SGBs implementing the NNSSF policy in Johannesburg East District fee-paying public secondary schools

Abstract

The school’s ranking determines the state’s funding allocation to public schools on the Resource Targeting List. The funding policy on education equity is characterised by policy prescripts like quintile ranking and exemption policy as tools of redress and access. The South African School’s Act [SASA], Act 84 of 1996 (RSA, 1996b) devolved management of the state’s allocation to school governing bodies (SGBs), who are de facto custodians of school financial management and can raise school fees to supplement the allocation. Financial management is delegated to the finance sub-committee, which monitors and implements the budget for the skilful use of physical and human resources to optimise the teaching and learning process. However, the unwillingness of parents to pay fees or apply for an exemption, has an impact on the inflow of funds to run the school effectively. The Covid-19 pandemic brought about further reduced fee collections, because of job losses and reduced working hours; disallowing parents from paying fees. This study utilized a qualitative research methodology with focus-group interviews, and elicited responses from two finance committees in Johannesburg East secondary schools. The findings emphasised the role of private-public partnerships with telecommunication companies, the skilful use of the allocation to acquire learner-teacher support material, and parental involvement as a mitigation strategy for curriculum losses by leaping to digital platforms for learning. Therefore, the study has the potential for researchers to undertake further research to investigate the challenges experienced by SGBs in implementing funding policy on education equity. Their response, through innovative strategies to adjust to a digital strategy and act in the best interest of learning and teaching in a post-Covid-19 era, is of specific interest.

Ukuhlinzekwa wumbuso ngezimali kwezikole zombuso kulawulwa yindawo yesikole ohlwini lwezikole elibizwa nge-Resource Targeting List. Umgomo wezokuhlinzekwa ngezimali mayelana nokulinganiswa kwemfundo wakhiwe ngemibhalo yomgomo enjenge-quintile ranking kanye nomgomo we-exemption policy okuyizinto ezithathwa njengamathuluzi okulungisa kanye nokutholakala kwezinsiza. UMthetho Olawula iziKole eNingizimu Afrika (SASA, uMthetho 84, wonyaka ka 1996) wadlulisela amandla okuphatha izikole Zombuso kwizikhungo ezilawula izikole (SGBs), okuyizikhungo ezithembekile emsebenzini wezokulawulwa kwezimali, kanti lezi zikhungo zingaqokelelela izikole izimali ngasese, ngenhloso yokugcwaliselela isabelo sezimali sezikole. Umsebenzi wokuphathwa kwezimali usemahlombe wekomiti elincane lezezimali, okuyikomiti elibheke neliqinisekisa ukusetshenziswa kwesabelo sezimali, isetshenziselwe kwimisebenzi ebonakalayo kanye nakwihlelo lezokuqhashwa kwabasebenzi ngenhloso yokuqinisa uhlelo lokufunda nokufundisa. Yize-kunjalo, isenzo sabazali sokungafisi ukubhadala imali yesikole noma ukufaka isicelo sokungakhokhiswa imali yesikole sekube nomthelela phezu kwezimali ezingenayo ukuba ziqhube ngempumelelo imisebenzi yesikole. Ubhubhane we-Covid-19 sewuholele esimeni sokuncishiswa ngokungeziwe komsebenzi wokuqokelelwa kwezimali zesikole ngenxayezinga lokulahlekelwa yimisebenzi kanye nokuncishiswa kwamahora okusebenza. Umethodoloji owencike kucwaningo lwekhwalithi (qualitative research methodology), ogxile kwizinhlolovo zeqembu (group interviews) kusetshenziswe ukuveza izimpendulo ezivela kumakomiti amabili ezimali ezikole zamabanga aphezulu esifundazweni saseGauteng. Ulwazi olutholakele lugcizelele indima edlalwa ubudlelwano amaziko amabili azimele nalawo kahulumeni ngokusebenzisana nezinkampani zohlelo lokuxhumana ngocingo, ukusetshenziswa ngobunyoninco kohlelo lokuhlukaniselana imithombo ngenhloso yokuthola ukuxhaswa ngezinsizakufunda ezixhasa uthisha nomfundi kanye nezinga lokuzibandakanya kwabazali njengesu lokunciphisa izinga lokulahlekelwa yisikhathi sohlelo lwemfundo, ngokungena kwizinkundla zedijithali ngenhloso yokufunda. Ngakho-ke, ucwaningo lunika abacwaningi amandla okuqhubeka nolunye ucwaningo olujulile ukuphenyaizinselele ezihlangabezana nezikhungo eziphatha izikole (SGBs) ekusebenziseni umgomo wokuhlinzeka izikole ngezimali ohlelweni lwemfundo elinganayo. Impendulo yabo abacwaningi ngokusebenzisa amasu anamaqhinga amasha okuguqukela kwihlelo lamasu edijithali kanye nokusebenza ngokwezifiso ezingcono zohlelo lokufunda nokufundisa esikhathini esingemuva kobhubhane we-Covid-19 kuyinto efuneka ngendlela ekhethekile.

