University of the Western Cape: School of Business and Finance
Abstract
Executive Summary:
By almost any measure, most South African public schools, and schools in the Western
Cape, are underperforming academically. For a number of years, there has existed a wide degree of consensus among education
stakeholders, and particular government, that the problems in our schools extend
beyond academic under-achievement. Massive budget allocations, overhauling
curricular, restoring skewed learning resources, retraining educators and attempting to
deal with the more pressing community problems and social ills that influence the results
of a school are all necessary interventions. But, unless there is a concurrent
improvement of schools from a „business‟ management point of view, there is no
guarantee that the resources allocated to schools, both materially and in the form of
educators, will be optimally deployed.
Principals need to be occupied with the tasks of managing and leading teaching and
learning i.e. instruction leadership, not managing routine administration. In recognising
the potential of school administrative personnel to provide relief and support for the
administrative role of principals, the Western Cape Government initiated a training
course – the CSBA – in July 2008 for school business administrators. The ground-breaking pilot programme was completed in February 2010. Thereafter the
WCED commissioned an evaluation of the results achieved. The purpose of the
evaluation is to inform the WCED‟s plans for development of the course going forward.
This report represents a synopsis of the findings of the evaluation.Western Cape Education Departmen
