Cape Town - Parents have been urged to fully participate in the school governing body (SGB) elections that are under way in the province.
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer said SGBs represent all sectors of the school community, including parents, teachers, non-teaching staff and, in Grades 8 to 12, learners too.
Schäfer said all parents and legal guardians with children registered at a school were eligible to vote, and 10% of a school’s parents must vote to achieve a quorum.
“All parents and legal guardians are also able to stand for election, with some exceptions, if they have been legally declared unsuitable to work with children,” said Schäfer.
She said parents should use the opportunity to get involved in the running of their child’s school by voting and standing for a position, or voting for someone who they believe best represents the school’s interests.
Chief executive of the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools (Fedsas) Paul Colditz said the election of the more than 300 000 new school governing body members this year is more important than ever.
Colditz said SGB members were elected every three years, and the minister of basic education has determined that the election period would be until March 31.
ANC provincial spokesperson on education Khalid Sayed said with the SGB election processes under way, it was crucial that all involved ensure that those were done with fairness and transparency, because it was those governing bodies who would in turn need to ensure proper accountability at schools and that their learners were served optimally.
Sayed said it was concerning to receive information of incomplete voters rolls and elections being called without the knowledge of all parents.
“These matters must be addressed and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) must have a very hands-on approach. Those elected must ensure that they know the functions and the WCED must empower them to understand," he said.
Sayed said SGBs must neither be mouthpieces of principals nor must they undermine the work of the principals.
Cape Argus