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1
Mazise, Amos. "Challenges and prospects of quality primary education in Zimbabwe rural schools: a case study of Kadoma rural schools." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/569.
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The study focused on investigating challenges and prospects of quality education in rural primary schools in developing countries particularly in Zimbabwe. Reviewed literature indicated that two theories; education as human capital and education as human right advanced increased access to education. Decline of quality of education in the expansion programme portrayed by the decrease of pass rates to below 50 percent, pupils’ low literacy and numeracy prompted investigation. A case study of Ngezi rural primary schools was explored using a sample of 50 respondents selected through stratified random technique. Data were gathered by a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods defined as triangulation. Self- administered questionnaires for heads and teachers, interview guide for grade 7 pupils and SDC and observation guide were the instruments employed for data collection. Analysis of the data was done using descriptive statistics. Findings were that quality of universal education was affected by inadequate supporting inputs and facilities, inappropriate teaching methods and unmotivated teachers. However 80 percent of the schools were staffed with qualified teachers depicting government’s commitment to quality education. 40 % of the schools without qualified leadership were indicative of the effect of poor school conditions to staff turn up. In studies carried out in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and India quality also declined as access was increased due to similar causes. Recommendations were to create a strong collaboration among stakeholders through communication to ensure the four conditions for quality are met simultaneously as they are interdependent and reforming the curriculum to suit means and needs of the people.
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Swart, John-Frederich. "The nature of learning support in rural schools." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2368.
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Thesis (MEd (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.The focus of this research study is on learning support to learners in rural schools as experienced by learning support professionals and teachers in order to identify best-practices and the obstacles experienced in this regard. It was envisaged that continuous exploration of current practices could assist in identifying ways to support the development of inclusive education. The research questions to address this aspect were: What is the nature of learning support in rural schools as experienced by teachers? and What is the nature of learning support in rural schools as experienced by learning support professionals? The aim of this study was therefore to explore and describe the nature of learning support in rural schools, in order to make some recommendations to learning support professionals, teachers and education authorities to ensure the effective development and implementation of learning support strategies in rural schools. The research study was conducted from a qualitative approach, utilising explorative, descriptive and contextual research designs. Purposive sampling was employed and data saturation determined the sample size. The findings were based on a structured analysis framework. Ethical aspects included informed consent, voluntary participation and confidentiality
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Genniker, Veronique. "Professional and personal development of school management teams in three rural primary schools." University of the Western Cape, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/4933.
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Philosophiae Doctor - PhDThe essential role that school management teams (SMTs) play in managing change has been debated for many years both nationally and internationally. Central to these debates has been the need to understand how to best empower SMTs through a process of continuous professional development. This research aimed to explore SMT members’ experiences of professional and personal development in three rural primary schools in the broad context of educational change in South Africa and specifically in the context of policy implementation. This aim was explored by asking the following research questions: 1. How did educational change in South Africa influence leadership and management in schools? 2. What professional development was experienced by the SMTs as they tried to embrace new roles and responsibilities within a new policy context? 3. What personal development was experienced by the SMTs as they tried to embrace new roles and responsibilities within a new policy context? 4. What are SMT members’ suggestions for enhancement of personal and professional development and support of SMTs in schools in South Africa? The literature review which grounded this study focused on three areas, namely, educational change, leadership and management in schools, and professional and personal development. An integrated theoretical framework was employed and provided the lens through which the data was collected and analysed. Key concepts within the framework included mental maps, reflexivity and authoring which were synthesised within change theory. The change theory employed emphasised the value of engaging with first, second and third orders of change to effect the facilitation of meaningful change on both a personal and professional level. SMTs from three rural primary schools in three different provinces, comprising of six educators each, participated in the study. The researcher conducted three focus groups and 18 individual interviews. The social constructivist -interpretive paradigm that framed this research study is a worldview that understands reality as being constructed when people engage with each other. Congruent with the social constructivist -interpretive paradigm is a qualitative research design, which was employed in this study to collect rich, comprehensive, in-depth data that explored the professional and personal development experiences of SMTs to illuminate the complexity of the issue being studied. The study encompassed three phases of data collection. Firstly, a detailed document analysis was conducted where policy documents, research reports and job descriptions were studied and analysed. Secondly, 18 SMT members were interviewed in three focus groups. Thirdly, the 18 SMT members were individually interviewed. Phases two and three of the data collection process employed semi-structured interviews to generate data. The data analysis employed a qualitative, thematic approach to analyse and interpret the data that emerged. A thematic approach was used to illuminate the professional and personal development experiences and challenges facing the SMTs. The thematic approach generated distinct categories that were used as descriptors to report on the findings of the research. The findings highlight the need for integrated professional and personal development, role clarification, school-based support, policy mediation and outlines implications for the development of SMTs. This research makes a contribution towards educational change in South African schools by providing insights and proposing a model of professional and personal development for SMTs. It illuminates the vital importance of first acknowledging developmental needs and then facilitating personal and professional development to effect practical implementation of change at schools as required by policy. The researcher demonstrates how three orders of change theory with related personal development concepts can be integrated into a single theory to understand and facilitate change at the level of the individual, group and organisation.
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Katanga, Mudumbi Marcelius. "Management of learners' absenteeism in rural primary schools in the Kavango region of Namibia." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60946.
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The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers? perceptions and experiences of the management of learner absenteeism in rural primary schools in the Kavango region of Namibia. This study was conducted in the Kavango region of Namibia where absenteeism has been identified as a problem in achieving quality education. A further purpose of the study was to gain some insight into the management challenges faced by teachers and the strategies they use to reduce learner absenteeism in their classes. The main research question was: How do teachers in rural primary school in the Kavango region of Namibia manage learner absenteeism? This exploratory study was conducted within an interpretive, qualitative paradigm. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to generate data and the findings of the study showed that learner absenteeism is a problem in the rural primary schools in the Kavango region of Namibia. Factors that contribute to learners absenteeism were identified and categorized as family (domestic work); individual (lack of motivation, especially over-aged learners); environmental (changing seasons, such as cold, rain and harvesting); and socio-economic (hunger).
The study also found that there is little parental participation in dealing with learner absenteeism because of the lack of teacher-parent relationships; a lack of value for education; and a lack of learner support. Furthermore, the study showed that some the classroom management challenges faced by the teachers in terms of learner absenteeism include the need to repeat lessons for absent learners; a lack of learner motivation; and other individual learner problems. Some of the strategies teachers use to reduce learner absenteeism emerged from findings of the study, including providing a school feeding scheme; presenting certificates and awards to learners for regular attendance; and establishing positive relationship strategies. It was also found that teachers apply an ethic of care in terms of modelling, dialogue, practice and confirmation in order to reduce learner absenteeism in the classroom. The ethic of care was evident in initiatives, like teachers making home visits to assess the domestic situations of learners and giving motivational talks to learners, encouraging them to care for other learners by using prefects to the encourage learners.Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Education Management and Policy Studies
MEd
Unrestricted
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Mabuza, Pertunia Thobile, and S. Govender. "The prevalence and management of stressors experienced by foundation phase teachers in rural Mbombela schools." Thesis, University of Zululand, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/1834.
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Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Master in Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education in the Faculty of education at the University of Zululand, 2019.This study forms part of an ongoing attempt to understand the prevalence and management of stressors experienced by teachers. The main focus for this study is foundation phase teachers in rural Mbombela schools. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used in order to gain more insight into the prevalence and management of stressors experienced by teachers. A questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires was used to collect data. The results of the study indicated a high prevalence of foundation phase teachers experiencing stressors. There was also an indication that the teachers do have the necessary skills to cope with stressors that they experience as a result of their teaching and learning environment. Exercise, spirituality and planning were the main techniques teachers used in the management of stressors. Recommendations were made in order to assist teachers with the management of stressors they experience as a result of their teaching and learning environment. Avenues for further research are also discussed.
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Lugalo, Simo. "Effectiveness of school governing bodies in rural schools of Ngcobo district." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18222.
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This study focused on school governing bodies in the rural schools in Ngcobo. In this study, the researcher established that in rural schools, parent members of school governing bodies are still reluctant, or ill equipped to do their duty as governors of the schools. They rely on what the principals ask them to do. They need more training and empowerment to fulfill their duties as members of the school governing bodies. Most of the parents who are members of school governing bodies are older and their level of education is generally low. The principals are complaining that not enough training was being given to parent members to fulfill their task as school governors. However, it remains the principals’ responsibility to coach SGB parent-members in order for the school functionality to go on. The findings of this study show that much more need to be done to empower parental-members of SGBs in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape and most probably in most, if not all, rural areas of South Africa.
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Nyambi, Makhayingi Mandrew. "The contribution of School Governing Bodies in section twenty-one rural schools." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2004. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09052005-104953.
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Soriano, Barbara R. S. "An Evaluation Study of Site-Based Managed Behaviors in a Rural Utah School." DigitalCommons@USU, 1998. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/6134.
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Site-based management (SBM) in schools can trace its roots back to two phenomena, citizen's movements in large cities such as New York in the late 1960s and decentralization efforts of business in the 1970s. Both were done in the belief that achieving a better result can be done 11 through decisions made by the people closest to the process. Site-based management programs are diverse. Some stress one aspect, the restructuring of the school administration and program to affect achievement. Other schools stress a second aspect, the empowerment of teachers and stakeholders to make administrative decisions.
Whichever emphasis chosen, several changes must occur for school management to move from the central office to the local school. These changes are evolutionary, taking 10-15 years. An evaluation study in a northern rural Utah school that has been involved with site-based management since 1990 allows for a context to understand the changes that might occur, namely, (a) the relinquishment of central school district authority; (b) the assumption of authority by the local school; ( c) the assumption of accountability for student achievement; ( d) the development of sensitivity between school and community; and (e) the development of consensus among school stakeholders.
An instrument was developed for the evaluation, the Site-Based Management Progress Check. The instrument used items covering the agents and activities that would be present as these five changes occur. Additionally, the largest portion of the progress check was based on the goals in the school. As respondents showed more agreement concerning which goals were chosen and achieved, an inference was made that greater progress had occurred toward the team activity necessary for local school management. The data were provided by 100% of the lower-elementary teachers; upper-elementary teachers, however, were poorly represented, restricting data generalizability.
The study indicated that, despite its 7-year involvement with site-based management, the school was still at an early stage of development with no change in district authority and no use of stakeholder groups to monitor goals. The school did have a wide base of teacher leadership. Slow progress seems to be related to lack of knowledge of SBM processes.
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Ntsoane, Letuba Daniel. "The role of School Management Team members in the induction of novice teachers in rural schools." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/65459.
