effect on 1 January 1996 and the National Education Policy Act, (Act No. 21 of 1996) introduced a new approach to the South African Education system. These acts, and many policy documents produced by the National Department of Education, provide for the active participation of parents, educators, learners and other members of the community in the governance of schools. Whilst policy mandates stakeholder participation, in practice parent participation is problematic. This study therefore, investigates the role of the principal in facilitating the effective participation of the parent component of the SGB in the provision of quality education in public schools. A review of national and international literature was conducted to establish strategies principals use to facilitate the effective participation of the SGB. An empirical study was also undertaken. A questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions was utilized with the aim of accessing the level of interaction between the SGB and principals of schools. Data from the questionnaire revealed the following key findings, namely: • There is a lack of effective management of parent involvement in school governance. • Limited communication exists between the principal and SGB regarding planned school activities where the SGB is supposed to have an input. • As leaders, principals are grappling to secure effective parent participation in the provision of quality education. Some recommendations are as follows: • Principals should develop orientation and on-going training programmes to capacitate parents to participate effectively in promoting quality public education • Principals should develop an invitational environment at the school • Principals should promote a climate for sound conflict management • Principals should provide sufficient information to SGB members and communicate these timeously to them It is hoped that through this study, princ…
abstract: The South Africa Schools Act, (Act No. 84 of 1996) which came into effect on 1 January 1996 and the National Education Policy Act, (Act No. 21 of 1996) introduced a new approach to the South African Education system. These acts, and many policy documents produced by the National Department of Education, provide for the active participation of parents, educators, learners and other members of the community in the governance of schools. Whilst policy mandates stakeholder participation, in practice parent participation is problematic. This study therefore, investigates the role of the principal in facilitating the effective participation of the parent component of the SGB in the provision of quality education in public schools. A review of national and international literature was conducted to establish strategies principals use to facilitate the effective participation of the SGB. An empirical study was also undertaken. A questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions was utilized with the aim of accessing the level of interaction between the SGB and principals of schools. Data from the questionnaire revealed the following key findings, namely: • There is a lack of effective management of parent involvement in school governance. • Limited communication exists between the principal and SGB regarding planned school activities where the SGB is supposed to have an input. • As leaders, principals are grappling to secure effective parent participation in the provision of quality education. Some recommendations are as follows: • Principals should develop orientation and on-going training programmes to capacitate parents to participate effectively in promoting quality public education • Principals should develop an invitational environment at the school • Principals should promote a climate for sound conflict management • Principals should provide sufficient information to SGB members and communicate these timeously to them It is hoped that through this study, princ…
author: Haines, Frederick Louis
keywords: School principals--South Africa, Effective teaching--South Africa, Parent-teacher relationships, Education--Parent participation--South Africa, School management and organization--South Africa, School governing body
license: https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/a82e4b51-7b3d-428c-a250-f03c801d477a/download
date published: 2007
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:17:19Z
provider: University of Zululand
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zululand