Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of school governing bodies (SGBs) members' role in financial management in no-fee schools so as to understand their compliance with policy frameworks when managing school finances. No-fee schools are schools in which the learners cannot be levied fees because of the poor…

The inception of no-fee schools and a school-fee exemption policy has become a contentious issue but also an exciting one for school managers in South Africa. Managers opposed to the policy have cited amongst others things, academic standards dropping, as well as parents who can afford to pay jumping on the bandwagon and refusing to pay. While the…

Empowerment, accountability and redress are prime objectives of school funding in the new South Africa. This is facilitated through the National Norms and Standards for School Funding. The application of the norms has led to the development of a "no-fee school" policy aimed at exempting poor parents from payment of school fees. The…

This article focuses on the relationship between principals and school governing bodies in South Africa. Although there are several different groups represented on the governing body, this article relates mainly to the role and function of the parental representatives. The parents have a majority on the governing bodies and therefore have an…

A former college president and corporate foundation president examines moral and economic issues relating to college withdrawal of investments in South Africa, using the experiences of Harvard University and Exxon stock for illustration. (MSE)

The establishment of school governing bodies represents a significant decentralisation of power in the South African school system. Whilst such decentralisation could well be expected to mean an increase in democratic participation in the governance of schools, this is not necessarily the case. The State, its functionaries, and organs of the State…

In the Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 school governing bodies are mandated to manage the funds of schools. The Act also provides guidelines for the school governing body and the principal on their roles and responsibilities in managing the finances of the school. However, some members of school governing bodies and principals either have little…