Advancing quality education through the national school funding model in a rural South African context

Abstract

Through the national school funding model, South Africa faces its greatest challenge in advancing quality education in rural schools. Many years into democracy, rural schools do not show significant improvements as they struggle to meet their needs. It is evident from the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF) policy that education funding in South Africa is geared towards equity and redress rather than quality education. As a result, previously advantaged schools in urban areas are moving towards quality education while those in poor and previously disadvantaged rural communities are falling behind. This study examined how quality education can be advanced in rural South Africa through the national funding model. A qualitative research approach was followed to collect data through interviews, observation and document analysis. The study attributes these challenges to the role of government in ensuring that funding is allocated according to the needs of the schools. The qualitative case study method was used for this study. The sample for this study comprised six school principals, six SGB finance committees, one Circuit Deputy Manager: Governance, one District Chief Education Specialist: Governance and one Provincial Deputy Chief Education Specialist responsible for school funding allocations. Three qualitative data collection instruments, namely a semi-structured interview schedule, an observation schedule and document analysis, were used in this study. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data collected through the three instruments. The results revealed the challenges schools in rural communities face in implementing the national funding model to ensure quality education. The study found that there is still an unintended connection between what the government expects schools in rural communities to do and what these schools are practically able to do through state-allocated funding. The study calls for the national school funding model to be reviewed by considering specific needs and contexts. The revised model will assist, as adequate funding leads to quality education.

Sy grootste vraagstuk, naamlik die swak gehalte van onderrig by landelike skole weens die nasionale skoolbefondsingmodel, staar Suid-Afrika in die gesig. Na etlike dekades van ʼn demokratiese bestel sukkel landelike skole steeds om die mas op te kom. Dit blyk uit die beleid van die Nasionale Norme en Standaarde vir Skoolbefondsing (NNSSB) dat die befondsing van skole eerder op gelykheid en regstelling as goeie onderwys gemik is. Gevolglik verbeter die gehalte van onderwys by voorheen benadeelde skole in stedelike gebiede, terwyl dit by voorheen benadeelde skole in landelike gebiede verder verswak. In hierdie studie is ondersoek ingestel na hoe die gehalte van onderwys in landelike gebiede met die nasionale befondsingmodel verbeter kan word. ʼn Kwalitatiewe benadering is gevolg om data deur onderhoude, waarneming en dokumentontleding in te samel. In hierdie studie word swak onderwys toegeskryf aan die staat se onvermoë om fondse volgens elke skool se behoeftes toe te ken. ʼn Kwalitatiewe gevallestudie is onderneem. Die steekproef in hierdie studie het bestaan uit ses skoolhoofde; ses geldsakekomitees van ses skoolbeheerliggame; een adjunkringbestuurder: regering; een distrikshoofonderwyskenner: regering; en een provinsiale adjunkhoofonderwyskenner belas met die toewysing van skoolbefondsing. Kwalitatiewe data is volgens drie metodes ingesamel, naamlik halfgestruktureerde onderhoude, waarneming en dokumentontleding. Die data wat aldus ingesamel is, is tematies ontleed. Die struikelblokke wat verhinder dat landelike skole die nasionale befondsingmodel uitvoer om onderwys te verbeter, het uit die resultate geblyk. Daar is bevind dat ʼn onbedoelde verband bestaan tussen wat die staat van skole in landelike gemeenskappe verwag en waartoe hierdie skole met staatsbefondsing in staat is. In hierdie studie word ʼn beroep gedoen dat die skoolbefondsingmodel hersien word met inagneming van skole se spesifieke behoeftes en kontekste. ʼn Hersiene befondsingmodel sal nuttig wees aangesien voldoende befondsing tot gehalteonderwys lei.

Ka mmotlolo wa bosetshaba wa thuso ya dikolo ya ditshelete, Afrika Borwa e lebane le tlhohlo ya yona ye kgolo go tswetsa pele thuto ya boleng dikolong tsa dinagamagaeng. Mengwaga ye mentsi ka gare ga temokrasi, dikolo tsa dinagamagaeng ga di bontshe dikaonafatso tse kgolo ge di katana le go fihlelela dinyakwa tsa tsona. Go a bonagala go tswa pholising ya Ditlwaelo le Maemo a Bosetshaba a Thuso ya Ditshelete ya Dikolo (NNSSF) gore thuso ya ditshelete ya thuto ka Afrika Borwa e lebane le tekatekano le tokiso go e na le thuto ya boleng. Bjalo, dikolo tseo di bego di hlokomelwa gabotse peleng ka dinagasetoropong di sekamela go thuto ya boleng mola tseo di le lego ka dinagamagaeng tsa go ba le bohloki le tseo di bego di sa hlokomelwe gabotse peleng di salela morago. Dinyakisiso tse di sekasekile ka fao thuto ya boleng e ka tswetswago pele ka dinagamagaeng tsa Afrika Borwa ka mmotlolo wa bosetshaba wa thuso ya ditshelete. Mokgwa wa dinyakisiso tsa khwalithethifi o latetswe go kgoboketsa datha ka dipoledisano, go lebelela, le tshekatsheko ya ditokomane. Dinyakisiso di amantsha ditlhohlo tse le mosomo wa mmuso go kgonthisa gore thuso ya ditshelete e fiwa go ya ka dinyakwa tsa dikolo. Mokgwa wa dinyakisiso wa khwalithethifi o somisitswe mo dinyakisisong tse. Sampole ya dinyakisiso tse e be e akaretsa dihlogo tsa dikolo tse tshela, dikomiti tse tshela tsa ditshelete tsa SGB, Motlatsamolaodi o tee wa Sedikothuto: Taolo, Setsebisegolo sa Thuto se tee sa Selete: Taolo le Motlatsasetsebisegolo sa Thuto se tee sa Profense seo se nago le maikarabelo a dikabo tsa ditshelete tsa dikolo. Didiriswa tse tharo tsa kgoboketso ya datha ya boleng, e lego lenaneo la poledisano la dipotsiso tseo di sego tsa beakanywa (semi-structured), lenaneo la tebelelo le tshekatsheko ya ditokomane, di somisitswe mo nyakisisong ye. Tshekatsheko ya morero e somisitswe go sekaseka datha yeo e kgobokeditswego ka didiriswa tse tharo. Dipoelo di utullotse ditlhohlo tseo dikolo tsa dinagamagaeng di lebanego le tsona ge di phethagatsa mmotlolo wa bosetshaba wa thuso ya ditshelete go kgonthisa thuto ya boleng. Dinyakisiso di hweditse gore go sa na le kgokagano yeo e sego ya maikemisetso gare ga seo mmuso o lebeletsego gore dikolo tsa dinagamagaeng di se dire le seo dikolo tse di tlogago di kgona go se dira ka thuso ya ditshelete ya go tswa mmusong. Dinyakisiso di dira boipiletso bja gore mmotlolo wa bosetshaba wa thuso ya dikolo ya ditshelete o lekolwe gape ka go ela hloko maemo le dinyakwa tse di itsego. Mmotlolo wo o fetotswego o tla thusa, ka ge thuso ya ditshelete ye e lekanego e isa go thuto ya boleng.