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This study investigated the role played by School Management Team (SMT) members in the induction of novice teachers in rural schools. The study arose out of the challenges experienced by the researcher as a member of the SMT with regard to the lack of clarity and direction in the induction of novice teachers attached to his school and a high attrition rate amongst novice teachers.The researcher posed this primary research question: How do members of the SMT in rural schools induct novice teachers? A sample of six rural schools in the Limpopo Provincial Education Department that had recently employed novice teachers was purposefully selected. Particpants uncluded the principal or the Deputy Principal, the HOD or the senior teacher and a novice teacher. Research has documented an array of challenges that novice teachers encounter in schools and hence the high attrition rates. This study used a qualitative research approach and a case study design to investigate the problem. The study was framed by Feldman’s (1981) theory of organisational socialisation, which stated that newly employed incumbents need to be inducted into their new organisation by management in order to become effect employees. The findings reveal that SMT members in rural schools do indeed induct their novice teachers, but that their dutis and efforts in this regard are negatively affected by a lack of induction policy, lack of support from the Education Department personnel and a lack of training.Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Education Management and Policy Studies
MEd
Unrestricted
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Corcoran, B. J. "Sustainable rural livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in Swaziland : an integrated conservation and Natural Resource Management approach as an alternative livelihood strategy for Swazi Nation Land." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4839.
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Bibliography : p.111-114.This dissertation, in taking a holistic approach, seeks to use the Shewula community initiative as a pilot project for establishing more effective biodiversity conservation and natural resource management initiatives/programmes on Swazi Nation Land (SNL). A new conceptual framework is proposed for integrating community-based conservation (CBC) and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) on SNL Swaziland, namely Managed Natural Environments (MNEs). The dissertation concludes that an integrated CBC-CBNRM programme should be promoted as an innovative and essential aspect of the Swaziland Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP).
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Webber, Zwelibanzi Samson. "Collaboration in the rural schools of the Eden/Karoo District and the use of knowledge management tools." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2951.
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Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.Rural multi-grade schools are faced with many challenges when it comes to teaching and learning. Educators at these schools are required to teach more than one grade at a time with several learning areas. This research suggests that this problem can partly be resolved by engaging educators in a kind of learning network where they will assist each other when it comes to curriculum development and planning. The researcher understands the conditions and the problems associated with these schools. Hence an online collaboration process was put to the test. It is argued in the literature review that the nature of the curriculum requires that the educators should collaborate at a certain level. This has led the researcher to believe that there is a need to provide an overview of collaborative software available in the market. To this effect a decision was taken to test the suitability of Share Point (SP) as collaboration software as well as the attitude of educators towards collaboration. Emerging from the research is a visible absence and silence on collaboration in schools. Although educators embrace the process of online collaboration there are some problems that need to be taken care of first. Some of these relate to the availability of computers, both at home and at work and the fact that some educators are not computer literate enough to face the challenges of online collaboration. Other shortcomings to the success of the research are also highlighted. The research concluded by recommending the use of SP in schools to alleviate the plight of rural school educators. The use of SP should also be accompanied by an extensive training programme to ensure the optimum utilisation of the system. On the whole the researcher is also of the opinion that online collaboration can work provided that it is monitored very thoroughly.
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Titus, David Petrus. "The implementation of multigrade teaching in rural schools in the Keetmanshoop education region : leadership and management challenges /." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2004. http://eprints.ru.ac.za/40/.
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Nsubuga, Yvonne Nakalo. "The integration of natural resource management into the curriculum of rural under-resourced schools : a Bernsteinian analysis." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007157.
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This study was motivated by the need to improve curriculum relevance in poor rural schools through contextualised teaching and learning based on the management of local natural resources. It involved four schools which are located in the Ngqunshwa Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study's aim was to provide insight into and better understanding of the curriculum implementation process regarding natural resource management (NRM) education in a poor rural education context. This was done by analysing the extent of NRM integration in pedagogic texts, activities and practices in the different fields which constitute the structure of the pedagogic system in this education sector. The study adopted an interpretivist approach to the analysis, which was based on indicators of the extent of NRM integration, and was informed by Bernstein's concepts of classification and curriculum recontextualisation, and his model of the structure of the pedagogic system. The items which were analysed included national and provincial Grade 10 Life Sciences curriculum documents, Grade 10 Life Sciences textbooks, in-service training workshops for Life Sciences teachers, and various school documents, activities and practices. The analysis also involved interviews with educators, and classroom observations of Grade 10 Life Sciences lessons. The results revealed a very high overall level of NRM integration in the Grade 10 Life Sciences curriculum documents produced at national and provincial levels. The overall level of NRM integration was also found to be very high in the Grade 10 Life Science textbooks that were analysed, but very low in the in-service teacher training workshops, and in the schools' documents, activities and practices, especially in the Grade 10 Life Sciences lessons, and in schools' end-of-year Grade 10 Life Sciences examination papers. The study makes a number of recommendations towards effective integration of NRM into the curriculum of Eastern Cape's rural poor schools which include more specific and explicit reference to NRM in the official Grade 10 Life Sciences curriculum documents, the provision of environmental education courses to district education staff and Grade 10 Life Sciences teachers, the training of teachers in the classroom use of textbooks and other educational materials, and regular monitoring of teachers' work. The study also exposes important knowledge gaps which need urgent research attention in order to enhance NRM education in the poor rural schools of the Eastern Cape. These include analysing power and control relationships between the various agencies and agents that are involved with curriculum implementation in this education sector, and conducting investigation into the creation of specialist NRM knowledge and into the quality of NRM knowledge that is transmitted as pedagogic discourse in schools. This study contributes to the fields of rural education and environmental education in South Africa, and to the growing interest in the study of curriculum from a sociology of education perspective in the context of the country’s post-apartheid curriculum reforms.
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Plaatjies, Bernadictus O'Brian. "Effektiewe klaskamerbestuur by 'n arm landelike skool." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1930.
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Thesis (MTech (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007In this mini-thesis data has been collected and processed to detennine which factors inf1uence effectiv'e classroom management in the intermediate and senior phases at poor rural schools, A Comprehensive review of relevant National and International literature were conducted and farmed the basis for the construction of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was formulated to determine the extent, complexity and reality to which educators at poor rural schools are exposed to on a daily basis. External and internal factors contributing to poor classroom management were identified. External factors include home circumstances and the environment in which learners live. The lack of stimulation at home, low literacy levels of parents, the absence of good early childhood programmes and the shortage of food have a huge impact on learners performance in the classroom. Negative role models in the community and home as well as proper supervision, lead to discipline problems and unmotivated learners. Internal factors refer to the role of the teacher, the curriculum and discipline in the classroom. It is clear that educators play a central role in the provision of quality education. It is not an easy task. Working conditions are difficult and lead to weak motivation and low morale among teachers. It is impossible to implement outcomes based education in large classes. Dejected teachers try to survive by using traditional teaching and classroom approaches. There is however a big group of professional and motivated teachers. This teachers do everything to support and motivate learners. It is clear that poverty in the community is the main reason for the problems in rural schools. It is also clear that this problems need to be addressed. Long-term political solutions are needed to combat poverty. Short-term solutions might include better cooperation between the school and the community. The key to success is sustainable coaching and mentoring of teachers. The excessive emphasis on teaching and demonstration of outcomes are not beneficial for both learners and teachers. A solution to the problem is: ..... adapt the system in the child's best interest rather than the child having to adapt to the education system." Human Rights Commission (2006: 16)
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Gumbi, Daphne. "The management of physical resources by principals in the rural secondary schools of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/911.
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This research study examined whether the physical resources in rural secondary schools are adequate and are managed properly by the school principals, for quality education to be achieved in the Eastern Cape Province. The dramatic changes in South Africa recognized that the future depends on an education system which develops the full potential of all learners. Although the Constitution of South Africa is advocating for equal education for all, there are disparities which are evident in the quality of the infrastructure, especially in remote rural areas where the fundamental requirements for effective education are lacking such as, water, electricity, sanitation and basic educational equipment. This shows that, although policy and legislative frameworks for transforming the education system have been put in place, managing the change is still a key challenge especially that of physical resources. Management of physical resources illustrates the problems facing principals by pointing to the lack of basic facilities in many rural secondary schools. In terms of the provision and management, many challenges remain, like most schools do not have adequate physical facilities. School buildings such as classrooms are inadequate or unsafe with no toilets, libraries, laboratories and many learners and teachers do not have learner teaching support materials (LTSMs). On the other hand, in terms of the Constitution, the Department of Education is responsible for bringing redress, equality and to upholding the Constitutional values such as shared decision-making, transparency, shared accountability and empowerment for equal partnership with other stakeholders. The physical resource management is one of the major responsibilities of principals. Their leadership is largely about ensuring that a clear and shared sense of direction is developed for both leadership and management. The school viii system meant that schools have moved nearer to the communities they serve and this has led to schools being more accountable to their communities. This study further investigated whether there is a significant correlation between the management of physical resources and quality education as well as the eradication of poverty in the rural secondary schools of the ECP. The proper execution of the management tasks of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (POLC) by the principals have contributed extensively to the success of the schools. Therefore, this will mean that the act of managing physical resources through POLC and the process of working with or through SGBs, teachers, parents, learners, EDOs and the community at large to achieve set goals of education of relevance, excellence and quality education by effectively and efficiently using the physical resources in a school climate and environment that is collegial. The study showed that there is a link between management tasks (POLC) and collegial style of leadership in the school. The literature reviewed supported the view that the invitational style of leadership and collegiality increase the potential of a school to manage its physical resources economically, efficiently and effectively, particularly in a climate where the resource handlers take ownership of the school especially in remote rural settings. The 255 out of 300 subjects (85%) chosen to participate in this study were selected on the basis of their accessibility. Convenience sampling was used to conduct the study as this ensured that the population represented stakeholders that manage physical resources at schools, such as deputy principals, head of departments and teachers. Questionnaires were distributed, completed and collected personally. The questionnaires were analyzed and gaps such as the effects of lack of physical resources and how the learners’ profile were affected were reinforced by individual and group interviews that were semi-structured as ix well as participant observations from principals at O.R Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole District Municipalities were conducted. It was deduced from the statistical data presented that there is a significant correlation between the principals’ management tasks and the quality of education. This shows that the more the principals blend properly planning, organizing, leading and control management tasks the more the physical resources will be managed better, that is, effectively, efficiently, economically and transparently and the less the bringing together of management tasks the less the meaningful management of physical resources will be. The study supported the hypothesis that a combination of management tasks performed by the principals positively influences the proper management of physical resources in rural secondary schools of ECP. The study rejects both null hypotheses that there is no significant correlation between planning, organising, leading and controlling as leadership functions of PRs and the quality of education in rural secondary schools of ECP as well as, that principals of rural secondary schools are not expected to possess adequate leadership knowledge and skills to effectively manage available PRs in their rural secondary schools. This study affirms the view that adequate physical resources are crucial as well as the appropriate management skills of principals for high quality education to be achieved in rural secondary schools. Without adequate physical resources, proper handling of the limited physical resources and the possession of management skills by principals, rural schools are less likely to succeed in their efforts to improve education.
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Kawana, Joseph Jost. "The principal's leadership role in a successful rural school in Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003596.
