The role of school governing bodies in managing primary schools’ funds in Vhembe West district, Limpopo Province

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the roles and responsibilities of school governing bodies in managing school finances of three primary schools; to develop strategies that can be employed to improve school financial management; to explore the reasons for the training of members of school governing bodies upon assuming their leadership roles; to determine the challenges that could be faced by school governing bodies in financial management; and to determine factors that can assist in good financial management in order to formulate strategies that can be employed to improve the financial management of the three primary schools. The study adopted a qualitative approach in which interviews were employed to study the phenomenon of financial management in its natural setting. The targeted population for the study comprised school principals, chairpersons of School Governing Bodies (SGBs), secretaries of SGBs, school treasurers and finance officers. From the population, a sample of fifteen (15) participants was purposefully drawn. Data was collected from the participants through in-depth, open-ended interviews and documents like deposit books, cheque books, invoice books, finance policy and claim forms. The study revealed that members of SGBs as well as school principals of the three primary schools lacked adequate knowledge of managing school finances because of a myriad of factors, including, among other things, poor training, literacy level of certain members of SGB, unavailability of school policies and departmental prescripts. Therefore, to improve on how school finances should be managed, the study recommends that school principals and members of SGBs should understand all the acts, policies and prescripts of the provincial education department in order to encourage full participation from all the stakeholders. In addition, the study recommends that the education department should always appoint incumbents with high-level of qualifications and experience to senior positions to avoid situations where school funds cannot be managed effectively and efficiently.