Abstract
M.Ed.
The purpose of this mini dissertation is to examine collaboration as
an aspect of leadership and its implications for school
effectiveness. The first part of this chapter deals with the
introduction of the topic. This was done by capturing a few of the
many changes that the education system in South Africa has undergone.
Fullan (1993:vii) contends that change is ubiquitous and relentless,
forcing itself on us at every turn.
People do not just change their way of doing things for the sake of
changing. They change in order to make a difference in their lives
and the lives of others. Collaboration is thus another form of
change that seeks to make a difference on the schooling system in
South Africa and Mpumalanga in particular. Campo (1993:119) agrees
that collaborative school cultures make an important contribution to
both the success of school improvement processes and effectiveness of
schools. Here follows some of the changes that aimed at making an
impact on school effectiveness.
The De Lange report (HSRC, 1981) recommended guiding principles
for a common education policy.
The Education Renewal Strategy (DNE, 1992:1-3), a government
initiative adopted the following principles: decentralization,
national unity, diversity and more relevant to this topic, the
principle of partnership/collaboration.
The White Paper on Education and Training (RSA, 1995a:22)
indicates that the restoration of the culture of teaching,
learning and management involves the creation of a culture of
collaboration and accountability.
To the present change in South African education, Dekker and Van
Schalkwyk (1995:449) postulate the following reasons, namely:
The country has recently undergone a political transformation by
which democracy has been broadened to all the inhabitants for the
first time in its history. This development has far reaching
implications for the education system, governance and management
of schools and the approach to teaching and learning, which all
have a bearing on school effectiveness. Let us see how this
political transformation has affected school leadership.