The challenges facing governing bodies in rural areas in implementing their roles and responsibilities

M.Ed.Co-operative governance in schools has become the main concern for the provision of equal education, especially during the current period of transition in South Africa. This has prompted emphasis on whole school development. This mini-dissertation therefore focuses mainly on the challenges facing school governing bodies in rural areas in implementing their roles and responsibilities. As the term challenges is broad, there has been a need to focus on the perceptions of school governing bodies in rural schools in terms of their roles and responsibilities. In view of the current changes taking place in South Africa and to allow for maximum participation, schools have the responsibility of involving all the stakeholders in schools. Democratic governance was consequently introduced in South Africa with the aim of decentralising decision-making and transferring authority and resources from state education agencies and school district offices to individual schools. The findings emanating from both the literature review and empirical analysis in the study have revealed the importance of co-operative governance, particularly in rural schools. This study has further shown that co-operative school governance enhances transformation, partnership, accountability and community school ownership. An investigation into school governors' perceptions about their roles and responsibilities has revealed the impact of these perceptions on whole school development. The recommendations based on the findings of the study emphasise the importance of continuous training of school governing body members, both before and after election, so that rural schools can be developed and improved in accordance with the South African Schools Act