FOSTERING a culture of learning and teaching at schools will remain a pipe dream unless school governing bodies are also active participants in the education of children.
This sentiment was expressed by uThungulu District Director for the Department of Education, David Chonco.
Speaking at the launch of the 2015 School Governing Body elections held last week at Dlangezwa High School, Chonco said this was the seventh cycle of such elections. The dates 6 to 28 March have been set aside as the election period, during which public schools must conduct elections for new members of School Governing Bodies (SGBs).
Chonco said the elections for SGBs were the third biggest in the country after the national and local government elections, and therefore it was imperative that all parents were involved.
‘It is important that all components work together harmoniously.
‘There should be no infighting within the SGBs as we sometimes experience in the district. It hinders the provision of quality education and does not display the spirit of acting in the best interest of the school as well as the child,’ Chonco said.
Addressing a packed audience of parents, Chonco warned that SGBs may be dissolved by the MEC for Education Peggy Nkonyeni when schools become dysfunctional.
‘Without the SGB, financial systems are incomplete and unprocedural. The disciplinary procedures for learners are also affected. In fact SGBs play a major role in the governance of schools, and as such draw the MEC’s and my interest, because all the activities of the SGBs are about the best interest of the school and therefore of the learners,’ he said.
