Abstract
M.Ed. (Education Philosophy)
The purpose of this study is to indicate that school renewal and improvement is necessary. The researcher aims to describe the crisis in schools in South Africa and tries to give a practical solution to this crisis, by means of a literature study. The literature study describes the crisis in South African schools, as well as the role different agents play in the improvement of school practice. Finally, ten criteria for school
improvement are identified and briefly described and a visual, practical model is developed to show how these criteria can be utilized in practice. The most important findings are:
• that the school principal, teachers, parents and pupils have a definite role to play in
school improvement;
• that a change for the better can be brought about;
• for improvement to the implemented in a successful mannerthe process of change and
improvement involves certain criteria, which must be adhered to.
Recommendations are:
• school improvement in practice is possible, when crisis in the school situation is
removed;
• school improvement can only take place with the active participation of the agents or
roleplayers of improvement such as the school principal, teachers, parents and pupils.
• the practical implementation of such a process of improvement be applied through a
practical process model taking the ten criteria of improvement into serious
consideration.