The year 2024 is a big election year in South Africa as the country commemorates 30 years of democracy and marks the 7th general elections. It’s also a time for schools to elect new School Governing Bodies (SGB) and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister, Angie Motshekga, is calling for active participation.
The SGB elections will take place from 1 to 31 March 2024 at public schools around the country. The previous elections were in 2021, as it is law that the SGB elections should be held every three years.
Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria today, 12 February 2024, where she launched this year’s SGB elections, she highlighted that research has proven over and over that active SGBs help schools to excel across various metrics such as academic performance, learner well-being, and community engagement.
“The correlation between engaged SGBs and school success is undeniable. Schools with high SGB participation report an average 20% higher pass rate than those with lower engagement. Incidents of vandalism and truancy decrease significantly in schools with active governing bodies. These are not just numbers but compelling evidence of the power of active participation,” Motshekga explained.
The Minister also encouraged parents to avail themselves to participate, saying she is concerned that the elections will be in March and the month will be short due to the holidays that are within that period.
James Ndlebe, Director for Education Management and Governance Development at the DBE also encouraged the school community to work together to make the SGBs work. He highlighted that when there are cases of corruption at schools, it’s not only parents who are liable for those incidents, but that the SGB operates as a collective.
“There is a misperception that the SGB consists only of parents, no. There are about 17 members in a school governing body, so therefore when decisions are made, they are not made by one person,” he explained.
SGBs consist of parents, teachers at the school, school principal, learners from Grade 8 and higher and non-teaching staff members.
Ndlebe explained that elections can take place in three ways:
- When a school calls a meeting to hold elections.
- Schools can designate a full day for elections. This means the school will be open for a full day for voting, or
- Electronic elections
FEDSAS, the Federation of Governing Bodies of South Africa, also has more guidelines on its website regarding SGB elections, submitting of nominations and ways of voting electronically. Visit fedsas.org.za for more.
“My call to action today is simple yet powerful: get involved. Whether you choose to stand for election or cast your vote, your contribution holds immense significance. It will not only impact the lives of our children but also shape the future of our nation,” said Motshekga.
The Department added that it stands firmly committed to conducting these elections with unwavering integrity.