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Rural schools generally find it hard to function effectively for a variety of reasons, and managing and leading these schools brings additional challenges. This study explored the role of the principal in an academically successful rural school in Namibia. It drew on leadership theory and findings from related studies to make sense of this particular case of leadership against the odds. Using the interpretive orientation, the research explored selected organisation members’ perceptions of the principal’s leadership through semi-structured interviews. The study found that the actions and attitudes of the leader had a significant influence on the school’s performance. The manner in which the principal conducted himself, the shared vision he encouraged and his insistence on associating with all stakeholders involved in education, were instrumental in the organization’s positive achievements. The principal was shown as committed and a leader with good interpersonal working relationships. The study also revealed that this principal was both a person- and taskoriented leader, and closely resembled the ideals of transformational leadership. This study further found that, through the principal’s instructional leadership, teaching and learning are seen as the core of the school’s activities. Finally, the principal’s leadership role opens the school to the community and results in strong and mutually beneficial relationships between the school and its community.
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Atwell, Alison. "The impact of a leadership training program on school based management and school community action in Praya Barat Daya, Lombok, Indonesia." University of Southern Queensland, Faculty of Education, 2006. http://eprints.usq.edu.au/archive/00003192/.
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[Abstract]: Indonesia decentralized its education system in January 2001 requiring all schools to become self managing at their local level. Training was put in place to assist schools with tasks that would facilitate this process such as writing School Development Plans and establishing the newly mandated School Committees. However no specific plans emerged to provide schools with training in educational leadership. Understandingand practising leadership goes hand in hand with understanding the nuances of decentralization. A different style of leadership is required to make sense of decentralization, a style of leadership that does not rely upon top-down authority but instead shares leadership across the school community and encourages leadership to emanate from below. In 2004 a leadership training project was undertaken in three rural school communities in Central Lombok. Its purpose was to consider the emergence of new leadership practices when schools are given the opportunity to be involved in leadership training across a six month period. The leadership training project was attached to a current Aid project to gauge the appropriateness of including a leadership training program in future Aid projects. Within Indonesia Aid projects from a range of international donors are a frequent source of enhancing physical and teaching and learning environments in schools. The leadership training project commenced with a two day live in workshop followed by six months in-school experience, which involved school and individual projects to practise leadership. The design included six-weekly site visits and all participants maintained a weekly reflective journal. The data collected was presented in the form of case studies of each of the three schools, which were subsequently used to inform a Report presented tothe Indonesian Ministry of National Education. Findings presented in this Report affirm that a leadership training program of this nature does provide a valuable way forward through training in school leadership practices that allow school communities to effectively work within a school based management environment. This Report recommended that the trialled leadership training program would be a valuable inclusion in future educational AID projects throughout Indonesia.ii
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Mulaudzi, Fulufhuwani Grace, A. P. Kutame, and I. S. Kapueja. "Challenges that heads of departments face in managing teaching of Tshivenda home language in rural primary schools of Dzindi circuit Vhembe district." Thesis, University of Zululand, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/1832.
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Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Masters in Education in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration in the Faculty of education at the University of Zululand, 2019.The 1994 democratic government of South Africa brought greater responsibility and growth of school-based management in schools which impacted on the role and workload of school leaders. Principals of public foundation phase school teachers delegated greater responsibility to Heads of Departments who had to ensure that teachers are professionally developed. The assumption was that teachers should be supported and developed professionally to do their best work with learners, and, to be retained. Despite the belief that school-based Teacher Professional Development may have a positive impact, little is known about the challenges Heads of Departments’ of Tshivenda Language in a rural context face in managing teachers for them to promote quality teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to investigate the challenges that heads of departments face in managing the teaching of Tshivenda home language in rural primary schools of Dzindi circuit in Vhembe District. This study was positivist in nature following the quantitative research methodology. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from 107 respondents from the 200 who were sampled through simple random sampling procedure. Several challenges that face the HODs were identified. These include the need to supervise teachers in the process of teaching to improve learning in schools. The study points to a strong need for workshops to fully capacitate HODs of Tshivenda in rural primary schools of Dzindi Circuit. However, the various management challenges that have emerged should be considered. Mentoring of Tshivenda Home Language teachers by HODs remains very crucial for the promotion of teaching and learning in rural primary schools of Dzindi Circuit. The study recommends a need for HODs to motivate teachers in their management process.
National Research Foundation of South Africa
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Ngobeni, Dlayiseta Richard. "Investigating the effectiveness of fundraising in the rural schools of Groot Letaba circuit in the Limpopo Province." Thesis, University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/990.
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Thesis (M.Ed.) --University of Limpopo, 2013The Constitution, Act 108(1996:14) states that “everyone has the right to basic education”. This means that all the children of South Africa will be given education at primary level which will be funded by the state. The success, therefore, of both the nation and the state will depend on its education system.Historically, South African education is characterised by two eras of education systems, namely, apartheid education and democratic education. Apartheid education which was racially grounded resulted in poverty, degradation and imbalanced funding in black rural schools. The democratic principles in the new education system have created a space for the redress of inequality in South African schools. This is evidenced in the establishment of the school governing body (SGB) as the legitimate body to take the issue of “redress” forward(SASA, Act 84 of 1996). According to Section 36 of SASA, the state acknowledges its failure to provide sufficient funding to public schools, and mandated the SGB to obtain additional resources in order to improve the quality of education. The money allocated by the state to schools is clearly not enough.Many principals and SGBs are placed under tremendous pressure to manage and raise funds for their schools, because they are unable to work out practical solutions to financial problems, on account of their lack of financial knowledge, skills and expertise (Mestry, 2006:8). This study investigated the effectiveness of fundraising in the rural schools of Groot Letaba Circuit in Limpopo in order to find out whether fundraising is being done, different strategies employed and problems encountered in raising funds in unique rural public schoolsettings. The literature revealed that there are various fundraising strategies that may be used to raise money for schools to improve the quality of education. The study also focused on Potterton et al’s(2002)theory of formulation for successful fundraising. The theory discusses how school fundraising can be done through the partnerships of the following stakeholders: school community, members of the broader community and the business community. The methodology used in this study was a qualitative approach. Phenomenological research design was adopted; and in terms of the data collection tool, semi-structured (open-ended) interviewschedules for both the primary and secondary principals, SGB chairpersons and SGB treasurers.The findings of this study revealed that fundraising in the rural schools of Groot Letaba Circuit in Limpopo Province was not successfully done to cater for the needs of the schools. Recommendations and guidelines were given with the intention of eliminatingor minimising fundraising problems so that schools can function to their maximum potential.
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Tjivikua, Uerivangera Chris. "An investigation of the principal's leadership role in a successful rural school in Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003539.
Full textAbstract:
Rural schools are faced with numerous challenges and are often perceived to be academically unsuccessful. However, in spite of this perception there are some which manage to beat the odds by being academically successful year after year. This peculiar phenomenon of ‘unequal performance’ among rural schools struck my interest; hence my decision to investigate what it is that successful rural schools do to keep afloat in a turbulent environment where others around them collapsed. As the literature suggests that leadership play a key role in the success of an organisation, I focused my study on how the leadership role of the principal makes a rural school thrive. The study is situated in the interpretive paradigm and attempts to reveal participants’ perceptions and experiences of the principal’s leadership. My participants were the principal, circuit inspector, the School Board Chairperson, a Head of Department and the LRC president. These people were purposefully selected; the principal was selected because he is the one executing the roles hence he would be better informed about them while the others due to the positions they occupy, work closely with the principal. The research is a case study as it focused on a single case, and for data generation I employed semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis. The study revealed various characteristics that describe the leadership role of the principal. An overarching characteristic that emerged is that the principal is a balanced leader - he focuses on both task completion and consideration for people. Different characteristics that emerged from this balance leadership portrayed the principal of Ruacana Senior Secondary School to be a transformational and an instructional leader who believes that teaching and learning are the central activities of a school. Moreover he has been painted to be a team player and a servant leader who holds and practices the principle of ubuntu. The principal has also been described as a strategic and exemplary leader. It emerged that his exemplary leadership has moulded the practices of teachers and learners into a shared culture that supports academic excellence. The findings also depicted a paradoxical picture of the principal in that while he exhibits democratic procedures he is also perceived to be autocratic.
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Dladla, Themba Alexious. "Principals' perceptions and experiences of school governing bodies in rural areas." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/40442.
Full textAbstract:
The South Africa Schools Act (Act No. 84 of 1996), which came into effect on I
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, and other members of the community, in the governance of
schools. Whilst policy mandates stakeholder participation, this study revealed that in
practice parent participation is problematic. The aim of this study was to explore principals’ perceptions and experiences of
school governing bodies in three selected rural primary schools in the Nkomazi area,
Mpumalanga. A qualitative research approach within the parameters of the
interpretivist paradigm was applied. The study utilised a multi-site case study
research design focusing on three primary schools in different localities. Document
analysis and structured interviews were employed to collect data at the three sites
that were purposefully sampled.
It was found that principals experienced some parent members of the school
governing bodies as having low levels of education and not being able to cope with
their roles as stipulated by SASA. Principals revealed that the ignorance and
incompetence of parents regarding their roles causes conflict, that they provide
insufficient support and do not attend meetings regularly. Principals dominate their
parent school governing body (SGB) members, initiate innovations and make
decisions without consulting the parents. Parents’ incompetence, insufficient
cooperation and poor contribution towards the operation of the school increases the
principals' workload and results in principals’ frustration. Principals revealed that they
experience difficulties in trusting the parents with confidential matters discussed at
SGB meetings. The study found that principals experience less conflict and better cooperation with
parent SGB members who are educated. Parents who are able to read the policies have understanding of their roles, support the principals in their respective roles,
optimise the operation of the school governing body and alleviate the workload of the
principals.Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
gm2014
Early Childhood Education
unrestricted
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Mogonediwa, Maiketso Victor. "Strategies for the management of low performing secondary schools in the North West Province / Maiketso Victor Mogonediwa." Thesis, North-West University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/2132.
Full text
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Ngubane, Weekend Sehlulamanye. "An investigation into the implementation of participative management in a rural school in the Pietermaritzburg district." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003489.
Full textAbstract:
The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which rural schools understand and perceive the concept of participative management. The concept of participative management has been viewed as an ideal style of leadership and management for school development purposes. In South Africa’s case, it is an educational policy which is expected to reign in all school management bodies. Many theorists envisaged participative management as enhancing active involvement of relevant stakeholders and it has been advocated by many scholars who believe it is the best leadership style in implementing democratic values to education, particularly South African rural education, which is still in a transitional stage. As an interpretive orientated study, this research had an interest in understanding the research participants’ subjective experiences as well as their general perception of participative management. As case-study-driven research, it sought to investigate their understanding of the concept in their natural setting. This included various meanings they aligned with and attached to participative management, their attitudes, their interpretations and feelings towards it. The study employed a focus group data gathering technique in collecting data. The findings of this study suggest that participative management has been embraced by rural school management to a certain extent. There are potentially positive aspects that have been brought by participative management to the school, namely, shared vision, common goals, shared decision-making and general involvement of relevant stakeholders. However, the study has depicted a lack of ethical values on the side of some stakeholders and this hinders the smooth implementation of participative management. The study has also revealed that there are challenges facing rural schools in terms of parental involvement in school governance. Challenges such as lack of commitment to the school, illiteracy among adults and communication breakdown between the school and its parents are still rife in rural schools. Besides these challenges, the blood of participative management is flowing steadily in the veins of the rural school communities.
