Functions
The Governing Body Foundation’s primary objectives are:
- To represent School Governing Bodies (SGBs) of public schools in South Africa in the manner envisaged in Section 20(3) of the South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996;
- To maintain and promote quality, non-racial education in public schools;
- To uphold and promote the rights and interests of parents in the governance of public schools;
- To uphold and promote the rights of SGBs in public school education;
- To assist SGBs of public schools in exercising their rights and performing their obligations;
- To act as a resource centre for SGBs of public schools and in particular to provide guidance and information on all aspects of education, management and governance of public schools;
- To promote equity and a learner-centered approach in the delivery of public school education and the redress of imbalances in public school education, and to uphold and promote the Constitution of the Rebublic of South Africa and its values, including those pertaining to education;
- To represent its members in consultation and negotiations with any other stakeholder(s) in the educational arena;
- Generally to publicise and promote the above objectives;
- To raise funds with which to finance the pursuit of the above objectives.
Services
In working to fulfill these objectives, the GBF undertakes a wide variety of activities. These include the following:
- Monitoring, evaluating and commenting upon all draft policies and legislation which can impact upon the various roles of SGBs;
- Lobbying relevant authorities about concerns raised by SGBs;
- Keeping member SGBs informed of developments in education through means of regular newsletters and ad hoc communication;
- Providing advice to SGB’s concerning the implementation of policies and the execution of their roles and responsibilities;
- Providing examples of documents required by SGBs e.g. employment contracts;
- Assisting SGBs with their individual difficulties, including their interactions with the relevant provincial education departments;
- Commissioning and providing workshops on aspects of SGB’s responsibilities;
- Representing its member schools on National and Provincial Statutory Bodies within the Department of Education.
It is not, however, a role of the GBF to involve itself in the functions of educator trade unions (for example in disputes about conditions of service) unless these impact on the powers, responsbilities and effectiveness of Governing Bodies.
