The Governing Body Foundation (GBF) is the thought leader in co-operative school governance in South Africa.
Founded in 1997, the GBF is a nationally recognised association for school governing bodies. The GBF has member schools in all nine South African provinces, with the Head Office in Johannesburg and regional offices in Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, and Johannesburg.
The GBF has established the necessary resources and infrastructure, and possesses the legal and general expertise, knowledge and experience to promote sound governance in public schools. It does this by providing information to its member schools by means of regular newsletters, an extensive website, and seminars, both venue-based and web-based.
But the GBF does more: It nurtures and empowers SGBs to enhance their capacity to function effectively as a body and as individuals within their school environment. This is done by having personnel available on a daily basis to answer queries or to engage with principals and SGB members in a supportive and practical manner that goes beyond merely supplying information and legal stipulations. It is this relationship with our schools that makes the GBF a distinctive governing body association.
The Department of Basic Education and the provincial education departments regularly invite the GBF as a recognised key stakeholder to participate in consultative forums at national, provincial and district level and to contribute its views on educational matters. While the GBF works alongside the education departments, it nevertheless maintains its status as an independent organisation.
