Abstract
M.Ed.
The South African Schools Act of 1996 mandated the creation of School
Governing Bodies (SGBs) in all public schools. This significant development,
although welcomed and accepted by all stakeholders in education, seems to be
failing because serious efforts are not made, and plans are not in place to sustain
it.
This study is undertaken with the aim of looking at the workings of two SGBs in
the rural areas of Bushbuckridge. Particular attention is given to how they
interpret the Schools Act and how they interact with school management and
other stakeholders as they go about their work.
The qualitative research paradigm is employed in this study and the two data
collection methods used are interview and participant observation. The findings
of the inquiry reveal that SGBs in rural areas are not functioning well, as they
have not been adequately inducted to do the job. In addition, because most of
the members are not properly educated and the written materials on their modus
operandi are in either English or Afrikaans, they are unable to read and interpret
these documents without assistance. The study recommends that rural
communities should be properly educated on the importance and relevance of
SGBs before members are elected so that competent people would be elected.
Furthermore, the elected SGB members should be adequately work-shopped
before they officially start their work.