3 December 2007
In June 2007, the Minister of Education established a committee to conduct
research into schools that performed well and are in the middle quintiles.
Called 'Schools that Work' the qualitative study considered the circumstances
under which schools achieve good results, while others in a similar context do
not.
"There can be no doubt that the good results of these schools are produced
by the commitment of principals and teachers. This emerged as one of the most
powerful themes in our study of Schools that Work," the committee wrote.
The report recommends that provincial departments support successful schools
through recognition and incentives.
The committee found highly motivated schools, with dedicated staff and busy
learners, using additional time before and after school, on Saturdays and
during holidays. Schools were focused on learner achievement, and celebrated
their achievements to motivate themselves further.
The committee found four essential dynamics at work in successful
schools:
* all of the schools were focused on their central tasks of teaching,
learning, and management with a sense of responsibility, purpose and
commitment
* all of the schools carried out their tasks with competence and
confidence
* all had organisational cultures or mindsets that supported a work ethic,
expected achievement, and acknowledged success
* all had strong internal accountability systems in place, which enabled
them to meet the demands of external accountability, particularly in terms of
senior certificate achievement.
Successful schools exhibited strong 'inner capacities' in terms of teaching
and learning, supported by management and leadership, as well as a sense of
agency. If schools do not have these capacities, interventions in the form of
incentives or sanctions are unlikely to have effect. The challenge is, the
committee reported, to work with what exists in schools to build and support
capacity.
The research provides a taxonomy that will be considered as the basis for
further research and longitudinal study of factors that lead to improved
quality in the school system.
Editors notes:
The committee was made up of Professor Pam Christie (Chair), Dawn Butler and
Mark Potterton. The committee was supported by a Reference Group of Francine de
Clercq (Wits), Tsidi Dipholo (South African Democratic Teachers' Union -
SADTU), Aslam Fataar (University of the Western Cape - UWC), Heather Jacklin
(University of Cape Town - UCT), Relebohile Moletsane (University of
KwaZulu-Natal University - UKZN), Martin Mulcahy (Ministry), Hersheela Narsee
(Department of Education - DoE), and Sibusiso Sithole (DoE).
Contact:
Lunga Ngqengelele
Ministerial Spokesperson
Tel: 012 312 5538
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za
Issued by: Ministry of Education
3 December 2007
