Policy-making by public school governing bodies : law and practice in Gauteng

Abstract

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.

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.