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Niitembu, Martha M. "Stakeholders' perceptions of parents' involvement in the governance of a Namibian rural school." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003655.
Full textAbstract:
The issue of decentralisation has been one of the top priorities of the Namibian education system since independence in 1990. One of the decentralisation aims was to enhance parental involvement in education by establishing School Boards. However, School Boards and the role of parents in school management have been considered ineffective for several years which led to the promulgation of Education Act 16 of 2001 in which the roles of School Boards are strengthened and clarified. This study sought to investigate School Board members’ perceptions, understanding and experiences of parents’ involvement in school governance more specifically after the implementation of the Education Act of 2001 in 2003. This study is an interpretive case study of one combined rural school in the Ohangwena educational region of Namibia. This research employed three data collection techniques, namely semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis. The main findings of this study reveal that there is a lack of joint understanding and shared vision between educators and parents in the School Board. This problem underpins other more symptomatic problems, such as lack of accountability in the matter of school finances, differences in understanding the roles of School Board members and lack of parents’ motivation from the school management. The study further reveals the ineffectiveness and insufficiency of the training provided in the past. It highlights some of the challenges that hinder the effective involvement of parents in rural school governance, such as poor educational background among parents, poor knowledge of the English language and poor understanding of educational issues. However the findings also acknowledge parents’ participation and their full involvement in decision-making. The findings show that the new School Board elected in terms of the Education Act of 2001 has been more effective than previous School Boards and has reached a number of achievements such as being instrumental in solving disciplinary problems, purchasing school assets and renovating classrooms. Recommendations for practice and for further research are made.
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Davis, James R. Pancrazio Sally B. "An investigation of the value congruence held by Illinois school board presidents regarding alternative schooling and the allocation of financial resources to support alternative schools." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 1995. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p9604367.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1995.Title from title page screen, viewed April 19, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Sally B. Pancrazio (chair), Dianne Ashby, Douglas Blair, Larry McNeal, Walter Warfield. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-74) and abstract. Also available in print.
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Namukwambi, Nahum. "An investigation of instructional leadership in a Namibian rural school." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003515.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate how instructional leadership manifests itself and can be strengthened in a Namibian rural school. As a teacher, head of department and later an education officer, I have long held the view that committed school leadership is essential for the school’s instructional and academic success. Equally, I have always been aware of the impact of the past segregation and the unequal education provided by the colonial government in South Africa and South West Africa/Namibia. The inferior education provided to Africans posed a serious challenge to the leadership and management of schools, as would be principals were not adequately trained to provide the necessary “ingredients” relevant for instructional success. Given this background, I attempted, using a case study of one secondary school, to investigate how instructional leadership is manifesting itself and could be strengthened in a rural school in the Omusati region of Namibia. Research questions that framed the study were: firstly, how does the leadership approach in the school promote teaching and learning; secondly, what is the role of external players in enhancing instructional leadership and thirdly, what are the strengthening and inhibiting factors of instructional leadership. The population of the study was composed of an Inspector of Education, a school principal, a head of department (HOD) and four teachers from a secondary school, located in the Omusati region in Namibia. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis and observation. With regard to data analysis, I first immersed myself in the data. I developed themes that formed the basis of my discussion with my research questions in mind. The analysis revealed that instructional leadership is strongly evidenced at the case study school. However, it emerged that despite the existence of strong instructional leadership at the school, as with all other organisations, there are several challenges that limit the effective implementation of the teaching and learning programme. These challenges vary from indiscipline, poor time management, to lack of teaching and learning resources. Participants also provided a number of possible solutions to the problems identified, including that the principal should be a good role model for the staff and that an enabling environment for both teaching and learning should be created. The study also strongly suggested that participative leadership and management is a cornerstone to the academic success of the school.
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Mullins, Frank E. (Frank Edward). "Rural Shared Service Arrangements: An Analysis of Perceived Responsibilities / Roles With and Without Site-Based Decision-Making." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1996. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279153/.
Full textAbstract:
This study examined the perceptions of school superintendents of districts and building principals of schools within selected shared service arrangements in the state of Texas who receive services from the cooperative, and selected directors of rural shared service arrangements pertaining to the responsibilities and roles of shared service arrangements when site-based decision-making (SBDM) was used as the guiding philosophy.
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Jaffery, Zafreen. "Making Education Accessible: A Dual Case Study of Instructional Practices, Management, and Equity in a Rural and an Urban NGO School in Pakistan." PDXScholar, 2012. http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/409.
Full textAbstract:
Two- thirds of Pakistan's primary aged children are enrolled in school and less than one-third complete fifth grade. Decades after the inception of the goal of primary education for all of its children, the state is unable to fulfill its promise of providing access to universal primary education. The failure of the government to provide for a system that ensures equitable opportunities for all of its children has resulted in individuals, for-profit organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) intervening to fill the void. In particular, international donor agencies (IDAs) have come forward to provide financial aid and personnel support for primary education. There is currently a dearth of research on the work of NGO schools in Pakistan, which leaves many unanswered questions about the role of NGO schools. Therefore, in this study, I examine the efficacy of not-for-profit, private schools managed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in providing quality education to primary school children in Pakistan. This study examined schools formed and supported by two NGOs in Pakistan and their impact on providing primary education. A dual case study approach involving a concentrated enquiry into two cases (a rural and an urban school) was used. The study focused on the following research question: How does an NGO school provide education to primary aged school children? Results corroborate previous key-findings that the NGO is the parent body which oversees management, provides training, mobilizes the community and generates the primary funds to run the schools. The study goes further to suggest that NGO leaders provide leverage and establish connections that are important for fund raising and creating opportunities for the schools to expand and work cost-efficiently. The rural NGO had created its own methodology for literacy instruction, which produced adult literate women who were then hired as primary teachers. In addition, it showed that the two schools use: (1) an eclectic approach to teaching which ranged from using public school's curriculum to local, contextually based materials to foreign British-based curriculum; (2) the shift in instructional strategies suggested movement from a behaviorist approach toward integrating constructivist methods of teaching; and (3) the flexibility in curriculum choices poses challenges as well as opportunities for growth for the teachers. These results help to frame future research by linking NGO school's instructional practices to those used in private and public school systems in Pakistan.
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Nauyoma-Hamupembe, Ladipaleni Ndadiinina. "Teachers' leadership roles at a public rural school in the Ohangwena Region, Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003679.
Full textAbstract:
The changing global and local circumstances and shift for democracy posed particular problems for school administration and leadership and made it difficult for principals to fulfil leadership responsibilities in schools alone. Hence principals require the assistance of all stakeholders in the school, and teachers in particular, to work together as a team and share the diverse leadership load for the improvement of schools. Thus, leadership in schools needs to be shared and distributed in a collaborative manner among teachers and principals working as a group to accomplish the primary objective of their schools, which is to improve learners’ achievement. For this idea to be embraced, I suggest it may require an urgent need for advanced knowledge and understanding of teacher leadership in schools, among teachers and principals, if schools are to thrive. This research studied the phenomenon of teacher leadership at a public rural school in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. It explored the teachers’ experiences of their leadership roles, and specifically the challenges inherent within the practice of teacher leadership in a school. A qualitative interpretive case study was conducted, employing document analysis, semi‐structured interviews and observations to produce data with regard to teachers’ experiences of their leadership roles, challenges inherent within its practice and possible strategies to promote teacher leadership. The analysis and the triangulation across the data sets suggested that teacher leadership existed in the case study school where it appeared in four different areas of leadership practice. These areas of leadership practices (Grant, 2008, p. 93) were, for example, in the classroom, outside the classroom in curricular and extra‐curricular activities, in school‐wide leadership development and between other neighbouring schools in the community. The school had a view of teacher leadership which was strongly located within the classroom and outside the classroom in curricular and extra‐curricular activities where teachers worked and interacted with their colleagues and learners. Teacher leadership was severely limited in the area of whole school development and almost non‐existent in the area outside the school between teachers across neighbouring schools, at circuit or district level and in the community. The study suggested that the nature of teacher leadership in the case study school was a restricted form of teacher leadership (Harris and Muijs, 2005) due to a range of factors which impeded its practice. The factors were, for example, a lack of involvement of all teachers in whole school leadership and school‐wide decision‐making. Other factors were limited time for teachers in the school, a lack of leadership development amongst the principal and teachers as well as resistance for teachers to leadership in the case study school.
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Mavuso, Mzuyanda Percival. "An exploration of the roles of the parent SGB members in the SGB: a case study of two selected rural primary schools in the King Williams Town district." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1323.
Full textAbstract:
The aim of this study was to explore the roles of the parent SGB members in the School Governing Bodies (SGB) of two selected rural primary schools in the King Williams Town District. This was achieved by applying the qualitative approach within the parameters of the interpretivist paradigm. Structured interviews, semi structured interviews, document analysis and non-participatory observation methods were used at two sites that were purposely sampled. The samples in both schools were made up of SGB chairperson, SGB secretary, treasurer, one additional member, principal and non SGB parents. From the findings it emerged that the principal and SGB chairperson work in partnership in the business of school governance. However, principals seemed to dominate their SGB chairpersons who in most cases seem to be less competent than the principals. Parent SGB members seem to be dependent upon the educators in most cases on issues of school governance and they do not differentiate between their role and that of the SMT. Most SGB subcommittees seem to be dysfunctional and it was clear from the data that educators were the persons who dealt with school finances and matters of procurement. The majority of parent SGB members do not know what policies the school must adopt.
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Luggya, Daniel. "A case study of stakeholders' perceptions of the management implications of the discipline provisions of the 1996 Schools Act in a rural Eastern Cape high school." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006156.
