NASGB

Established in 1997, the National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) officially launched in 2001. It is a non-profit organization registered with the Department of Social Development and is a national association. The association is the largest representation SGB in the country.

The SASA no 84 of 96, Section 20, subsection 2 provides for SGB to join an association of their choice. The NASGB’s roots are in the broad democratic movement and it works for broad and inclusive participation in education.

Its vision and mission are derived from the education struggles of the mid-80s People’s Education movement and the commitment of People’s Education to a society free from race oppression and class exploitation.

Its members are mainly from SGB of former DET schools and HOR. It has paid-up members, however, the majority of the paid-up members have been exempted from paying subscription fees because of financial constraints in those schools.

The Association provides support to SGB and Parents on SGB throughout the country though forums and advice sessions. The advice is legal and often concerns the rights of Parents and their children. It also provides training on Human Rights not only for SGB, but also for community leaders and Learners.

The NASGB also plays a mobilizing role when SGB elections are to take place, working with the relevant departments, both provincial and national.

The Association also has a network with a cross-section of organizations that share similar interests. These include among others, Kagiso Trust, the South African Congress for Early Childhood Development, the Adult Learners Network, South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and international organzations.

NASGB

Benefits of being a NASGB member

It is for the benefits on every SGB to belong to the NASGB as it can assist with a range of development tasks, such as providing on-going governance education that the State itself is unable to, such as building bargaining skills, skills to present and mediate, access to current and relevant information and research, and a whole range of professionalized services.

Services:

• Provides legal advice,

• Provides policy information, knowledge and guidelines on SGB functioning,

• Collective bargaining,

• Represents all the components of the SGB views,

• Represents the Parents on the SGB views,

• Provides mutual support, advice and assistance,

• Trains SGB members in SGB roles, responsibilities and functions, and

• Provides a link to the district and province and opportunity to network with other schools

Duties and responsibilities of the NASGB

The NASGB serves as a voice, a single strong voice, for SGB nationally. It has the role of encouraging SGB to meet and share resources and skills, experiences and knowledge.

It can be a vehicle to exact pressure on the Education Department in cases where certain issues have to be addressed and the department is not willing to implement these things, it can present the SGB case. It also plays an important role in participating in regulation/law/ making and policy formulation.

The NASGB must ensure that SGB cooperate, therefore it assists when a SGB is not operational or there is fighting. It also ensures that levels of education are promoted through the SGB and SGB understand policy and curriculum matters, so that the school provides education