As mentioned in chapter three, sub section 3.10.3, the researcher requested the following documents for the purposes of this study: meeting agendas and minute-book of the school, annual reports to parents (parents’ meeting minutes), discipline records and curriculum, budget, paper budget from the Department, and curriculum materials from the three chosen schools.
SGB Minutes
The researcher noted that all three chosen schools were able to provide the requested documents without difficulty. Minutes were available and were hand- written in a minute book or on an examination pad. The minutes of the two primary schools and one secondary school were written in their home language. The SGBs were trained in how to take minutes and write the implementation report, the latter of which indicates the decisions taken by the SGBs. It also indicates whether the decision was implemented or not and the reasons for failure to implement. Differences were only noted when attending their special meetings, since the aim of these meetings was to address specific issues, which vary among the three chosen schools.
The minutes of the meetings held by all three SGBs indicated that principals reported on school activities during meetings. It was noted that this takes up a lot of the time of the meetings if these issues are presented in a way that will ensure that both the SGBs and the principal are left with the same understanding with regard to the reported issues.
These reports indicated the challenges of the school on a daily basis, such as discipline issues, absenteeism of learners, broken school furniture, employment of staff members, termination of temporary contracts, and excursions. With regard to misconduct cases, it was noted that decisions were not completed or the tribunal committees did not sit and complete the processes that were supposed to be followed. The minutes indicated that financial reports are always completed before submission at circuit level. The researcher noted that schools in the Gert Sibande district submit variance almost quarterly to their respective circuits. The submission of variance indicates compliance with the DBE, which does not guarantee the accuracy of transactions regarding school finances. The researcher is of the view that this time should rather be used to conduct quarterly audits in preparation for end of the year audits. Such activities guarantee that there is less work before the submission of the end of year financial files and those financial statements are available. The preparation and presentation of financial statements pose challenges for most SGBs. It is noted with great concern that SGBs are able to spend funds easily, and then encounter challenges when they have to account for this. In the researcher’s view, SGBs in schools have been around for a long time, and should by now be developed and literate enough to take charge.
Parents’ Meeting Minutes
The minutes of parents’ meetings highlighted the difference in terms of the principal’s report between primary and secondary schools. Minutes from secondary schools indicated that they faced a challenge with regard to discipline issues. A large number of learners were breaching the code of conduct, and the parents of these learners could not avail themselves when invited to the school. They also faced a challenge in terms of pregnant learners. The policy allows such learners to continue schooling, but the parents of these learners and the school should safe-guard other learners, by ensuring that precautionary measures are taken. They were unwilling to take responsibility, which resulted in the SGB reported the matter to a parents’ meeting in order for a decision to be taken that would be binding on all parents. The parents decided that they should either cooperate with the school or remove
pregnant learners from school. In such instances, parents were reported to be uncooperative.
Although disciplinary issues were noted in all schools, they were more serious in secondary schools due to drug usage, breaking of school furniture, bunking of school activities, and copying during examinations.
These above challenges needed the intervention and involvement of parents in the education of their children. It is argued that “parents acknowledged that they should contribute towards the education of their children” (Quan-Balffour, 2006: 96-97). The researcher argues, however, that acknowledgement is no longer relevant parents should act to indicate their involvement. The school should share responsibility with parents, and both parties should synergise their efforts towards achieving the common goal of ensuring that learners receive quality education. School management should embrace parents as the first teachers of their children (Fullan, 2007: 190). Schools should involve parents in the education of their children to avoid a lack of participation, which is a perennial problem throughout the world (Plaatjies, 2014).
The researcher argues that although we are all responsible for the lives of children as they grow up, parents or guardians should take full responsibility regarding their children. This makes space for adult community members to play complementary roles. Parents should champion discipline at home to assist educators, and should avail themselves or send representatives to attend to all challenges at school, including discipline. Failure to discipline learners will result in an ill-disciplined society. Therefore, parents should continue to plant an apple tree, even if they know that the world will fall apart tomorrow.
Budget and paper budget
All schools receive their paper budget from the DoE, indicating their quintile to serve as a guideline during budgetary processes. The researcher noted that the three chosen schools were not in line with their paper budget. The schools were declared no-fee schools and the amount allocated to them could not cover all expenses, as indicated on their budget.
The primary schools tried to use what was allocated to them by the DoE, although it was not enough. They had limited teachers for their grades and classes were merged, with Grade 12 learners being appointed to teach other classes due to redeployment. The SGBs were unable to employ qualified teachers to be paid from their budget. In addition, the schools that were situated next to other schools were facing the challenge of parents paying funds to assist in the running of the school, but when they are unhappy about the funds that are requested by the school, they take their children to neighbouring schools. The implication of this will be the redeployment of teachers and misleading information that the school is not being run properly.
There was a need for parents to pay extra funds to support quality education for their children, and the researcher noted that parents of learners in rural areas were less supportive of their school.
SGBs also failed to resolve a matter regarding the termination of the contracts of temporary educators because these employees were their relatives. They opted for their continuation, even though they were advised to terminate their contracts after twelve months. The DBE policy states that educators who have completed contracts for twelve months qualify to be permanent. This implies that all institutions under the DBE should follow such policy regarding contracts. When schools employ educators and pay them from the school account, it means that other services, such as paying a sport association, should be ignored. Any other association that uses a personal account for its funds should not be entertained in the form of payments whatsoever.
Disciplinary records and curriculum
None of the schools were able to provide disciplinary records. They all dealt with disciplinary issues as and when they happened, and were not sure as to whether or not it was important to have and keep such records. Evidence showed that in different schools the same misconduct was handled differently. SGBs and SMTs were found to be perpetuating misconduct at schools due to favouritism. Learners who were noticed to be problematic were the ones to be recorded, in order to provide evidence when such information might be needed.
It is interesting to note that parents now acknowledge the fact that they have a contribution to make towards their children’s education. This is an acknowledgement of the fact that with the rapid changes taking place in South Africa, the work of educating a child cannot be the responsibility of any single person or body. “The ‘whole village’ must come together to bring up the child” (Quan-Baffour, 2006:96-97). However, with the high level of illiteracy that we have in South Africa in particular, parents lack the necessary parenting skills to teach learners basic behaviours.
Learners should be part of disciplinary actions at schools. They should know the type of misconduct and the sanctions. As it was recognised by principals that learners require training to enable them to represent other learners, involving these learners in leadership in order for them to be informed about the types of misconduct and sanctions will capacitate them and influence their competence (Mncube & Naidoo, 2014).
The SMT in particular should lead the programmes of discipline in schools and refer to SGBs if deemed necessary. The principal should ensure that SGBs are properly briefed, in order for them to reach proper decisions that will have an impact on public schools.