Full textAbstract:
South Africa's education management system has undergone a long history of transformation from the promulgation of the Bantu Education Act of 1953 to the realisation of democracy, and in this context, the South Mrican Schools Act (SASA) of l996. Apartheid legislation and the new democratic legislation have had a profound impact on the education leadership and management of schools, in which authoritarian management practices have been replaced by democratic management practices. However, democratic management practices have not yet had a significant effect in the leadership and management of schools, especially in the schools of previously disadvantaged areas. This thesis seeks to examine perceptions held by education stakeholders in the light of the rights of students as stipulated in the discipline provisions of the Schools Act of 1996, in one of the rural high schools in the Northern Region of the Eastern Cape Province. One of the most important discipline provisions is the ban on corporal punishment in schools. My intention in carrying out this research was not to generalise my findings but to understand the experiences and perceptions of the stakeholders in this school regarding the discipline provisions of the SASA. The data suggest that authoritarian education practices, especially corporal punishment, are still a factor in the maintenance of student discipline in this rural school. Stakeholders still believe in the use of corporal punishment as the only way of maintaining discipline and an orderly environment for teaching and learning. Such beliefs, assumptions and values concerning the use of corporal punishment are held by the principal, teachers, students and parents and have not changed since 1996. Beliefs, assumptions and values on the exclusive use of power by the principal on issues of suspension and expulsion are still being held by the above stakeholders in the school. The vision of the SASA that schools become autonomous institutions with democratic leadership and management practices does not seem to be practical because of the centralisation of power in the hands of the Provincial Head of the Education Department. This centralisation of power denies the principal and other stakeholders of the school the power to decide on crucial matters like the expulsion of misbehaving students, because it is the provincial Head who decides on the seriousness of offences committed by misbehaving students and subsequent expulsions. Apart from the location of power in the Provincial Head of the Education Department, the stakeholders of this school are also powerless on expulsion of students, or any other form of punishment because of the implication of the "right" to education in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The education department has to devise programmes that change the beliefs and assumptions of stakeholders on corporal punishment and decision-making on expulsions and suspensions. Unfortunately corporal punishment persists because parents use it in the home and support its use in school. Programmes on alternatives to corporal punishment are required for the smooth implementation of the SASA.
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Kashikatu, Lukas. "An organization development intervention in a Namibian rural school in Ohanguena region." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003567.
Full textAbstract:
Post independent Namibia adopted a decentralization policy which involved the transfer of decision-making powers and administrative authority from central government to government institutions, including schools, with a view to improving quality. However, despite new educational policies, Namibian educators continue to operate in a non-participatory manner and are unprepared for their role as change agents. This has created tension between the espoused benefits of decentralizing and the reality in schools. In such a turbulent situation schools need to be helped to understand the complexity of change in order to adapt, and OD plays a crucial role in this regard. OD is a consciously thought of and systematically implemented organization-wide improvement effort which aims at increasing organizational effectiveness and health through action research. Rather than a top-down change approach, the OD practice adopts a bottom-up approach to change. This study introduced and investigated an OD intervention in a Namibian rural school in Ohanguena Education Region, with the purpose of exploring participants’ perceptions and experience of the process and of the possible short-term outcome of the intervention. Its findings could be of significance to educators, organizations and future OD esearchers. The study is an action research case study located in the interpretive and critical paradigms. Multiple data collection tools were used during this study, namely observations, structured one-to-one interviews and focus group interviews. Interpretive analysis was used as the data analysis approach. The study found that despite OD being new to participants, it was embraced as a change strategy as it made significant impact on their understanding of organizations and conception of change which is radically different from the common top-down approach to change. The intervention further empowered participants with new skills of initiating change and problem-solving strategies. Apart from that, the intervention yielded a positive short-term outcome which motivated participants to adopt and apply OD in the future without underestimating challenges associated with the process.
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Perestrelo, Helena Ndeyatila. "An organisation development intervention in a rural school in the Omusati region of Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007636.
Full textAbstract:
Organizations globally are challenged with a very volatile, fast changing environment. It is only those organizations that develop the capacity to change timeously that will survive in this millennium. (Meyer & Botha, 2000, p.23) Organizational development (OD) is a planned change approach aimed at changing behaviour and enhancing organizational effectiveness. Central to such an approach is continuous business process improvement. OD rests on the foundation of values and assumptions about people and organizations, and it is imperative that organizations adopt systematic methodologies in introducing business improvement interventions. The study introduced an OD approach to one of the rural primary schools in the Omusati region of Namibia, with the purpose of examining if it would bring change in the school. My goal was to explore participants' experience and perception of the OD process and to investigate the possible short term outcome of such an intervention. The case study involved 16 staff members made up of a principal, one head of department and 14 teachers. Data was gathered through formal interviews with the principal, head of department and three teachers, through a focus group interview with teachers, and through observation and observation note entries. The study found that OD was a new concept approach to the participants which differs completely from the way that change processes are introduced in the schools. Participants felt that introducing change in an organization using an OD approach can bring effective change, but it can also place huge demands on participants' commitment. This is particularly so if they do not adopt it as an internal process of business improvement. The OD approach is a long-term change process and not a quick fix. Finally, the outcome of the intervention indicated enthusiasm for the school to continue addressing the prevailing challenges despite various obstacles that they do not have control over.
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Shumane, Lindile Sebastian. "An evaluation of the role of parents' representatives in school governing bodies : a case study of selected rural public schools in the Butterworth district." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1092.
Full textAbstract:
In South Africa, School Governing Bodies include parent component. This indicates that the participation of parents in the governance of a school is regarded as having a role to play. Since it would be impossible to include all the parents in the School Governing Body their representatives are elected to the School Governing Body. This study investigated the role of parents’ representatives in School Governing Bodies in rural public schools of the Butterworth District in the province of the Eastern Cape. Among others the study found that parents’ representatives experience various challenges with their role in this regard. For instance, in many instances School Governing Bodies struggle to maintain a full complement of the parents’ component. However, there are various ways and means that can be used in order to improve the situation.
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Nongauza, Anthony Davidson Mbulelo. "The role of a principal in an academically successful farm school: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003631.
Full textAbstract:
This study looks at the various actions by the principal of a farm school in running an academically successful school. The study exposes the difficulties faced by farm schools and looks at how the principal confronts these difficulties and turn some of these into success stories. In trying to understand the role of the principal this study uses school effectiveness literature as a source and reference in an attempt to understand the actions adopted by the principal to make this farm school successful. The study uses the interpretive orientation as the methodology for investigating the principal’s role. This is in line with my attempt at explaining the perceptions, views and experiences of the people who are working closely with the principal. I have done this by employing semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The information gathered from the respondents helped in the development of the role of the principal which in this case, is the expressed views of the respondents. The investigation is conducted as a case study and the handling of the information provided by the respondents is in line with case study methods. The study has revealed that actions of the leader have an influence on the organizational success. The way in which the leader of Rocklands farm School conducts herself and the vision she shares with the people within the organization go a long way towards the improvement of organizational structures and their functioning. In this case the principal has been noted as particularly transformational, charismatic, instructional and transactional in her approaches to school administration and that her dedication to the cause of learners from disadvantaged background is reflected in her sacrificial actions. The study has also found that the principal is considered to be fairly autocratic in her leadership, which is a departure from current leadership thinking. The study has also shown that socio-economic disadvantages do not necessarily inhibit the school from performing beyond expectation. With good guidance from the leader and trust among staff members the farm school has been able to overcome some socio-economic pressures to emerge successful in the academic field. The fact that the principal of this school is a woman has not changed the overall findings that leadership qualities for successful schooling are universal and do not necessarily depend on the gender of the leader. This study suggests that leaders have a potential to turn poor situations in schools around and that leaders should as a matter of course ensure that they understand the organizational dynamics within their schools. They should be in the forefront as agents of change being mindful that those within the school understand and share the vision the leader has. The study also suggests that the human element in the educational processes in schools is of critical importance than the conditions in which schools find themselves.
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Zide, Lulama. "Pedagogical practices of teachers in under resourced school: a case study of two rural schools in Mqanduli District of the Eastern Cape Province." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006245.
Full textAbstract:
The South African schooling system is faced with a number of crisis situations. Of these is the high under resourcing in rural public schools. Macfarlane (2005:5) deduces that despite rapid recent urbanization, half of South Africa’s learners still attend schools in theses rural under resourced areas. The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that have saturated the media with a discrepancy of having a lot of under resourced schools especially in rural areas. This study, therefore, investigated pedagogical strategies used by teachers in under resourced schools - how teachers teach to ensure that teaching and learning occurs under such dire circumstances. The study followed a qualitative approach under an interpretive paradigm with a case study research design. Furthermore, the data collection techniques involved semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and documentary analysis. This study revealed that all the respondents from both schools seemed to have a common understanding of what a school resource means though put in different statements. The findings also revealed that all the respondents were silent in mentioning parents as school resources. From the documents analysed, it however, came to view that it is expected of the teachers to use a learner centred approach kind of teaching, where learners are mostly used. Responding on parents the teachers alleged a lack of involvement of parents in their children’s learning and other activities run in their school. The study recommends that the Department of Education officials need to make regular visits on schools for the betterment of teaching and learning standard, regular improvement on school facilities and handling of finances.
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Mtshakaza, Lungile Eric. "An assessment of the role of the procurement committee in the management of school funds with reference to selected schools in Libode District." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014583.
Full textAbstract:
The South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996) stipulates that the State must fund all the public schools from the public revenue on an equitable basis. Each school should elect a School Governing Body (SGB) whose primary function is to manage school finances. The principal of the school, who is also a member of the SGB, is the accounting officer. The SGB has to elect the finance committee which should run the school’s finances and, in turn elects the procurement committee - a sub-committee of the finance committee. In terms of the South African Schools Act, (Act 84 of 1998, as amended) there are two categories of public schools which may be created in South Africa. One category is based on Section 20 of the South Africa Schools Act with stipulated functions applicable to all public schools, while the other category is based on Section 21 of the Act which includes added stipulated functions above those applicable to all public schools. The study investigated the factors affecting the performance of procurement committees in schools. Among others, the study found that more formal training on financial management was necessary in schools in order to empower the procurement committees. Inadequate support with regard to the availability of supporting documentation and logistics was also raised as a matter of concern.
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Sinvula, Leonard Masene. "The role of leadership in a successful rural secondary school in Namibia: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004925.
Full textAbstract:
The primary purpose of this qualitative case study research was to examine the role of leadership in a successful rural secondary school in Namibia. In Namibia, the Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ESTIP) was initiated to provide, amongst other things, effective leadership in education. In addition, the Ministry developed a policy on the National Standards and Performance Indicators for Schools in Namibia to complement the objectives of ETSIP. The policy emphasizes leadership practices in schools such as professional competence, commitment, ability to direct, inspire and motivate interpersonal relationships and teams. The study drew on leadership theories and findings from related studies to make sense of the role played by leadership in this particular rural school in Namibia. The study uses the interpretive orientation as the methodology for investigating the leadership's role. This is in line with my attempt to determine stakeholder's experiences and perceptions of the leadership in the school. I collected data from three sources: semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis. The findings of this study suggest that the leadership had a significant influence on the school's success. In particular it emerged that the school leadership played an instructional role to ensure there was effective teaching and learning and that they encouraged teamwork extensively in leading the school. The leadership provided internal support structures as well as external networking to garner support for the school from the wider community. The study has also revealed that there are challenges facing this rural school's leadership in terms of poor parental involvement. Challenges such as lack of parental commitment to the school, illiteracy among adults and a communication breakdown between the school and its parents are still rife. The school leadership addresses this challenge by participating in village meetings and utilizing them as a platform to discuss school matters with parents. Further research on this topic would be useful, including such institutions as rural primary schools, private schools and colleges in the Caprivi Region, as very little research has been done on leadership roles in schools in the rural areas of Namibia.
