Other relevant stakeholders such as the community and businesses must assist the government to complement the delivery of educational infrastructure. It is against this background that the study undertakes to assess the delivery of educational infrastructure that will lead to improved service delivery.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
Thus, this research intends to assess the problems in the provision of educational infrastructure of primary and secondary schools, particularly in Seshego District, Limpopo Province. This research is an assessment attempt to improve the effective and efficient educational infrastructure in the public schools of the semi-urban and rural areas of Limpopo.
THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
The overall findings from this study will also provide the necessary indicators for redressing the lack of provision, as well as contribute to reducing the provision of increased services to related victims.
OBJECTIVES
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Seshego circuit due to the qualitative nature of the research, although many of the issues and findings discussed may be applicable within many parts of the South African primary education system landscape.
CLARIFICATION OF KEY CONCEPTS
- Infrastructure
- Public Service Delivery
- Education
- Assessment
- Public Schools
The participation of expected is; teachers, sociologists, psychologists and computer expectations and society as future users in designing educational facilities that are suitable for society and culture is imperative (Benavides, 2002). This study focuses on assessing the delivery of educational infrastructure in the Seshego circuit.
RESOURCES ESSENTIAL TO EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Policy
Despite the good intentions and efforts of national and provincial authorities, there seems to be a lack of clear, concrete objectives and planning. The team is well aware that national and provincial authorities are equally disappointed that such conditions still exist, but believes that a joint crusade to replace such schools must now be a national priority.
Budget
17% (R159 million) of the budget has been allocated to new schools, replacement schools and new county and district offices. 16% (R156, 8 million) of the budget has been allocated to rehabilitation and renewal, including major repairs and recapitalization of existing facilities in storm-damaged schools.
Human Resources
The Ministry of Primary Education is committed to improving the number of teachers in rural areas by more effectively implementing the policy to better pay rural teachers. To address the shortage of Grade R teachers, the Ministry of Basic Education should consider developing provincial staffing plans that identify the number of teachers needed, as well as a comprehensive training strategy and implementation plan for Grade R educators with short, medium and longer-term goals.
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION For this study a qualitative research method was selected as it involves an in-depth
Even though there was a great improvement in the number of qualified teachers between 1990 and 2008 (from 53% to 94.4%), in 2012 there was a number of inadequacies regarding the qualifications and competences of teachers to teach all learners , including those with disabilities. Respondents were selected on the basis that they are familiar with what happens in the schools and also at the Department of Basic Education regarding infrastructure. The selected school principals were requested to respond to hand-delivered questionnaires.
OUTLINE OF RESEARCH REPORT
The chapter makes use of themes presented in the study to present analysis of the research findings. The chapter seeks to answer whether the research questions have been sufficiently answered and what the consequences of the results are.
INTRODUCTION
UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF A LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Leedy & Ormrod (2013), a literature review is the process that describes theoretical perspectives and previous research findings related to the problem at hand. A literature review is necessary because it sharpens and deepens the theoretical framework of the research. A literature review can offer new ideas, perspectives and approaches that may not have occurred to the researcher.
A literature review can be defined as a critical evaluation of previous scientific writings that are relevant to the research topic (Bless, Higson-smith & Kagee, 2006:24).
EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
The Importance of Educational Infrastructure Facilities
This form of influence therefore defines educational infrastructure as all the facilities required for effective teaching and learning, such as classrooms, outdoor learning and play areas, furniture, water and sanitation, administration buildings, storage, cooking and boarding facilities (Bonner, 1996:A1 ) -A8). Adequate facilities such as classrooms, halls, libraries, laboratories and playing fields are good examples of developed educational infrastructure. Other areas of learning, such as art and culture and life orientation, need a hall where learning and teaching can take place effectively.
Therefore, availability of resources, funds, training, teachers and a positive school climate are equally important to promote learning and improve the state of educational infrastructure in Limpopo Province.
Educational Infrastructure in Limpopo Province
In February 2013, the President of the Republic of South Africa stated that 98 new schools would be built by the end of March 2013 and that more than 40 of them would be in Limpopo and would replace mud schools. This contradicts the words of the President in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2009, where he mentioned that the government will "have to act prudently - no waste, no waste of funds - [and] [that ] every cent should be spent wisely and fruitfully”. The adoption of the Regulation on Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure is an important step in mitigating the infrastructure crisis, but the challenge now is to implement these norms within the set time limits.
A dilapidated public school infrastructure is not desirable for any country, regardless of the extent of poverty or the prosperity of the economy.
INADEQUATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL MAINTENANCE
BASIC SERVICE DELIVERY
Service Delivery in Rural Areas
He further notes that the lack of services deprives rural communities of services that are their basic human right and which can be crucial in reducing the poverty and destitution of these people. Hemson (2004) mentions some institutional challenges that contribute to service delivery under municipal leadership and that result from a lack of technical expertise. To address these institutional challenges, a policy framework for infrastructure delivery was developed.
Batho Pele Principles
Although it is an arguable point that not everyone has benefited significantly from the higher standard of living, the extensive provision of health and education facilities as well as access to water tends to confound this. The White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery (Batho Pele e 1997) puts more emphasis on the fact that national and provincial departments should make service delivery a priority. Improving the provision of public services means correcting past inequalities and includes those who were previously disadvantaged, such as women and the disabled (Van der Waldt, 2004:87).
