Browsing by Author "Ncwane, Sithenjwa Hopewell."

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The role of teachers in the decision making processes that relate to school financial management in the Pinetown district primary schools.
(2011) Ncwane, Sithenjwa Hopewell.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.
The promulgation into law of the South African Schools Act (SASA) in 1996 ushered a new era in South African school management and governance. Informed by a number of values such as accountability, transparency and participation that permeate the new South African Constitution, the SASA has decentralised certain powers to the local stakeholders at school level. It meant that teachers, principals, parents and learners (in high schools) can work together towards a common vision for the school. The School Governing Body was installed as the powerful legal structure. Teachers, as one of the important stakeholders, are represented in the SGB and can participate in school decision making processes. Teachers are important stakeholder because they are the ones who are at the critical level since they deal directly with the learners. Their participation inside and outside the SGB is important. Given the above background, a case study of two primary schools was conducted. The two schools were sampled using the convenience and purposive sampling methods. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to gather data. Four teachers, two from each school were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were deemed appropriate for this study because they give the researcher an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. This study documented teachers narratives about their experiences regarding their participation in the decision-making processes that relate to school financial management. Through teachers’ narratives, the factors that hindered or promoted their participation were also explored. The findings indicated that teacher participation in school financial decision making did exist in the case study schools but was minimal. Teacher participation seemed to be more confined to the operational decision such as making a list of classroom needs that should be part of the school budget. However, teachers were found not to be involved in strategic decisions where decisions on issues such as setting financial goals of the school were made. It was also found that, despite their minimal involvement, teachers were satisfied with the role that they were playing in the school financial decision making processes.
Supporting teaching and learning in challenging contexts: a phenomenological study of the leadership role of circuit managers.
(2019) Ncwane, Sithenjwa Hopewell.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.; Myende, Phumlani Erasmus.
This phenomenological study was conducted among six circuit managers in schools that are located in challenging contexts. While circuit managers are not directly involved in the day to- day management and leadership of schools, there is however compelling literature evidence that suggests that their leadership role has a great impact on the improvement of learner attainment. With so many of our schools being in areas that are very challenging, which makes teaching and learning difficult, circuit managers’ support becomes more critical. Circuit managers, like all other Department of Education personnel, are expected to ensure that our education system functions properly. The study draws from instructional leadership theory and context-responsive theory as critical lenses that constitute the theoretical framework used in the study. The study is underpinned by the interpretivist paradigm, with phenomenology used as the research design. Semi-structured interviews and document reviews were used to generate the data, which was analysed using phenomenological data analysis. The findings indicate that circuit managers perform many tasks that are beyond the scope of their job descriptions. They do this because of an overwhelming need for support as a result of the plethora of challenges that the schools that they support have to deal with. These challenges tend to distract their attention from issues that directly link to learner attainment. Human resources management seems to be the most important task that circuit managers undertake, from assisting the schools to get their requisite staff establishment to the development of staff, particularly of principals’ leadership capacities. Circuit managers have developed key strategies to deal with the context as they work with schools.