Sistemas de Archivos Institucionales

School is situated in Atteridgeville, a township in Tshwane Metropolitan area. The number of learners enrolled was 438 and altogether there were eleven teachers.

4.4.2.1 Medium of instruction

Learners at this school were Xitsonga speakers; however they were also fluent in a number of African languages because of the language mix in townships. The language of instruction in this school was English, and most of their teachers were Xitsonga first language speakers, who were also fluent in other African languages. Their qualifications consisted of a Further Diploma in education and a Junior Secondary Certificate. Xitsonga was the medium of instruction from Grade R to Grade 3 and English was taught as a subject. However, English became the medium of instruction from Grade 4 onwards and Xitsonga was taught as a subject. It emerged during an informal interview with some language teachers that few of these learners had access to books at home.

4.4.2.2 The school’s teaching and learning culture

These learners came from a low socio-economic background and received their first and main meal of the day from the government funded feeding school programme. It was a well resourced school with a library and an administration block with administration staff. The school also had a computer room where learners could do computer studies. The school was well maintained and the learners well behaved.

The learners had minimal difficulties in understanding and following instructions during the testing period. Their teachers appeared to be relieved to have someone taking over their classes and thus having some free time. No one at the school showed an interest in what was going on during the testing period or what the test was all about.

The classrooms although neat had no teaching aids. Even the school reception area had absolutely nothing on the wall to tell a visitor what the school is all about. The older staff members showed little dedication as shown by their lack of interest in either the result of the first test conducted or the type of testing that was being done the second time by the researchers.

Despite the orderly nature in which the school conducted the business of teaching and learning there was no explicitly written mission statement towards which every teacher and learner worked. The whole management team had a common goal, that is, effective teaching and learning. At the start of the school day and after recess, all or some of the members of the management team were observed at different points of entry to the school gates encouraging learners to hasten to their classrooms in order to save time.

All members of the management team carried an air of authority, which enabled them to discharge their duties with confidence. The principal and the deputy principal shared some managerial and administrative traits such being principled, strict and fair to both learners and teachers. They acted immediately against any teacher whose actions were perceived to be incongruent with creating, improving and maintaining the teaching and learning culture of the school.

The teaching staff’s way of dressing varied from casual to formal. The teachers dressed well enough to command respect deserved by their profession and to be exemplary to learners.

4.4.2.3 Learners’ attitude towards school

Almost all learners in this school wore their school uniform in accordance with the learner’s code of conduct. Any learner not wearing the school uniform was immediately reprimanded by the deputy principal.

Learners’ discipline as defined by their level of co-operation with teachers and the management team, as well as their punctuality, was good. It was also observed that the learners discipline was a reflection of the co-operation between the school management and the teaching staff in respect of the maintenance of learner discipline.

Most of the learners manifested a positive attitude towards school. This attitude was evident in the low rate of truancy and absenteeism. In instances where a learner was found absent the teacher could furnish reasons for the absence according to the report provided by the learner, guardian or parent.

Learners in this school had respect for the teachers and when they saw a teacher coming to class they lowered their voices. As soon as the teacher entered the classroom they all stood up and greeted the teacher. The rate of subject specific truancy was minimal.

4.4.2.4 Availability of educational resources

Of particular relevance to this empirical investigation was the availability of reading materials such as prescribed books, additional reading materials as well as a library. This school had a library where the learners could study or read, although the library appeared to be infrequently used. Teachers themselves did not use the library and as such never referred these learners to the library. Although the school had a computer laboratory, these teachers were not well versed in the use of the internet so as to get the latest information on the various subjects. Neither were they able to introduce learners to its use.

4.4.2.5 Professionalism of teachers

Teachers’ discipline was satisfactory as they all came to school on time and responded timeously to the changes of teaching periods indicated by the siren at the end of each period.

Despite a number of good points about this school, a certain degree of negative attitude towards work was observed. At any given time one or two classes were found unoccupied. An absence of teachers in class could be explained in several ways: the teacher was reluctant to go to class because it was the unpopular life orientation period, or they had an emergency staff meeting.

This school was one of the most crowded schools in the area. This became apparent during testing when the researcher was told that the school had two Grade 7 classes with altogether 100 learners. After some calculations the researcher found that the learner educator ratio in this school was at 50:1.