Policy-making by public school governing bodies: law and practice in Gauteng
Abstract
English: The South African Schools Act stipulates that school governing bodies are responsible
for drafting certain school policies. This article reports on a qualitative research
study conducted in 50 schools in Gauteng to trace the functionality of the
school governing bodies with regard to policy-making. A critical evaluation of the
admission, language and religious policies as well as codes of conduct provides
substantial
evidence that school governing bodies are committed to the values of
equality and human dignity, and actively promote non-racism and non-sexism in
their policies. Afrikaans: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolewet bepaal dat skoolbeheerliggame verantwoordelik is vir
die daarstelling van sekere skoolbeleide. In hierdie artikel word verslag gedoen oor
kwalitatiewe navorsing wat in 50 skole in Gauteng gedoen is om die funksionering
van skoolbeheerliggame met betrekking tot beleidmaking na te spoor. ’n Kritiese
evaluering van die toelatings-, taal- en godsdiensbeleide asook gedragskodes
verskaf wesenlike bewyse dat skoolbeheerliggame hulleself verbind het tot waardes
van gelykheid en menswaardigheid, en aktief nie-rassisme en nie-seksisme in hulle
beleide bevorder.