Enhancing collaborative skills among members of the school governing body

English: Of critical importance to this study, is the development of a framework which will harness the challenges of SGB collaborative skills which is informed by the fact that a dearth collaborative capacity of the body was discovered which arised due to eminent governance challenges. Through communicative dialogue with the SGBs, it was discovered that because of poor collaboration within the SGB, with limited school contribution to assist with the persuit of change and the achievement of set and visioned goals; which are needed to enhance school transformation and development, the following research objectives arose: the need for collaboration, identifying the challenges, components, establishing a conducive environment and identifying the success indicators of SGB collaborative ideal. This study was further informed by the research conducted by both Mabovula (2010) and McManus (1996) on SGBs. In both studies the concerns were raised regarding the lack of harmony or absence of collaborative skills among members of the SGB. In the quest to enhance the pivotal essence of collaboration through personal experience in both school leadership and governance, as a former school principal and engagement with the respective SGB involved, the following skills also emerged as lacking to augment collaboration in the body: governance skills, communication skills and conflict management skills. The research adopted the PAR approach, couched in the progressive values and principles advocated by the CER in the discourse of research. The study created space for Free Attitude Interviews (FAI) and workshops which were used to generate data from the participating SGB which allowed crtical and reflective engagements that were latter analyzed by CDA as a research analysis strategy used by the scholar, van Dijk. In the wake of the above, it was alluded that SGBs experienced collaborative apprehension which led to its struggles to excecute its mandate. The following predicaments were found: absence or a lack of sense of accountability and commitment to visioned set goals; the SGB was opertating in an environment with a dearth of sustainable learning environment for collabotative school governance; a lack of unity and solidarity amongst members; negative sentiments regarding feminism trends which are informed by partriachy and the general insensitivity towards democratic principles advancing the adaptation of progressive social justice. The framework envisaged above all, to encompass critical elements with collaborative values as underpinned by SASA and the Constitutional imperatives (1996) to advance the expedition for Ubuntu.