The MEC for Education Namane Dickson Masemola is looking forward to the election and co-option of dedicated members of the society into our School Governing Bodies next year.
According to the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996) (SASA), school governing bodies (SGBs) are to be elected every three years. The term of our current SGB's comes to the end next year.
The importance of these elections at more than 25 000 school sites nationally and 4015 provincially cannot be overstated. According to the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (SASA), SGBs are statutory bodies which stand in a position of trust towards the school.
The provincial Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for education determines election procedures within the framework created by SASA. As a result, every province has its own specific regulations for SGB elections, which are approved by provincial legislatures.
Thousands of parents will be elected to serve their communities on the school governing body of the school in which their children attend. School governing bodies are an integral part of the education system. This statutory constituted body's role is central to a successful education system.
School governing bodies as custodians of democracy in our schools must also mirror the diverse cultures of communities in which the schools belong. They must provide a structure for public accountability and provide a platform for parents to influence the direction that the school takes in educating children in a diverse and democratic country.
Some of the key responsibilities of governors as articulated in SASA and all its amendments are intended for SGB’s to at all timespromote the welfare of their schools andensure that the learners receive the best possible education.
The overall objective of the election process is to ensure properly elected, competent and visionary governance in our public school system in support of quality learning and teaching. The delivery of the process requires the involvement of officials at all levels of the education system and key stakeholders. National, provincial, district and circuit officials must ensure that every school should:
- have in place an electoral officer who is the principal or manager of another school;
- set up the school election team made up of educators and non-educators employed at the school.Parents and learners may participate in a school election team;
- prepare a voters' roll of all eligible voters in the school (according to different components of the SGB) and have it available at all election meetings;
- notify in writing all eligible voters not less than 21 days before the date of the election meeting of the date, time and venue of the election meetings;
- ensure that SGB elections are well advertised by distributing and displaying advocacy materials provided by the department;
- provide appropriate venues for the elections; and
- provide staff to assist the electoral officer where there is a need for support.
Electoral officers to make sure that the coming SGB elections are underpinned by principles, such as transparency, gender equity, democracy, accountability and responsibility, non-racism and community involvement.
The participation of women in the election needs to be promoted in order to address gender imbalance in representivity on our SGBs.
These elections stand a good chance to enhance democracy in our schools if the school community can view them to be credible. They can only be credible if electoral officers ensure that the election process is conducted without blemish.
MEC Masemola will embark on a road show early next year to encourage parents and the community at large to participate in the elections.
