Abstract
M.Ed.
To address huge infrastructure backlogs together with a decrease in student enrolments in rural regions, the Department of Education (DoE) proposed the merger of small schools. However, the proposed school mergers were contested by local communities who engaged in protest marches. Furthermore, traditional leaders were at the forefront of the opposition to mergers. Thus, this study investigated the perspectives of traditional leaders, principals and parents regarding their resistance towards school mergers in the Vhembe region of the Limpopo Province. The study was conducted within a qualitative research approach. Data were collected through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with traditional leaders, parents and principals. Consequently, the most important finding of this study is that a merger is precipitated by poor consultation with stakeholders namely, teachers, learners, parents and traditional leaders. Another significant finding was that stakeholders do not trust the Department of Education to provide reliable transport for learners to travel to schools in neighbouring villages. Furthermore, a cause of the resistance to mergers is because schools are regarded as symbols of community identity and heritage. The study led to the recommendation that the Department of Education must convene meetings with stakeholders to provide them with information before the merger process starts. Furthermore, the school district should ensure that reliable transport will be provided if learners have to travel great distances as a result of a school merger.