School governing bodies: the impact on school principals

Fundamentally, the new school governance policy brought to life by the South African Schools Act of 19iv, intended to transform and restructure education governance in public schools, so that through full representation and participation of all role players/stake-holders in school governance through their School Governing Bodies (SGB), effective governance of schools could be attained and enhanced. What emerges from the practice is that in exception of intended effects, this policy also yields unintended effects. These unintended effects then, tend to counteract the basic objective of the new school governance policy. Hence the aims of this study are two-fold: (a) to explore critically the impact of SGB on school principals in the Klerksdorp/Potchefstroom region, and to highlight the dynamics of relationships, and modus operand! of both SGB and school principals, and what it takes to promote partnerships that will alternatively result in effective school governance. The critical exploration of the impact of SGB on school principals in the Klerksdorp/Potchefstroom region was conducted through a survey method. Randomly fifteen public secondary schools were selected from former education departments. Data gathering techniques comprised of structured questionaires, unstructured, open-ended interviews, observation of formal meetings and the study and analysis of relevant documents. Analysis of data was carried out in terms of Bell's, (1993, p. 127) criterion: What emerged out of this study was that the new policy yielded significant changes in terms of:- (i) power relations, (ii) decision-making processes, (iii) levels of accountability and (iv) responsibility, (v) general compliance with legal and constitutional requirements but with little or no shift in mindset (paradigm), (vi) an increase in workload of principals (especially in African schools) due to lack of capacity and finally (vii) intentional or unintentional failure to embrace certain reforms. These outcomes constitute intended and unintended effects. On the basis of the above-mentioned outcomes one may conclude by agreeing with 'Thomas (1992, p. 127) assertion that: “The dilemma of school reform arises from the relationship between school governors and professionals within schools”. Certainly transformation of school governance in Souih Africa is likely to experience this same dilemma. Secondly Mortimore and Mortimore (1991, p. 128) in turn alleged that: - “Under both the 1986 Act and the Education Reform Act of 1988, School Governing Bodies have increased powers and responsibilities, the exercise of which called, for a rethinking of relationships between a head teacher and his/her S..G.B.” Like-wise the S.A.S.A of 1996, empower SGBs through the transference of certain roles and responsibilities to them. A review of relationships between school principals and S.G.B within every public school in South Africa is a "must", if school principals and F G.B, aim at attaining effective governance in their schools in line with the S.AS.A of 1996 and the Constitution of the R. S. A 1996. Key words1- school governing bodies; school principals; roles and responsibilities; effective partnerships; governance policy; levels of accountability and responsibility; relationships; review and reconceptualisation; power relations; stakeholders