Abstract
M.Ed.
Education is an activity which involves mutual co-operation of educators,
parents, learners and the entire community. Parents in particular, are
naturally interested in the education of their children. They sometimes
want to know who is doing the teaching, what professional qualifications
do they (educators) have, what is being taught and how well it is being
taught.
The Ministry of Education has strongly endorsed parental rights in their
children's education, and further states that parents or guardians have the
primary responsibility for the education of their children and have the right
to be consulted by the state authorities with regard to the form that
education should take and to take part in its governance (RSA Education
White Paper, 1995: 21).
Subject to the Schools Act (RSA Schools Act, 1996) corporal punishment
should no longer be applied in schools because this is considered an
infringement of the rights of learners and incompatible with the spirit of
partnership and co-operation embodied in the Act. However, the Act
certainly does not condone lack of discipline in the schools. It calls on the
governing bodies in consultation with learners, parents and educators - to
draft codes of conduct for learners and to come up with creative ways of
ensuring good behaviour and a positive learning environment to ensure
quality education and effective management of schools (Bengu, 1998:7).
As long as parents are sure that all is going well in schools, they usually
have little to say. When uncertainties arise about the progress of their
children or the school in general, their anxiety, and indeed that of the
community as a whole, is usually freely expressed and there can be no
doubt about their concern.
Why should schools develop a natural relationship with parents? Not only
does this partnership promote the notion of teachers and parents working
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jointly in children's education, but greater parental involvement may
enhance the learners progress at school (Parsons, 1994: 37).
A distance between home and the school has to be lessened. Everard and
Morris in Parsons (1994: 37) talk of "fruitful relationships whereby
problems are jointly resolved by the home and school" and of "reservoirs
of talents and goodwill" among parents to be tapped.
In the 1970's and 1980's the National Education Co-ordinating Committee
(NECC) tried to bring democracy to our schools. This Committee started
Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in primary school and Parent-
Teacher- Students Associations (PTSAs) in secondary schools (Chinsamy,
1997: 1).
Subject to the National Policy for General Education Affairs Act No. 76 of
1984, the Schools Management Councils or the South African Councils
for Education were established (Government Gazette, 1984: 9). Chinsamy
(1997: 1) states that the PTSAs were in conflict with these councils and the
government banned many PTSAs and detained many PTSAs members.
However, parents and teachers worked together in many schools to make
their schools better (Chinsamy, 1997: 1).
The National Department of Education decided to use the example of the
PTA and the PTSA when it started preparing a New Act on the governance
of public schools. Therefore, the South African Schools Act of 1996,
states that all schools must have democratically elected governing bodies.
The Act also says that all members of the school governing bodies, that is,
parents, teachers, non-teaching staff and students (in the case of Secondary
Schools) must participate in these bodies (RSA Schools Act, 1996: 18).
The Schools Act provides both for the governance and professional
management of public schools and the governing bodies will decide on the
policies and rules by which schools are organised and controlled and will
ensure that these policies and rules are carried out. The school
management teams will be responsible for the day to day management of
teaching and learning.
Bengu (1997:1) stresses that, "this is a time for building, for pledging our
united efforts to make all schools work to the utmost of their capacity".
He further says that, "our commitment is to develop real partnerships
between education authorities and governing bodies across the land