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Van, Heerden Marianne. "Uitdagings aan onderwysleiers in gekombineerde skole in die Suid-Kaapse platteland." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53205.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Unique demands are made on management of combined schools in the Southern Cape because it must accommodate seven to eighteen year old learners, each with their specific needs. This includes the adolescent who has to adapt to several changes in his/her own body as well as in the environment. Elementary and middle schools in Japan and the USA have restructured to be more effective by accommodating the specific needs of the learners, as well as the demands which the society in the twenty-first century will make on learners. The success of these schools encouraged high schools to adopt a more personal nature in the relationship between adults and learners and to prepare learners for jobs which would be very different from those of a few years ago. There are quite a few aspects in favour of combined schools, for example, fewer learners, a long relationship with the school and a close relationship between school and community. These aspects should be used to their fullest to ensure that these schools remain the "good" schools they were in the past. Criteria for being effective schools are changing drastically and combined schools cannot just rely on their previous success for growth. A generation of learners with a unique nature and of whom unique demands will be made in the future are entering these schools. Schools will have to provide more than mere subject knowledge. Learners must receive education in character, ethics, self-discipline and stress management. Schools will have to be managed from a new paradigm to accomplish these aspects. Change can only happen when people change and that would create a new culture. When schools are managed from a principle-centered paradigm, people are empowered to experience private and public victories. It is then possible to align the managerial and organizational levels with the values embedded in the school mission.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar word besondere eise aan die bestuur van gekombineerde skole in die Suid-Kaapse platteland gestel aangesien leerders van sewejarige tot agtienjarige ouderdom, elk met sy besondere behoeftes, geakkommodeer moet word. Dit sluit ook die adolessente in wat by verskeie veranderings in hulle eie lewens en die omgewing moet aanpas. In Japan en die VSA het veral die laerskole begin herstruktureer om skole meer effektief te maak deur die behoeftes van leerders aan te spreek, veralook ten opsigte van die eise wat die samelewing van die een-en-twintigste eeu aan leerders sal stel. Hulle sukses het ook hoërskole aangespoor om aanpassings te maak, veral ten opsigte van die skepping van In meer persoonlike aard van die verhoudings tussen leerders en volwassenes, en die voorbereiding van leerders vir In arbeidsmark wat drasties verskil van enkele jare gelede. Gekombineerde skole het baie faktore wat kan veroorsaak dat hulle effektiewe skole kan wees, byvoorbeeld min leerders, In lang verbintenis van die met die skool en In sterk band tussen skool en gemeenskap. Daar moet egter doelbewus beplan word om hierdie aspekte te benut sodat verseker kan word dat hulle ook in die toekoms die "goeie" skole kan bly wat hulle in die verlede was. Kriteria vir effektiewe skole is besig om drasties te verander en gekombineerde skole kan nie net op ou suksesse voortbou nie. In Geslag leerders met In unieke aard en aan wie unieke vereistes in die toekoms gestel gaan word, betree nou die skole. Skole moet meer as net vakkennis oordra. Karakteropvoeding, etiek, selfdissipline en streshantering is aspekte wat binne die skoolkurikulum aangespreek moet word. Om bogenoemde suksesvol te laat wees, moet daar vanuit In nuwe paradigma bestuur word. Verandering kan net plaasvind indien mense verander en daar sodoende 'n nuwe kultuur in skole gevestig word. Wanneer daar vanuit 'n beginselgesentreerde paradigma bestuur word, word mense bemagtig om eers privaat oorwinnings en dan publieke oorwinnings te behaal. Dis dan moontlik om die bestuurs- en organisatoriese vlakke in lyn met die waardes van die missie van die skool te bring.
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Manaka, Ngoanamoshala Maria. "How an eco-school sanitation community of practice fosters action competence for sanitation management in a rural school : the case of Ramashobohle High School Eco-Schools Community of Practice in Mankweng circuit Polokwane Municipality Capricorn district in Limpopo Province, South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007319.
Full textAbstract:
Providing adequate sanitation facilities for the poor remains one of the major challenges in all developing countries. In South Africa, an estimated 11,7% of the schools are without sanitation. The South African government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that all South Africans have access to adequate sanitation. When sanitation systems fail, or are inadequate, the impact of the health of the community, on the health of others and the negative impact on the environment can be extremely serious. In rural South African schools, many Enviro-Ioo toilets are available today. They are designed to suit a variety of water scarce areas and where there is a high risk of contamination of ground water resources. It is important to realize that any Enviro-Ioo system programme requires an education programme to ensure that the principles of use and maintenance are clearly understood by the user group. Their maintenance requires more responsibility and commitment by users. This study is an interpretive case study that indicates how sanitation in a rural Ramashobohle High School in Polokwane municipality was managed through an EcoSchools Sanitation Community of Practice, and how this developed action competence for sanitation management in the school. The study established that the earlier practice and knowledge of the Ramashobohle Eco-Schools community of practice exercised in maintaining Enviro-Ioo systems was inadequate; unhealthy and unsafe according to the data generated through focus group interviews, observations, interviews, action plan, workshops and reflection interviews. The data generated also indicates that the Eco-Schools community of practice was not committed to maintaining sanitation in their school because they were not sharing sanitation knowledge; they were not communicating and not updating one another concerning Enviro-Ioo systems maintenance as they had no adequate knowledge as to how to maintain the facilities; and the school management was also not supportive and was not taking responsibility. The study shows how this situation was turned around as an Eco-Schools Sanitation Community of Practice focussed on developing action competence in the school community. It provides a case based example of how knowledge and action competence, supported by an Eco-Schools Community of Practice, can find and implement solutions to inadequate sanitation management practices in rural schools, and shows how members of the school community can be engaged in learning how to manage and maintain school sanitation systems through a participatory process that develops action competence. The study points to important dimensions of developing action competence, such as providing knowledge and demonstrations, inviting experts to the school, involving learners in observations and monitoring and in ensuring that adequate facilities are available. In particular, a workshop conducted by Enviro-Ioo consultants, organised and supported by the Eco-Schools Sanitation COP, together with a follow up action plan, provided the main impetus for changes in practice in the school and served to support action competence development. Finally the study provides research findings and recommendations for further research.
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Morris, Sohail. "Die invloed van die geenskoolfondsbeleid op die finansiele beheer en bestuur van landelike skole in die Weskus-Wynland onderwysdistrik." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71789.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.Includes bibliography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Prior to 1994, the school principal in conjunction with the Department of Education used to be responsible for the control and management of school finances. With the establishment of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, however, the liability in respect of finance has changed dramatically as self-management took effect in schools. With the Minister of Education’s announcement of no-fee schools in poor communities (quintiles 1–3) in 2006, parents’ obligation to pay school fees fell away. Together with the aforementioned policy and decentralisation, through which power, control and management have shifted from the national to the local level, schools have started to bear a heavier financial burden as well. However, principals and governing body members have often not been trained to cope with this. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the no-fees policy on the financial control and management of rural schools in the West Coast-Winelands education district (circuits 1, 2 and 3). The data for the research were firstly gathered by means of a literature review, after which an exploratory study was conducted in 20 rural no-fee schools in the abovementioned education district by way of questionnaires. The school principals and chairpersons of school governing bodies each received a questionnaire. They were afforded two weeks to complete it. The researcher personally analysed the data, based on which certain findings and recommendations are made at the end of the study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voor 1994 was die skoolhoof in samewerking met die Departement verantwoordelik vir die beheer en bestuur van skoolfinansies. Met die instelling van die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolewet 84 van 1996 het die aanspreeklikheid ten opsigte van finansies egter drasties verander, deurdat selfbestuur by skole in werking gestel is. Met die Minister van Onderwys se aankondiging in 2006 van geenskoolfondsskole in arm gemeenskappe (kwintiel 1–3), het ouers se verpligting om skoolgeld te betaal verval. Tesame met voormelde beleid en desentralisasie, waardeur mag, bestuur en beheer vanaf nasionale na plaaslike vlak verskuif is, het skole nou ʼn groter finansiёle las begin dra. Tog is skoolhoofde en beheerliggaamlede dikwels nie opgelei om hierdie finansiёle las te dra nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die invloed van die geenskoolfondsbeleid op die finansiёle beheer en bestuur van landelike skole in die Weskus-Wynland-onderwysdistrik (kring 1, 2 en 3) te bepaal. Die data vir die navorsing is eerstens by wyse van ʼn literatuuroorsig ingesamel, waarna ʼn ondersoekende studie deur middel van vraelyste by 20 landelike geenskoolfondsskole in bogenoemde onderwysdistrik onderneem is. Skoolhoofde en beheerliggaamvoorsitters van die skole het elk ʼn vraelys ontvang. Hulle is twee weke gegun om die vraelyste te voltooi. Die navorser het persoonlik die data ontleed, op grond waarvan bepaalde bevindings en aanbevelings aan die einde van die studie gedoen word.
