Werwing en seleksie van personeel in onafhanklike skole

Abstract

Waarom ’n studie met betrekking tot die werwing en seleksie van onderwysers? Om die beste moontlike onderwyser vir ’n spesifieke skool te werf en te selekteer, is nie ’n maklike taak nie, en gewoonlik is daar nie genoeg tyd om die beste en korrekte proses te volg nie. Onderrig moet ononderbroke plaasvind, en elke dag sonder ’n onderwyser in die klas beteken verlore tyd en skoolwerk wat baie moeilik ingehaal kan word. ’n UNESCO-verslag (2010) dui aan dat die permanente verlies van onderwysers jaarliks toeneem en dat die proses om onderwysers te vervang, al moeiliker word. Vanaf 2004 tot 2005 was die omsetsyfer van onderwysers in die VSA onderskeidelik 13.5% in onafhanklike skole en 8.4% in departementele skole. Alhoewel inligting rakende die omsetsyfer in onafhanklike skole in Suid-Afrika nie beskikbaar is nie, kan daar verwag word dat ’n tendens soortgelyk aan die VSA moontlik is. ’n Moontlike verduideliking vir die bogenoemde statistieke kan wees dat die werwings- en seleksieproses misluk. Hierdie studie het derhalwe gepoog om die werwings- en aanstellingsproses by onafhanklike skole te ondersoek om vas te stel hoedanig hoofde die groter vryheid ten opsigte van die aanstelling van onderwysers gebruik om die beste personeel te werf. Die studie is gebaseer op ’n verkennende kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp waarin omvattende onderhoude met hoofde van onafhanklike skole gevoer is. Uit die onderhoude het dit geblyk dat hoofde persone aanstel wat bekend is aan iemand wat reeds in diens van die skool staan. Hoofde is baie huiwerig om persone van buite aan te stel en waag nie sommer ’n kans met ’n persoon wat nie bekend is aan iemand op die personeel nie. Tog is die hoofde baie gesteld op onderwys van goeie kwaliteit vir leerlinge en hulle poog om personeel so gou moontlik te vervang. Daarom word daar nie tyd spandeer aan lang prosedures wat gevolg word met die werwing, selektering en aanstelling van personeel nie. Hoofde van onafhanklike skole gebruik in ’n mate die vryheid tot hul beskikking met betrekking tot die werwing en selektering van onderwysers. Elke skool se unieke kultuur word so ver moontlik behou en dit het baie duidelik na vore gekom dat hoofde baie trots is op die uniekheid van hul skole en dat hulle dit so ver moontlik probeer behou.

Why a study on the recruitment and selection of teachers? It is not an easy job to recruit and select the best possible teacher for a specific school, and normally there is not enough time to follow the best and correct process. Teaching has to continue uninterrupted, and every day without a teacher in class means lost time and schoolwork ‒ something that is extremely difficult to catch up. A UNESCO report (2010) indicates that the permanent loss of teachers increases annually, and that it is becoming more difficult to replace teachers. From 2004 to 2005, the teacher turnover in the USA was 13.5% in independent schools and 8.4% in departmental schools. Although no information is available on the staff turnover in independent schools in South Africa, one can expect that the trend will possibly be similar to that in the USA. A possible explanation for these statistics is that the recruitment and selection process fails. This study thus investigated the recruitment and appointment process at independent schools to determine to what extent principals use the greater freedom they have with regard to the appointment of teachers in order to recruit the best possible staff members. The study was based on an exploratory qualitative research design according to which in-depth interviews were conducted with the principals of independent schools. From the interviews, it appeared that the principals appoint persons who are known to someone who is already employed by the school. Principals are hesitant to appoint persons from outside the school and do not easily take a risk with a person who is not known to staff members. Nevertheless, these principals value education of a high quality for their pupils, and they try to replace staff as quickly as possible. Therefore they don’t spend time on long procedures when recruiting, selecting and appointing staff. Principals of independent schools use the freedom they have to some extent in the recruitment and selection of teachers. Each school’s unique culture is preserved as far as possible, and it was clear that the principals were extremely proud of the uniqueness of their schools and that they tried to preserve it as far as possible.