ETH303T/103/2/2013
Tutorial letter 103/2/2013 The Education System and School Management
ETH303T Semester 2 Department of Educational Leadership and Management
This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.
CONTENTS
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ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS ............................ ......................... ........................... ....................... 3
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MEMORANDUM FOR ASSIGNMENT 01 ......................... ......................... ........................... ......... 3
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EXAM GUIDELINES ...................................................................................................................... 8
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1.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS By now you should have submitted Assignments 01. Assignment 03 is optional. Examination admission is based on the submission of Assignment 01. So, if you have submitted Assignment 01 you do qualify to sit for the examination in this module. However, both assignments 01 and 02 contribute to your year mark and final examination result.
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MEMORANDUM FOR ASSIGNMENT 01 QUESTION 1
1.1
Aspects that contribute to the fact that education provision in postmodern societies is an extremely complex and specialised task Different types of institution for education and training need to be established to meet the diverse needs of learners. In accordance with learners’ ages and developmental phases there are pre-primary schools, primary schools, secondary schools and institutions of higher education, including universities, technikons and colleges. Furthermore, schools may specialise according to various fields of interest, such as general academic schools, agricultural or technical schools, and arts and sciences schools. Schools are usually differentiated into phases, annual stages or grades, presenting a wide variety of learning programmes or subjects and learning packages. Schools need to provide for learners with special education needs and barriers to learning. For example, there could be schools for the gifted. In the higher education system there is also a broad diversity of institutions aimed at a wide range of possible vocations in society. Colleges, for example, differentiate their training of teachers, nurses, the police, agriculturalists and technicians. Furthermore, education systems need to provide for differences in culture, religion and language. Demographic, historical, political, social, economic, geographical influences all have an impact on the way education is provided
1 .2
Composition of the education system Four broad categories of structure can be distinguished in an education and training system. They are • • • •
schools and other types of educational institutions governance and management structures support or auxiliary services various stakeholders with an interest in education
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Firstly, the formal schooling system includes many different types of institution for education and training which strive to meet the diverse needs of learners. In accordance with learners’ ages and developmental phases, there are pre-primary schools, primary schools, secondary schools and institutions of higher education, including universities, technikons and colleges. Furthermore, schools may specialise according to various fields of interest, such as general academic schools, agricultural or technical schools, and arts and sciences schools. Schools are usually differentiated into phases, annual stages or grades, presenting a wide variety of learning programmes or subjects and learning packages. In the higher education system there is also a broad diversity of institutional types aimed at a wide range of possible vocations in society. Colleges, for example, differentiate their training of teachers, nurses, the police, agriculturalists and technicians. Secondly, a comprehensive undertaking like an education and training system also depends on an effective and efficient system of governance and management. To provide education and training in a planned and organised manner, structures for the governance and management of education which promote the effective functioning of the system are created. The current administrative structure in South Africa includes for this purpose the Ministry of Education and Training, Departments of Education on both national and provincial levels, structures for educational planning, control boards, advisory bodies and teacher registration boards. Thirdly, the provision of education and training includes many highly specialised tasks. Institutions do not have the capacity to carry out all these tasks on their own, however. Although teaching practitioners are trained to carry out teaching and classroom management tasks and present specific subjects or learning programmes, the average teacher may still require additional help with certain professional tasks. Support or auxiliary services ideally provide teaching practitioners with specialised help where possible. Examples of these additional services are a school health service, feeding schemes, media and library services, as well as an examination service, and school hostels and transport services. Unfortunately, in most communities in South Africa, these support services are either entirely absent or inadequate. Finally, many other stakeholders have a keen interest in a country’s education, for instance, the state, parents, the community, teacher organisations, unions and work providers. They also form an integral part of the education and training system, and the process of making new educational policy in South Africa strives to involve all these stakeholders. Clearly, the primary function of all these categories of structure is to provide and/or support quality education and training for learners in a community. The learners, therefore, are the core around which every activity in the system should revolve. First indicate that the school(s) on their own cannot provide for the diverse needs of society and that a formal system of education needs to be established. Then
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discuss the four categories of structures of which an education system is composed of: · schools and other types of institutions · governance and management structures · support and auxiliary services · various stakeholders with an interest in education 1.3
The role of the South African Council for Educators (SACE) (Refer to pp 27–28 section 2.9 in the prescribed textbook) •
•
•
SACE was established as a registration body of professional educators and was entrusted with the keeping of a register or roll of such educators for the purpose of regulating qualifications, standards and professional discipline as well as teachers’ admission to the education profession. SACE aims to enhance the status of the teaching profession and to promote the development of educators and their professional conduct. The ELR Act guarantees teachers their rights as workers and as citizens; rights which are entrenched in the Constitution. Coupled with these rights are responsibilities, however, and teachers should remember that they cannot act as they wish. SACE has been granted the power to investigate complaints made against educators by parents and learners. Accordingly, the Council has the authority to impose fines of up to R1000 on unprofessional teachers and ban them from working in state schools.. Therefore SACE is a national registration body for teachers. All teachers in South Africa are obliged to register with SACE. Accordingly, all teachers in South Africa are obliged to register with SACE. Any teachers accused of unprofessional behaviour will thus have to appear before a SACE disciplinary hearing. Such unprofessional behaviour includes the physical or psychological abuse of learners, being late for work or not doing their work.