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Spies, Jacobus Johannes. "Die verwerkliking van die neoliberale diskoerse in die leierskappraktyke van plattelandse skoolhoofde." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71933.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.Includes bibliography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study offers an analysis of the realization of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practices of rural school headmasters. It is a Bourdieuian study of leadership in the rural context in relation to the influence of neoliberalism. The focus of this study is the manner in which neoliberalism manifests itself in the leadership practices of headmasters functioning within a specific geographical context, namely a rural village. The conceptual question therefore focuses on the endeavour made by the headmasters with the manifestation of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practises of the headmasters in question. The point of reference of this study is that neoliberalism positions schools to function in a distinct way as the logic of the market, privatisation, deregulation and the individual's freedom of choice of school are manifested in the school as field. A further outcome of neoliberalism is that a particular leadership practice namely managerialism, use of data, efficiency, performativity and a focus on outcomes and achievements in the school is established in the field and proffered as norm. The discursive function of neoliberalism in the school as field has a direct impact on the leadership practices of headmasters as it effects a distinct logic of practice which endeavours to influence the headmaster’s leadership habitus in a certain way. Furthermore it tends to influence the headmasters reason to act directly in the form of policy changes and indirectly when proposed as the norm or standard of practice. In this study Bourdieu’s conceptual lenses of habitus, field, capital, strategy and practice are employed as comprehensive theoretical background and analytical lenses. The aim of this study is to understand what the neoliberal discourses entail, to interpret how they manifest themselves in the leadership practices of rural headmasters and to establish the consequences for the headmasters. The data was gathered by means of semi-structured one-on-one interviews during which each headmaster was granted the opportunity to contextualise in his own words, his experience of the effect that neoliberalism discourse has on his leadership practice in his particular rural school. The data of the twelve transcribed interviews (with the use of Atlas.ti computer programme) was coded by selecting segments of the primary documents to which codes were accordingly linked. By applying Bourdieu’s conceptual framework of habitus, field, capital and practice as “super codes”, the data was dealt with thematically and organised accordingly.This study offers an analysis of the realization of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practices of rural school headmasters. It is a Bourdieuian study of leadership in the rural context in relation to the influence of neoliberalism. The focus of this study is the manner in which neoliberalism manifests itself in the leadership practices of headmasters functioning within a specific geographical context, namely a rural village. The conceptual question therefore focuses on the endeavour made by the headmasters with the manifestation of the neoliberal discourses in the leadership practises of the headmasters in question. The point of reference of this study is that neoliberalism positions schools to function in a distinct way as the logic of the market, privatisation, deregulation and the individual's freedom of choice of school are manifested in the school as field. A further outcome of neoliberalism is that a particular leadership practice namely managerialism, use of data, efficiency, performativity and a focus on outcomes and achievements in the school is established in the field and proffered as norm. The discursive function of neoliberalism in the school as field has a direct impact on the leadership practices of headmasters as it effects a distinct logic of practice which endeavours to influence the headmaster’s leadership habitus in a certain way. Furthermore it tends to influence the headmasters reason to act directly in the form of policy changes and indirectly when proposed as the norm or standard of practice. In this study Bourdieu’s conceptual lenses of habitus, field, capital, strategy and practice are employed as comprehensive theoretical background and analytical lenses. The aim of this study is to understand what the neoliberal discourses entail, to interpret how they manifest themselves in the leadership practices of rural headmasters and to establish the consequences for the headmasters. The data was gathered by means of semi-structured one-on-one interviews during which each headmaster was granted the opportunity to contextualise in his own words, his experience of the effect that neoliberalism discourse has on his leadership practice in his particular rural school. The data of the twelve transcribed interviews (with the use of Atlas.ti computer programme) was coded by selecting segments of the primary documents to which codes were accordingly linked. By applying Bourdieu’s conceptual framework of habitus, field, capital and practice as “super codes”, the data was dealt with thematically and organised accordingly. An analysis of the data revealed that the manifestation of neoliberalism results in the headmaster increasingly having to play a dual role namely that of manager plus that of professional educationist. The leadership skills or practises associated with those two roles are not always compatible. The latter places principals in a very difficult position where, on the one hand they are expected to act as Representative of the Department of Education (in which neoliberal ideas increasingly function), while on the other hand, as professional educationist, the logic behind these practices and its educational accountability may be questioned. Headmasters, however, despite the fact that neoliberalism seeks to enforce a uniform system upon them, respond in a unique, diverse manner to the manifestation of the neoliberal discourses in their leadership practices.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bied ‘n analise van die verwerkliking van die neoliberale diskoerse in die leierskappraktyke van plattelandse skoolhoofde. Dit is ‘n Bourdieuaanse studie oor leierskap in die plattelandse konteks in verhouding tot die invloed van neoliberalisme. Die fokus van hierdie navorsing is die wyse waarop neoliberalisme verwerklik word in die leierskappraktyke van skoolhoofde wat werksaam is in ‘n spesifieke geografiese konteks, naamlik ‘n plattelandse dorp en die konseptuele vraag fokus daarom op watter bemoeienis hierdie skoolhoofde met die neoliberale diskoerse maak, deurdat dit verwerklik word in die leierskappraktyke van die betrokke skoolhoofde. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat neoliberalisme skole posisioneer om op bepaalde wyses te funksioneer, soos wat die logika van die mark, privatisering, deregulering en die individu se vryheid van keuse in die skool as veld verwerklik word. Neoliberalisme het verder tot gevolg dat bepaalde tipe leierskappraktyke naamlik managerialisme, bestuur deur die gebruik van data, effektiwiteit, performatiwiteit en ‘n fokus op uitkomste en prestasie in die skool as veld gevestig word en as die norm voorgehou word. Die diskursiewe werking van neoliberalisme in die skool as veld het ‘n regstreekse inwerking op die leierskappraktyke van skoolhoofde deurdat dit tot gevolg het dat ‘n bepaalde logika van praktyke voorgehou word, wat poog om die skoolhoofde se leierskaphabitus op ‘n bepaalde wyse te kondisioneer. Dit poog verder om skoolhoofde se handeling en rede van doen regstreeks in die vorm van beleidsveranderinge en indirek, voorgehou as die norm van praktyke, te beïnvloed. In hierdie studie word Bourdieu se konseptuele lense van habitus, veld, kapitaal, strategie en praktyke as ‘n oorkoepelende teoretiese agtergrond en analitiese lense aangewend. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te verstaan wat die neoliberale diskoerse behels, te interpreteer hoe dit verwerklik word in die leierskappraktyke van plattelandse skoolhoofde en watter betekenis die skoolhoofde daaraan gee. Die data is versamel deur gebruik te maak van semigestruktureerde een-tot-een onderhoude, waartydens die skoolhoofde die geleentheid gebied is om in hulle eie woorde hulle skole te kontekstualiseer en hoe hulle beleef dat die neoliberale diskoerse in hul leierskappraktyke in die betrokke skole op die platteland verwerklik word. Die data van die twaalf getranskribeerde onderhoude is (met behulp van die rekenaarprogram Atlas.ti) gekodeer, deur tekssegmente in die primêre dokumente te selekteer en kodes daaraan te koppel. Deur Bourdieu se konseptuele raamwerk van habitus, veld, kapitaal en praktyke as ‘super kodes’ aan te wend, is die data op tematiese wyse benader en georganiseer. ‘n Analise van die data het aan die lig gebring dat die verwerkliking van neoliberalisme tot gevolg het dat skoolhoofde toenemend ‘n dubbele rol moet vertolk, naamlik die van bestuurder/bemarker en die van professionele opvoedkundige. Die leierskappraktyke verbonde aan hierdie twee verskillende rolle is nie altyd versoenbaar met mekaar nie. Laasgenoemde plaas skoolhoofde in ‘n baie moeilike posisie, waar daar aan die een kant van hulle verwag word om as verteenwoordiger van die onderwysdepartement die beleid van die Staat (waarin neoliberale idees toenemend fungeer) nougeset te implementeer, terwyl hulle aan die ander kant as professionele opvoedkundiges die logika daaragter en opvoedkundigverantwoordbaarheid daarvan kan bevraagteken. Skoolhoofde maak egter, ten spyte daarvan dat neoliberalisme poog om ‘n eenvormige sisteem op hulle af te dwing, op ‘n unieke, diverse wyse mee met die verwerkliking van die neoliberale diskoerse in hul leierskappraktyke.
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Khaweka, Sakhile Melody. "Menstrual hygiene management in Mpolonjeni, Swaziland : experiences and practices of girls in a rural school." Thesis, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/23645.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2017Developments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised banking, in that consumers can make use of mobile devices to conduct daily banking, independent of a traditional bank branch. The adoption of mobile banking has continued to be low in South Africa, at 24%, while the mobile phone market has experienced a significant increase in market penetration to 96%. However, very few studies have investigated the impact of mobile banking among bottom of the pyramid consumers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of financial literacy, social pressure and perceived credibility on the adoption of mobile banking among the bottom of the pyramid consumers in South Africa. An empirical study on bottom of the pyramid consumers in Johannesburg, South Africa with a sample of 235 questionnaires was conducted. The measurement items were assessed through three hypotheses using Structural Equation Modelling with IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 23. The results confirm that all three hypotheses are significant and supported by indicating that financial literacy, social pressure and perceived credibility have an impact on mobile banking among bottom of the pyramid consumers. The findings revealed that social pressure and mobile banking was the weakest significant relationship, while perceived credibility had the strongest significant relationship on mobile banking. This study adds to the theoretical knowledge of financial literacy, social pressure and credibility as the factors that impact on mobile banking among bottom of the pyramid consumers. The managerial implications of the study indicate that in order for managers to increase mobile banking adoption, they need to create strategies that will drive education around mobile banking, use other people as advocates and place emphasis on communicating the safety and privacy of the services. Recommendations, limitations and future research on mobile banking are discussed. Keywords: Mobile Banking, Financial Literacy, Perceived Credibility, Social Pressure, Bottom of the Pyramid
GR2018
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Dlamini, Khombisile. "The role of principalship in the management of teaching and learning in Swaziland : case studies of two rural secondary schools in the Hhohho Region." Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/7659.
Full textAbstract:
Instructional leadership is a key area of school leadership, which directly speaks to the core purpose of schools, namely, teaching and learning. Educational leadership scholars acknowledge that most research focuses on educational policies: the - what ought -or is required - to be done in schools. Conversely, little is known on how those policies are implemented (Thurlow et al 2003). Thurlow et al’s (2003) research exposed the need to investigate the implementation practices and emphasised that research into instructional leadership in Southern Africa was now imperative.
This research therefore explores the role of principalship in the management of teaching and learning in two rural secondary schools in the Hhohho region of Swaziland. Furthermore, this research focuses on distributed leadership because this has been recognised as a key facet of instructional leadership. Distributed leadership offers an alternative for running organisations (Spillane 2007). This is done by looking at the extent to which Heads of Departments (HoDs) are empowered, supported and involved in the improvement of learner academic achievement. Research from other countries, England in particular, has shown that where ‘middle managers’ (HoDs) were directly involved in activities directed at enhancing learner performance, there were remarkable results (Busher and Harris 1999). The research also draws on the large body of international literature in the leadership field.
The research is a qualitative study which uses two small scale case studies of secondary schools in the rural Hhohho region of Swaziland. The secondary schools
are purposefully sampled because they are in rural settings and have records of producing comparatively good learner academic results on standardised external examination at O’ level. Participants of the study in each school are the principal, deputy principal, four heads of departments and four teachers. Questionnaires and follow-up probing interviews are used to elicit data from the participants.
In addressing the research question, evidence from the research findings show that the two secondary schools studied mainly focus on producing good academic results as measured by the external examination set by the Examination Council of Swaziland. Principals of both schools do this by ensuring that resources, both human and physical are targeted towards these. They do not concentrate on the wider aspects of teaching and learning; teachers are encouraged only to be external examination oriented in their teaching. My belief supported by international literature; is that the role of principalship should stretch beyond learner academic performance. This role, of the instructional leader, should encompass the quality of teaching and learning by encouraging teachers to reflect on their classroom practices order to improve these
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Malinga, Glenrose. "Sharp waste management in rural clinics in Swaziland." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/11057.
Full textAbstract:
INTRODUCTION: Poor management of health-care waste can cause serious disease to
health-care personnel, waste workers, patients and the general public. The greatest risk is
posed by infectious waste. Through the observation of the researcher, the management of
sharp waste in rural clinics in Swaziland seemed to be poor because waste was often seen
scattered around the clinics. This motivated the researcher to scrutinize the reason behind the
situation in clinics.
AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to evaluate the management of sharp
waste in 35 rural clinics in Swaziland.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
a) To assess the degree to which resources are available to enable staff to adhere to
procedures regarding the segregation, storage, transportation and treatment of sharp
waste in rural clinics in Swaziland.
b) To determine if relevant documents to address the management of sharp waste in rural
clinics are available and accessible.
c) To determine perceptions of clinic managers for failures to comply fully with sharp
waste management standards.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive
survey. Methods of data acquisition were by acquiring observation checklist and
interviewing clinic managers on sharp waste management practices in their clinics.
