The importance of effective leadership in schools
Thursday, 13 August 2015
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The
recent news of alleged corruption at Glenvista High School highlights the role
school governing bodies (SGBs) play in guiding ethical conduct in schools. "Governance
principles can be used to guide the appropriate behaviour to ensure decisions
are made in the best interests of the school and its stakeholders,” says
Vikeshni Vandayar, Legal and Governance Specialist at the Institute of
Directors in Southern Africa (IoDSA).
"Improved
governance in schools has the potential to significantly boost the quality of
the education offered at a particular public school, expand its growth and
enhance its financial stability,” says Paul Colditz, CEO of the Federation of
Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS). Colditz further adds "One of the biggest
governance pitfalls that leads to instances of maladministration in schools, is
that often members of the SGB believe that the requirements of good governance
does not apply to them because they are acting on a voluntary basis or not
remunerated.
The IoDSA is
assisting FEDSAS in drafting a school governance guide. "We believe the guide
will make a huge impact in understanding the basic principles and best
practices of good governance in the school context,” says Colditz. "The idea is to make a publication available
in easily understandable and accessible language and format and that would
inspire all SGB members to become the best possible leaders.”
By SGBs
implementing governance principles, improved leadership and decision-making
will become apparent. SGBs will have improved tools to monitor and manage risk
and improve the confidence of all stakeholders involved with the school - such
as learners, teachers, parents, the national and provincial departments of
education and local communities in the school environment.
The implementation
of SGB governance in a public school will constantly adapt and evolve as the performance
of the SGB and the school improves. The SGB therefore needs to consider which
measures are most appropriate for the specific school.
The application of
the desired outcomes and any recommendations found in the guide should be
viewed in the context of the school’s nature, size and maturity. "The idea is
for each SGB to apply its collective mind to the governance principles as to determine
which would be in the best interests of the school,” says Vandayar.
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