RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

The findings of this study on the role of SGBs in improving school performance in the rural areas suggest further investigation into other aspects of the decentralised school governance. Education transformation and decentralised school governance are relatively new concepts and practices in the South African education arena. Being a new element in education the SGB concept might not be wholly understood and embraced by all community members. Some parents and community members in general might not know the value of getting involved in school matters, their role, responsibilities and rights in the education of their children. This makes it imperative for more research to be done in all aspects of school governance for the overall understanding of the concept and improvement of local schools.

Specifically, further investigations may be done on the following important aspects of the SGBs:

• Strategies to get more literate parents to serve on SGBs in order to make school governance more effective.

• Strategies to make parents more aware of their roles, rights, and responsibilities as school governors.

• Determining the effects of an effective parental involvement in schools in rural areas. 5.5 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The primary aim of this research was to investigate the role school governing bodies play in improving school performance in rural areas. The study, however exhibits both strengths and limitations as an exploratory investigation. The small sample size of the study (limited to only three schools) which is common with qualitative research approach (cf3.4.1) may not fully support a general theory regarding the role of school governing bodies in improving school performance at large. Thus an investigation carried out on a larger number of schools might result in different findings.

Again as an exploratory study using qualitative research approach of individual and focus group interviews its findings were descriptive and not quantified (cf. 3.2.1) as the main focus was on getting the views and experiences of the participants.

5.6 CONCLUSION

This study, the Role of School Governing Bodies in Improving School Performance in Taung Rural Areas, has resulted in a number of important findings that may assist local communities (parents), schools (educators, School Management Teams, principals, the department of education and other education stakeholders in improving the operations of school governing bodies in their local community schools. The move by the South African government to get communities involved in education matters is a step in right direction. However as a new concept and practice in a country where many rural community members have poor education background much has to be done to get the home and the school to work together as equal partners in education without much conflicts, mistrust, frustrations and tensions. In this way school performance could be improved.

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APPENDIX A