Abstract:
The focus of the research was mainly on leadership problems, with special
reference to the rural primary schools of Ximhungwe Circuit in the Bushbuckridge
area. Special attention has been given to the leadership background of SGB
members and their involvement on governance matters. This is a qualitative
research study that involved seventeen rural primary schools of the Ximhungwe
Circuit, where the SGB’s of these schools were interviewed to elicit information
and to get their view points. The respondents interviewed from each school
included the principal, chairperson of the SGB, educator component and parent
component.
The research findings revealed that the majority of SGB members are not coping
with their roles and responsibilities as enshrined in the South African Schools
Act, Act 84 of 1996. The results also indicated that there is a general lack of
understanding in relation to governance matters, hence the elite principals and
educators are seen to be taking a lead in that regard.