Ka moo puso e abelang dikolo tsa setshaba matlole ka gona go laolwa ke maemo a sekolo mo Lenaneng la go Tota Ditlamelo. Pholisi ya matlole a tekatekano ya thuto e na le dithebolo tsa pholisi di tshwana le karoganyo ya maemo ya dikarolo (quintile) le pholisi ya kgololo tse e leng didiriswa tsa paakanyo le phitlhelesego. Molao wa Dikolo wa Aforikaborwa (SASA, Molao wa bo84 wa 1996) o fetiseditse tsamaiso ya kabelo ya puso kwa bothating jwa taolo ya dikolo (diSGB), jo e leng batlhokomedi ba tsamaiso ya ditshelete tsa sekolo, mme bo ka oketsa dituelo tsa sekolo go tlaleletsa mo kabelong. Tiro ya tsamaiso ya ditshelete e neelwa komitipotlana ya ditshelete e e bayang leitlho le go tsenya tirisong tekanyetsokabo gore go dirisiwe ditlamelo tsa dithoto le tsa batho ka bokgoni go tokafatsa tirego ya go ruta le go ithuta. Le gale, go belaela ga batsadi malebana le go duela dituelo gongwe go dira dikopo tsa kgololo go ama kelelo ya matlole a a dirang gore go tsamaisiwe sekolo ka bokgoni. Leroborobo la Covid-19 le okeditse go fokotsega ga dituelo ka ntlha ya ditatlhegelo tsa ditiro le diura tse di fokoditsweng tsa go dira, mme seo se dira gore batsadi ba se ke ba duela dituelo. Go dirisitswe mokgwa wa patlisiso o o lebelelang mabaka go dirisiwa dikopanopotsolotso tsa ditlhopha tse di totilweng go bona tsibogo go tswa kwa dikomiting tse pedi tsa ditshelete kwa dikolong tsa sekontari tsa Gauteng. Diphitlhelelo di gateletse seabe sa selekane sa maphata a setshaba le a poraefete le ditlamo tsa tlhaeletsano ya megala, tiriso e e bokgoni ya kabelo gore go rekwe matheriale wa tshegetso ya barutwana-barutabana le sesabe sa batsadi jaaka togamaano ya go fokotsa tatlhegelo ya kharikhulamo, ka go tlolela kwa dipolatefomong tsa dijitale tsa go ithuta. Ka jalo, thutopatlisiso e na le tshono ya gore babatlisisi ba ka tswelela ka patlisiso e nngwe go tlhotlhomisa dikgwetlho tse di itemogelwang ke diSGB malebana le go tsenya tirisong pholisi ya matlole mo tekatekanong ya thuto. Ditsibogo tsa bona ka ditogamaano tsa boitshimololedi go atolosa togamaano ya dijitale le go dira mo dikgatlhegelong tsa go ithuta le go ruta mo pakeng ya morago ga Covid-19 ke tsone di kgatlhegelwang.