An Assessment of the Training Provided to School Governing Bodies: A Case Study of Three Schools in the Fort Beaufort Education District, Eastern Cape

Abstract

The study assessed the training provided to the school governing bodies by the Department of Education in the Fort Beaufort Education District of the Eastern Cape Province. The study focused on three schools. A qualitative approach was used in the study. Interviews were held with the principals, educator governors, parent governors, as well as two facilitators from the Fort Beaufort Education District. The findings suggest that the training provided to the school governing bodies in the Fort Beaufort Education District does not empower them (SGBs) adequately to perform their roles and responsibilities. There are a number of factors such as illiteracy, low level of education, language used during the training, lack of mentoring and monitoring and inappropriate training methods that contribute to the inadequacy of the training of school governing body members. Recommendations were provided to improve the training of school governors. It is important to train school governors effectively so as to enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities as required by the South African School Act, Act 84 of 1996.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1p507