A transformative framework for staffing former South African Model C schools

Abstract

This research study investigates the current staffing processes at the former South African Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education and aims to identify critical issues regarding staffing processes employed by SGBs of former South African Model C schools. It suggests guidelines in support of a more transformative staffing process to address the gap between the staffing needs of SGBs and departmental policy for transformative staffing, and recommends strategies that can be applied by SGBs to address challenges concerning transformative staffing. An in-depth investigation of the literature revealed that much of governance depends on partnerships among different institutions and the great need to teach SGBs and other stakeholders how to collaborate—not just how to monitor or adhere to contracts. The literature revealed that school governance, although complex, is an important part of the education systems around the world (especially in South Africa). A qualitative research design and methodology were employed to investigate the phenomenon of staff transformation at former Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education by means of interviews with participants. A complete and strict process for ethical clearance was followed to validate the study. The empirical investigation revealed that there are no clear transformational guidelines from the Department of Education (DoE), which creates the notion that former Model C schools are not compelled to transform their staff to be representative of the demographics of their learners. In addition, the data revealed that some SGBs are particularly resistant to staff transformation at their schools because (as some have put it) their schools are for white people in the same way as township schools are for black and coloured people. They do not see the need for the transformation of staff at their schools, because even black parents choose to send their children to former Model C schools for the quality of education offered by these schools. The study further revealed that most of the principals are concerned about the lack of role models for the overwhelming number of learners of colour at their schools; they acknowledge the need for urgent staff transformation at their schools. Based on the findings of the study, a transformative framework for staffing former Model C schools was developed. This framework requires the collaborative cooperation of all the stakeholders to transform the staff of the former Model C schools in the Eastern Cape Department of Education successfully and efficiently.

Hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek die huidige personeelvoorsieningsprosesse by die eertydse Suid-Afrikaanse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys en stel ten doel om kritieke vraagstukke ten opsigte van personeelvoorsieningsprosesse te identifiseer wat deur skoolbeheerliggame (SBLe) van eertydse Suid-Afrikaanse Model C-skole gebruik word. Dit stel riglyne voor ter ondersteuning van ’n meer transfomatiewe personeelvoorsieningsproses om die gaping tussen die personeelbehoeftes van skoolbeheerliggame en die departementele beleid vir transformatiewe personeelvoorsiening te vernou en stel ook strategieë voor wat deur die skoolbeheerliggame gebruik kan word om uitdagings wat betref transformatiewe personeelvoorsiening die hoof te bied. ’n Omvattende ondersoek van die literatuur dui daarop dat die bestuur in ’n groot mate afhang van vennootskappe tussen verskillende instellings en die groot behoefte om skoolbeheerliggame en ander belanghebbers te leer hoe om saam te werk ‒ nie net hoe om kontrakte te moniteer of na te kom nie. Die literatuur het ook aan die lig gebring dat die bestuur van skole, hoewel ’n kompleks saak, ’n belangrike deel van onderwysstelsels wêreldwyd is (veral in Suid-Afrika). ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp en -metodologie is gebruik om die verskynsel van personeeltransformasie by eertydse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys te ondersoek deur onderhoude met die deelnemers te voer. ’n Volledige en streng proses vir etiese uitklaring is gevolg om die studie te bekragtig. Die empiriese ondersoek het gewys dat die Departement van Onderwys (DvO) geen duidelike transformasieriglyne gegee het nie, wat die opvatting ondersteun dat eertydse Model C-skole nie verplig is om te transformeer ten einde hulle personeel verteenwoordigend van die demografie van hulle leerders te maak nie. Bykomend hiertoe het die data aan die lig gebring dat sommige skoolbeheerliggame besonder weerstandig staan teenoor personeeltransformasie by hulle skole omdat (soos sommiges dit gestel het) hulle skole vir wit mense is op dieselfde manier as wat townshipskole vir swart en bruinmense is. Hulle sien nie die nodigheid om die personeel by hulle skole te transformeer nie omdat selfs swart ouers verkies om hulle kinders na eertydse Model C-skole vir die gehalte van die onderrig wat hierdie skole bied, te stuur. Die studie het ook gewys dat die meeste van die skoolhoofde besorg is oor die gebrek aan rolmodelle vir die oorweldigende aantal leerders van kleur by hierdie skole; hulle erken die behoefte aan dringende personeeltransformasie by hulle skole. ’n Transformatiewe raamwerk, gebaseer op die bevindings van die studie, is vir die personeelvoorsiening van eerstydse Model C-skole ontwikkel. Hierdie raamwerk verg die samewerking van al die belanghebbers om die personeel van die eertydse Model C-skole in die Oos-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys suksesvol en doeltreffend te transformeer.

