Community Relations as Management Function of Principals of Secondary Schools in Ciskei

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the functions and responsibilities of a secondary school principal with respect to community relations. The relevant literature regarding principal-community relations has been reviewed. The questionnaire and interview methods as well as observations and discussions were employed in this research. A pilot study was used in preparation for the questionnaire and interview items for the research project. Systematic sampling technique was utilized to select the samples of the respective populations for the questionnaires and the interviews. The questionnaires were administered to 25 principals of 25 secondary schools selected. The interviews, too, were administered to school committee members, pupils, teachers and nonteaching personnel of the 25 schools selected. All the nine (9) assistant directors (AD’s) and the AD in charge of the management division of Ciskei Department of Education and Culture, too, were interviewed to enable the author to tap their wealth of knowledge and experience. To achieve optimum returns, the researcher, inter alia, made use of assistants to administer the questionnaires and the interviews. The study has revealed, inter alia, that the school and the community are interdependent, partners in and co-responsible for the chi1dren’s education; that the principal is the main link between his school and the community; that his inspired leadership is a prerequisite for healthy school - community relations; and that he has to carry his internal publics - the school committee, pupils, teachers and non-teaching staff - along with him if he is to competently perform his community relations role. Some of the major recommendations are: firstly, the school’s climate should be characterized by mutual confidence, trust, respect and recognition; secondly, the school committee (the governing body) should be enlarged to include representatives of staff and pupils; thirdly, non-statutory bodies, like parent teacher student association (PTSAS), citizen advisory committees and alumni associations should be established, as necessary; fourthly, schools must have community relations policies and programmes; and lastly, principals must know the socio-economic and geo-political characteristics of their communities through surveys and other formal and informal contacts with parents and other community members.