An investigation into staff participation in the management of three secondary schools in the Phoenix-Verulam district

Abstract

Education has undergone many changes, over the past ten years. Prior to 1994, public schools in South Africa were-predominantly bureaucratic organisations where the principals of schools implemented an autocratic style of management. Now education-has moved away from such a system to-a-democratic system- in-which staff participation is encouraged. After 1998, the-Department of Education and Culture of KwaZulu-Natal made it compulsory for the principal to inform staff on all procedures to be implemented in the rationalisation and redeployment process. The Department also encouraged staff participation in deciding on matters relating to the schoot The researcher undertook a research study in three secondary schools in the Phoenix- Verulam District to assess the extent to-which staff were involved in management decisions and whether this had been successful. It was discovered that problems were encountered when management and administrative responsibilities were shared with staff members. The researcher made recommendations to solve these problems and improve staff participation in the management of a school.