LEVERAGING SCHOOL–COMMUNITY RELATIONS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE GOVERNANCE IN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS

Abstract

The establishment of democratic governance structures in South African schools was intended to promote participation, accountability, and equity in educational leadership. Despite these reforms, many historically disadvantaged schools continue to experience governance challenges characterized by limited stakeholder participation, unequal power relations, and inadequate governance capacity. This study explored how school–community relationships can be leveraged to promote transformative governance in historically disadvantaged schools in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Guided by John Rawls’ Social Justice Theory and Community Participation Frameworks, the study adopted a qualitative research design underpinned by a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving three school principals and twenty School Governing Body (SGB) members, including parents, educators, learner representatives, and community stakeholders. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that communities possess considerable expertise in areas such as financial management, leadership, governance, and community development; however, these capabilities are often underutilised within school governance structures. The study further found that limited communication, power imbalances, inadequate stakeholder participation, and insufficient training of SGB members constrain effective governance. The findings suggest that transformative governance can be strengthened through structured community engagement, capacity building, participatory decision-making, and deliberate recognition of community expertise. The study concludes that sustainable school improvement requires governance approaches that move beyond compliance and actively promote inclusion, collaboration, equity, and social justice. The study recommends strengthening school–community partnerships, institutionalising stakeholder participation mechanisms, and investing in the continuous professional development of School Governing Body members.