In terms of the SACE code of conduct, teachers may not, among others things •
physically or psychologically abuse a learner
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infringe a learner’s right to privacy and confidentiality
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have a sexual relationship with a learner
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sexually harass a learner or colleague
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undermine the status and authority of colleagues
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bring the teaching profession in disrepute
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discuss confidential matters with unauthorised persons
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The code of conduct also states that teachers must •
use appropriate language
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promote gender equality
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exercise authority with compassion
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keep parents informed about their children’s progress
The national Department of Education is responsible for appointing 15 SACE members while 30 are drawn from the teacher unions. 1.4
Educators and parents as partners (Refer to pp 87–91 in the prescribed textbook)
1.5
Discuss school governance by referring to the following: (a) the structure of school governing bodies (SGBs) (b) the functions of the SGBs (c) the relationship between educators and SGBs (Refer to pp 46–48 subsections 4.4.2, 4.4.3 and 4.4.5 in the prescribed textbook)
QUESTION 2 2.1
Managing the school is a process consisting of four fundamental management functions. Discuss. (Refer to pages 44 – 45, section 4.3.1 in the prescribed textbook) In the process of managing the school as an organisation, educators should carry out four fundamental management functions – planning, organising, leading and controlling. These are performed in relation to the following areas of management: personnel issues; teaching and learning issues; learner concerns; physical resources; school administration; financial affairs; school–community relations in order to fulfil the primary aim of each school, namely, the realisation of effective teaching and learning. The four management functions can briefly be described as follows: •
Planning: As the first step in the management process, planning entails formulating a mission, aims and outcomes for the school and will also include functions such as problem solving, decision making and policy making.
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•
Organising: The second step in the management process is organising, which involves establishing an organisational structure or framework to indicate how people and materials should be deployed to achieve the goals. Delegating and coordinating are two important aspects of the organising function.
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Leading: This third step refers to directing the people (educators and learners) and motivating them so that their actions are aligned to the formulated goals and outcomes. Leading entails communicating goals through the school and motivating educators and learners to perform as well as they possibly can. Conflict management and negotiation may sometimes be necessary as part of the leading function.
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Controlling: By means of the controlling function, principals ensure that the school is on the right course to attain its goals.
Assessment and taking
corrective action as well as disciplinary measures when necessary, all form part of the controlling function.
2.2
The educator is not merely a manager but a leader. What is leadership and what implications does the quest for democratic leadership have for the educator? Of centr al impor tance f f or the educator is an u under standing o of the many styles of leader ship. These include the autocr atic, the laissez-f air e, the democr atic, thechar ismatic, f or mal, inf or mal, cir cumstantial and instr umental styles of leader ship. The f f ir st tthr ee a ar e o of impor tance tto tthe e educator . The a autocr atic s style o of leader ship In this outdated style of leader ship, the teacher commands and the lear ner s obey q quietly. No d depar tur e f f r r ules s set b by tthe tteacher is ttoler ated. It iis a a ro m tthe r militar istic style of leader ship that destr oys lear ner initiative and of ten r esults in a a loss o of r espect f f or author ity. The llaissez-f air e s style o of leader ship In contr ast to the autocr atic leader ship style, the laissez-f air e style allows lear ner s tthe s scope to d do e exactly a as tthey p please iin tthe c classr oom. The e educator leader voices no opposition and ther e is no f or m of discipline. This f or m of leader ship is unacceptable because it ser iously under mines the teaching and lear ning p pr ocess. The d democr atic s style o of leader ship 7