Esi sifundo siphanda iinkqubo zokuqesha ezisetyenziswa kwizikolo zoMzantsi Afrika ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni. Injongo yaso kukuchonga imibandela etshis’ibunzi kwiinkqubo ezisetyenziswayo xa kuqeshwa abasebenzi ziikomiti ezilawula izikolo (iiSGB) zoMzantsi Afrika ezazifudula ziziiModel C. Sicebisa izikhokelo zokuxhasa inkqubo yenguqu ekuqesheni abasebenzi ukwenzela ukulungisa umsantsa ophakathi kwezidingo zokuqesha kweeSGB nomgaqo nkqubo wokuqesha obonakalisa inguqu, kwaye sinika iingcebiso ngamacebo anokwenziwa ziiSGB ekusabeleni imingeni emalunga nokuqesha okulandela inkqubo yenguqu. Uphando olunzulu loncwadi ludize ukuba ulawulo oluninzi luxhomekeke kwintsebenziswano phakathi kwamaziko ahlukeneyo kwanakwisidingo esikhulu sokufundisa iiSGB nabanye abathathi nxaxheba ngendlela yokusebenzisana – hayi nje ukuhlola okanye ukubambelela kwizivumelwano zengqesho (iikhontrakthi). Uncwadi ludize ukuba ulawulo lwezikolo, nangona lungxakangxaka, luyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yeenkqubo zemfundo kwihlabathi liphela (ngakumbi eMzantsi Afrika). Kwasetyenziswa indlela yophando lomgangatho ekuphandeni umbandela wokuqesha okubonakalisa inguqu kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni ngokwenza udliwano ndlebe nabathathi nxaxheba. Kwalandelwa inkqubo engqongqo yokuhlela ngendlela engenabuqhophololo xa kwakuqinisekiswa esi sifundo. Uphando olusekelwe ekuqwalaseleni amava lwadiza ukuba akukho migaqo nazikhokelo zokulandela inguqu kwiSebe lezeMfundo (iDoE), nto leyo inika uluvo lokuba izikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C azinyanzelekanga ukuba ziguqule ubume babasebenzi ngendlela eya kuhambelana nobume namanani abafundi bazo. Ngaphezulu, idatha yaveza ukuba ezinye iiSGB aziyifuni inguqu ekuqesheni kwizikolo zazo ngoba (ngokokutsho kwabanye) izikolo zazo zezabantu abamhlophe ngendlela efanayo nokuba izikolo zasezilokishini izezabantu abantsundu nabebala. Ezo SGB azisiboni isidingo senguqu ekuqesheni abasebenzi kwizikolo zazo ngoba nabazali abantsundu bayazikhethela ukuthumela abantwana babo kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kuba kufundiswa kakuhle kwezi zikolo. Esi sifundo saphinda sadiza ukuba uninzi lweenqununu luyakhathazeka kukungabikho kwabantu abangumzekelo omhle kubantwana abantsundu ezikolweni zazo; ziyavuma ezi nqununu ukuba kukho isidingo esingxamisekileyo senguqu ekuqesheni iititshala ezikolweni zazo. Okufunyaniswe kwesi sifundo kukhokelele ekuphuhliseni isikhokelo sokusebenza sokulandela inkqubo yenguqu ekuqesheni kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C. Esi sikhokelo sokusebenza sifuna intsebenziswano phakathi kwabathathi nxaxheba ekuguquleni abasebenzi kwizikolo ezazifudula ziziiModel C kwiSebe lezeMfundo kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni ngempumelelo nangokufezekileyo.