Financial Support from the Department of Basic Education
In South Africa, schools receive funding from the provincial government and are allowed to supplement the funding with school fees from parents. Under the South African Schools Act [SASA] (RSA 1996), the State funds public schools from public revenue on an equitable basis to ensure the proper exercise of students' right to education and the redress of past inequalities in education.
CONCLUSION
Having reviewed the literature, there is still a need for research into whether the delivery of education infrastructure in Limpopo Province could improve. The next chapter discusses the regulatory frameworks in an attempt to understand the characteristics of the regulatory framework within which the research is conducted.
INTRODUCTION
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
- The South African Schools Act (SASA, 1996)
- Infrastructure Development Act 23 of 2014
- The White Paper on Education and Training of 1995
- Guidelines Relating To Planning For Public Schools Infrastructure
- The South African Human Rights Commission (Education Rights Charter Part 1)
- National Policy for an Equitable Provision of Enabling School Physical Teaching and Learning Environment (2010)
The Minister in the Ministry of Basic Education, Ms Angie Motshekga, issued a call for comments on the proposed National Policy for the Equitable Provision of an Enabling School Physical Teaching and Learning Environment (Republic of South Africa, 2008). To address these issues, the Ministry of Basic Education published the National Policy for Equivalent Provision for a Stimulating School-Physical Teaching and Learning Environment (Government Gazette, 2010:177). Data collected by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in 2011 shows that there were more than 400 unsafe mud structures; and of the 24,793 regular public schools;
The National Department of Basic Education is keenly aware of the backlog in the delivery of basic services in schools and announced an Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) in its strategic plan.
CONCLUSION
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
- INTRODUCTION
- Quantitative Research Method
- Qualitative Research Method
- SAMPLING
- DIFFERENT SAMPLING METHODS
- Simple Random Sampling
- Purposive Sampling
- CHOICE OF RESEARCH METHODS FOR THE STUDY
- DATA COLLECTION METHOD
- Semi-structured questionnaire
- CONCLUSION
- INTRODUCTION
- FINDINGS FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE
- Participants’ definition of the infrastructure condition of the schools Participants were asked to define the condition of infrastructure in their schools
- Reasons why the infrastructure is in the conditions that they are in currently
- The number of classrooms per grade
- What is the type of contribution provided by different stakeholders in ensuring the delivery of educational infrastructure in your schools?
- How effective are the interventions that supports educational infrastructure?
- FINDINGS FROM THE ANALYSIS
- School Buildings
- Toilets
- Libraries and Computer Laboratories
- CONCLUSION
- INTRODUCTION
- RECOMMENDATIONS
- CONCLUSION
Consequently, the survey was conducted in Seshego Circle, Polokwane (Limpopo Province). The researcher then distributed the questionnaire to eighteen schools that were reachable. Agumba, 2006) says that when one chooses a well-chosen few and then observes them insightfully, they will tell you much more than all the multitudes put together. Sixteen (16) questions are intended to obtain the experience of principals regarding the provision of educational infrastructure in their area. The findings of the study show that the provision of educational infrastructure by the Department of Basic Education to the rural and urban schools of Seshego District is still a challenge.
Almost all respondents repeated that the intervention from the Department of Basic Education is not effective. In the Seshego circuit, there are many schools that do not have an administration block; meanwhile, it is an important resource that facilitates the administration of the school, which is necessary for good planning as a basis for effective schooling (Msibi, 1993:81). The school's needs assessment claims that in some of the schools there is a serious shortage of classrooms and other resources such as desks for students. It is clear from the findings of the survey that the schools under the Seshego circuit are experiencing problems in terms of educational infrastructure.
Improving school quality in South Africa: a study of schools that have been successful against all odds, Journal of Education. Infrastructure Report Card (IRC) for South Africa, November 2006. Children's Institute, University of Cape Town); Stein, N. Teachers' Prescriptions on the Benefits of Teacher Development Programs in a Province of South Africa.
How to Succeed at Masters and PhD: A South African Guide and Resource Book.
APPENDIX A
SEMI STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE
Please answer the following questions by writing in the space provided or by crossing (x) in the relevant block
SECTION A: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Gender
MALE FEMALE
What is your position of employment?
Working experience in the Department of Basic Education?
What category is your school?
Where is the school located?
What is the type of your school?
SECTION B: THE CONDITION OF THE SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE
- How would you define the infrastructure condition of the school?
- Why do you think your school is in the condition you defined above?
- How many classrooms per grade do the school consists of?
- What is the number of pupils per grade?
- What is the type of contribution provided by different stakeholders in ensuring the delivery of educational infrastructure
- Where do the schools in the Circuit source most of the funds to improve the school infrastructure?
What is the type of contribution made by different stakeholders to ensure the delivery of educational infrastructure stakeholders to ensure the delivery of educational infrastructure in your schools.
SECTION C: LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE (14– 16)
How effective are the interventions that supports educational infrastructure?
How effective is the Infrastructure needs database?
What benefits do you derive from the National Education Infrastructure Management System?
