School governing bodies elections

THE Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has urged parents and guardians to make their voices heard as they launched the School Governing Bodies (SGB) elections for 2018.

“Your role as a parent, regardless of your race or background, is critical because it will assist the department to improve learning outcomes and enable us to reach the goal of providing quality education in all our schools,” said Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi. The department said the three-year term of the current SGB members ends on February 28. “The elections take place from March 1-3 in all schools. This will be the ninth cycle of SGB elections since 1994,” the department said.

The GDE said the SGBs were elected for a term of three years and comprised of the parent component, educators, the principal and pupil representatives at high schools: “The role of the SGB is to support the principal, with among other things, financial administration, maintenance of the school and recommendation of appointment of staff.”

The department said that parents of pupils at the school, educators at the school, members of staff who are not educators and pupils could be elected: “Elections are managed by the Department of Education, assisted by Independent Electoral Commission and Corruption Watch. The department appoints school electoral officers at the school, district and provincial level.” – African News Agency (ANA)