The researcher sampled 35 clinics. A convenience sample method was used. RESULTS:
NATIONALLY
Ninety four percent (94%) of the sampled clinics had sharp waste containers to segregate
sharp waste properly. Sixty five percent (65%) had punctured proof containers. Eighty
percent (80%) had sharp waste containers. Eighty six percentage (86%) sealed sharp waste at
¾ full. Twenty percentage (20%) did not have storage areas for sharp waste. Only one (3%)
had a waste trolley. There was availability of protective clothing for all health personnel.
Seventy seven percentage (77%) clinics did not have full protective clothing for waste
handlers. Fifty one percent (51%) did not have risk waste pit/incinerator. Most of the clinics
in the four regions did not have the Waste Regulation 2000, Health Care Waste Management
plan document or the National Health Care Waste Guidelines. Twenty nine percent (29%)
had done trainings on health care waste management.
REGIONALLY
Almost all the clinics had 100% compliance in the availability of sharp waste containers for
segregating health care waste except the Lubombo region that had 78% compliance.
There was no 100% compliance in all the regions on the availability of puncture proof
containers. The Shiselweni region had a very poor compliance as compared to other regions.
It was observed that not all clinics sealed their containers when ¾ full. The Shiselweni region
had lower compliance by 78% and Hhohho region had the highest compliancy of 100%.
There was poor availability of storage areas. All the regions were less than 50% compliance
in the provision of the storage area. Shiselweni region was the only region that was above
50% compliancy.
There was very poor availability of transportation waste trolleys. Only one clinic in
Shiselweni region had transportation waste trolley.
There was 100% compliance in the availability of protective clothing for health personnel.
There was poor availability of protective clothing for waste handlers. Shiselweni region was
the only region that was above 50% compliance, the rest had a very low compliance. There was poor availability of risk waste pit/incinerator in Hhohho and Manzini region. Their
compliance was less than 50%. Shiselweni andLubombo region were above 50% compliance.
Availability of legislation was very poor in regions. The Hhohho and Manzini were the worst
regions in terms of compliancy. They had 0% compliancy. The Lubombo region had the
highest compliancy of 33% and this was very low since it was below 50%.
INTERVIEWS
Eighty six percent (86%) clinic managers revealed that there was poor availability of
resources in their clinics and that was why their clinics were not complying.
Eighty six percent (86%) of clinic managers recommended that there should be availability of
resources; few recommended that there should be availability of protective clothing for the
waste handlers and regulations.
Seventy one percent (71%) clinic managers needed technical support on incinerators/risk
waste pit, Twenty percent (20%) need supported on trainings of health care waste.
CONCLUSION: There was poor availability of resources and there were poor relevant
documents to address the management of sharp waste containers in most clinics. All clinic
managers during their interviews felt that they needed close supervision and technical support
from their supervisors so that it could be easy for the supervisors to identify any problems
associated in clinics.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The study revealed that sharp waste management was not well
managed in all the stages from segregation to disposal.
It is the responsibility of Supervisors in clinics to make sure that there is availability of
resources in clinics to enable staff to adhere to procedures regarding the segregation, storage,
transportation and treatment of sharp waste in rural clinics in Swaziland.
Relevant documents should be available to address the management of sharp waste
containers.
There should be close supervision in clinics from supervisors
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Ndlangamandla, Eward Dumisa. "The delivery of sport at schools in Swaziland." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5386.
Full textAbstract:
M.Phil.Against the background of the global interest in offering quality physical education and sport at school level, this study aims to determine how sport and physical activities are delivered in Swaziland schools with an applied focus on total and effective practices. The study highlights the importance of sport in human development and how it can contribute to an enabling school environment. It also outlines the roles played by various stakeholders in Swaziland school sport. The study reviewed the important areas of school sport management and delivery of organised physical activity at schools, while identifying good practice and highlighting challenges. For this descriptive survey, a stratified random sampling procedure was employed. Data were collected and triangulated using a mixed-method approach. A total of 68 head teachers, 66 sports teachers and 405 learners completed questionnaires, and two presidents and three secretaries of sports associations were interviewed. There were 80 participating schools, which is 10 per cent of the total schools in Swaziland. Participating schools were evenly distributed throughout the country as they were randomly stratified according to regions, location and school level. Results indicated that all tiers of research participants (head teachers, sports teachers, and learners) are positive about an active lifestyle and are of the opinion that sport holds special value for learners. Fifty-nine per cent of the participating schools are affiliated to the Swaziland School Sports Association and participate in their activities, while only 21% of learners participate in organised sport activities at their respective schools. From the population of learners, only 23% of boys and 19% of girls participate in school sport, due to various limiting factors such as lack of facilities and relatively poor governance of school sport by the Swaziland School Sports Association, as evidenced in the absence of adequate leadership and strategic documentation on how to achieve envisaged targets. Strategic leadership and active engagement in school sport are also absent from the Ministry of Education and Training, while different international stakeholders such as the Australian Sports Commission and UNICEF offer sport for development programmes without a clear synergy between all the existing structures. Recommendations are made regarding the need for an active policy implementation and national leadership that should strive towards a professional adherence to a philosophy of a holistic development of the Swaziland youth. Key words: School sport, governance, sports teacher, physical education, Swaziland.
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Phiri, Joyce Penelope. "An assessment of local financial management and its implications for schools in Swaziland." Thesis, 2014.
Find full textAbstract:
This paper analyses the findings of a survey conducted in eight schools in Swaziland on financial management in secondary schools. The paper sets out, as its framework, the Priority-based budgeting as well as strategic management, as useful perspectives on how finances should be managed at school level. It does not, however, claim that priority-based budgeting is the only best strategy, but claims that since majority of schools in Swaziland operate under limited resources, this approach is appropriate. This study does acknowledge that individual schools have individual priorities and the fact that priorities change, therefore the PBB approach should act as a basic framework for setting out budgets. The paper also acknowledges that schools have unique features that make up an organization. These features include the culture of that organization. Such features will determine how that organization will choose to run its activities,in particular, financial management.
The aim of the study is not to make school heads experts in financial management, but to provide a greater understanding of both the underlying concepts and practical application of the basic skills and processes of local financial management, and how these skills can be integrated in schools in Swaziland. The study therefore questions the skills that school heads have in controlling finances, and argues that school heads should be equipped with the necessary skills" to handle the complex operations of financial management. It also suggests that schools in Swaziland should integrate the concept of local financial management as proposed by the 1988 Education Reform Act of England and Wales.
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Setati, Phatudi Prudence. "Assessment of teachers' e-learning readiness in rural South African schools." Thesis, 2011. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1000419.
Full textAbstract:
M. Tech. Business Information Systems, Tshwane University of Technology, 2011.In this current information era, e-learning is considered as one of the means to enhance worldwide competitiveness. Before e-learning is implemented in education systems, it is of critical importance to assess the e-learning readiness thereof. Previous researches have always focused on measuring the e-learning readiness of organisations and of higher learning institutions; as a result a research gap on the use and readiness of e-learning in primary and secondary schools has been left. The aim of this research is to find out teachers' e-learning readiness in rural South African. Informed by the theoretical triangulation of Technology Readiness Index and Technology Acceptance Model, a conceptual framework was produced. In the study, Technology Readiness Index's personality characteristics (optimism, innovativeness, discomforts, and insecurity) and the cognitive dimensions of Technology Acceptance Model (perceived ease of use and the perceived usefulness) were used. Four factors affecting the e-learning readiness of teachers' in rural schools were identified: individual factor, technological factor, institutional factor and social factor.
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Sambo, Sosa Isaac. "School Management Teams' experiences of communicating with rural parents in primary schools." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/56920.
Full textAbstract:
The study is located within the interpretative paradigm, qualitative research approach, a case study design and purposeful sampling to select principals who partipated in the study. It collected information using multiple sources including personal interviews, observations and document analysis. The use of the qualitative approach assisted the researcher to explore the experiences of SMTs and teachers when communicating with parents in rural primary schools.
Effective communication between parents and schools is essential in order to support the overall performance of learners. Parents and schools need to discuss learner progress on an on-going basis. Feedback between the two parties will help motivate learners perform better. There are many ways in which parents can ensure that their children do well at school. The ideal would be for parents to pre-empt teachers and School Management Teams (SMTs) calling them to the school. Schools, on the other hand, need to adopt an open door policy; they should welcome parents to their schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the SMTs experiences of communicating with parents of children in rural primary schools in the Mopani District of Limpopo Province in South Africa. SMTs are regarded as an essential support structure in the instructional learning activities of schools. The study aimed to investigate mechanisms of effective communication between rural parents and schools in their efforts to cooperate for the benefit of the children and to understand how decisions are taken between SMTs and parents.
The study revealed that SMTs and parents use one- and two-way communication strategies to discuss important issues about the progress of learners. Factors that hinder effective communication between parents and SMTs in rural schools were identified, such as a lack of conveying information by SMTs; limited involvement of parents in making decisions regarding major issues involving their children; and language as a major barrier between parents and schools in rural areas. Many parents in rural communities have a low level of education and, therefore, struggle to engage with schools. It was also found that poor socio-economic circumstances affect communication between parents and teachers. Many parents cannot afford to buy mobile phones to ease the process of communication between themselves and the schools. The use of mobile phones is also a major hurdle for parents.Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
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Education Management and Policy Studies
MEd
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Mihai, Maryke Anneke. "Management challenges of an Information and Communication Technology network in rural schools." Thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/49230.
Full textAbstract:
Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) play an important role in reforming education. The purpose of the study was to describe the management challenges and the type of management approach that developed during the implementation of an ICT network, and what possible contribution the lessons learnt from this case study could make towards management theory.
In April 2008 an interactive whiteboard (IWB) network was established in an Mpumalanga town, with one of the province’s foremost schools being partnered with five disadvantaged schools. The management challenges in this network required an approach that deviated from the traditional line-function approach. This study explores the paradigm shift from a mechanistic management view to an organic or distributed model and matrix design.
This is a qualitative descriptive case study. I described the reality through the eyes of the participants and the context of the study from my own specific perspective. The intervention established the project as a case: a small geographical area and a small number of individuals chosen. I did a content analysis of my semi-structured interviews, documents and field notes. I arranged the data in different codes and families in Atlas.ti and described the patterns in the data.
Findings indicated a difference between the management challenges of the rural schools and the leading school. The management approach was identified as a systems management approach. A balanced matrix management model developed in the leading school, but in the rural schools teachers still reported hierarchically to their HODs and principals. They also reported horizontally to the project manager, administrative officer and HODs of the leading school in their subject groups.
This study contributes to current management theory through the description of the matrix model that developed in the leading school, as well as the discussion of the management procedures in the rural schools, and the special roles of the SGBs, principals, project manager, administrative officer and HODs.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
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