The MEC for Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba addressed a fully packed gathering of Principals, Chairpersons and Secretaries of SGB's of Schools from Gert Sibande and Nkangala District at HTS Middleburg this morning.
In that meeting, MEC Majuba requested schools to create a favorable environment for free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections of School Governing Bodies which are due to start from 01 to 30 March 2024 and he said :
"Yesterday, the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs. Angie Motshekga launched the 2024 School Governing Bodies Elections.
These are elections that will take place across the country from 01 to 31 March 2024.
To this end, all schools in the province are expected to start with the preparations towards the success of these important elections.
We therefore request that you communicate with parents to appreciate the significance of these elections and to work with them from the onset to ensure full participation.
Already, the Department has finalized a number of due processes which includes but are not limited to the Development of the Management Plan, Identification and appointment of Provincial and District Electoral Officers and Consultations with the Associations of School Governing Bodies.
Everything humanly possible will be done from the side of the Department to ensure that the process remains, democratic, free and fair for everyone.
We wish that we can ensure that those individuals who will to be elected are legitimate and have the interest of the school at heart.
We must therefore guard against instances where people will be elected to pursue their own selfish ends, to divide the school and to have their hands in the funds of the school for their own interests.
We request that those who are expected to hand over the reins to do so in a smooth and peaceful manner.
This must include the changing of bank signatories as soon as elections are over.
Let us avoid instances where there will be disputes after disputes just to avoid changing bank signatories.
We must also do everything possible to avoid a situation where head office needs to intervene before such a simple task can be undertaken.
Let us work around the clock to ensure that the first meetings quorate and that parents fully support the elections.
Since we want functional schools, it is very much important for us to have functional school governing bodies to ensure that we are able to improve learner performance and the delivery of day to day teaching and learning.
This year, we intend to make it our responsibility to create a stable environment for learning and teaching to take place in all our schools.
In her speech yesterday, the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs. Angie Motshekga said:
“Research has consistently shown that schools with active SGBs excel across various metrics, including academic performance, learner well-being, and community engagement.
The correlation between engaged SGBs and school success is undeniable. Schools with high SGB participation report an average 20% higher pass rate than those with lower engagement.
Additionally, incidents of vandalism and truancy decrease significantly in schools with active governing bodies.
These are not just numbers—they are compelling evidence of the power of active participation.
Our vision is for every school to harness this potential, translating active governance into tangible outcomes for our children.
Therefore, our campaign, "Empower, Engage, Educate", aims to catalyse a shift.
With a multifaceted strategy leveraging both digital and traditional media, we intend to reach every corner of our society.
From rural townships to bustling urban centres, our message is clear: your voice shapes the future.”
It is based on the above context that we are making a clarion call to each of you—parents, teachers, learners, and community members—to join us in this crucial endeavor.
We urge you to engage with the process, educate yourselves and others, and most importantly, exercise your right to vote.