A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF POLICY ON EDUCATOR POST PROVISIONING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWAZULU-NATAL by INBANATHAN NAICKER Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the DOCTOR OF EDUCATION (DEd) in the discipline Education Management and Leadership, School of Education and Development, Faculty of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal PROMOTER: Prof. Thengani H. Ngwenya DATE SUBMITTED: November 2005 DECLARATION I declare that this thesis titled, A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF POLICY ON EDUCATOR POST PROVISIONING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWAZULU- NATAL is my own work and that all the sources that have been used or quoted, have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ______________________ Inbanathan Naicker Reg. No.: 8116342 November 2005 ii ABSTRACT Historically, educator post provisioning in South African public schools has been a contentious issue. Informed by the apartheid ideology, the staffing of schools was skewed both quantitatively and qualitatively in favour of the white population group. In contrast, the schools catering for the black population had to contend with high learner-educator ratios and poorly qualified educators. With the coming into power of the first democratically elected government in 1994 there was growing optimism that equity, redress and social justice would prevail in all spheres of society, including education. In the education arena there were significant attempts at addressing the inequity that prevailed in terms of educator distribution. This study which is grounded in the field of policy analysis, critically analyses the policy on educator post provisioning in public schools in KwaZulu-Natal in the post apartheid era. It focuses on the ideological underpinnings of policy on educator provisioning, the evolution of policy on educator post provisioning and the impact of policy on educator post provisioning from a social justice perspective. The views of the implementers of policy on educator post provisioning, namely, the school principals are also elicited. A combination of both the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms was employed in order to gather data in this study. A survey questionnaire was administered to principals in order to elicit their views on educator provisioning. Semi-structured and unstructured interviews were also conducted with principals and teacher union officials, respectively. An extensive study was also made of documents relating to educator post provisioning. The data gathered from these data sources was analyzed using critical theory as an over-arching analytical framework. Neoliberalism, managerialism and RAMs were also used as analytical tools in this study. The conclusions arrived at indicate that we are far from attaining equity in educator distribution. The state’s preoccupation with neoliberal ‘managerialist’ reforms in the education sector is in fact exacerbating inequity in educator distribution. Principals also view the state’s policy on educator post provisioning with much negativity. iii DEDICATION For my children, Kreevin and Leasha. May this study serve as a source of inspiration to you. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS An undertaking of this magnitude is not possible without the grace of God. I am, therefore, indebted to Swami Shri Sathya Sai Baba for granting me the courage, strength, wisdom and sustenance to complete this study. I am extremely thankful to my promoter, Prof. T H Ngwenya for his competent guidance and wisdom throughout this study. His tremendous insight, illuminating critical comments and unfailing support proved invaluable. To my wife Silochana and children Kreevin and Leasha, go my sincerest thanks for their love and encouragement, and for being committed to my aspirations. They really served as a tower of strength. Their patience and endurance when I was not always available is much appreciated. I am also grateful to my parents, Kistasamy and Devanai Naicker, for instilling in me, from a very young age, the value of education. Their constant encouragement and support served as a tremendous motivation. My in-laws, Arumugam and Asothama Pillay also contributed significantly to the success of this study. My father-in-law, a retired school principal and SEM, voluntarily at times served as a research assistant, engaging in the distribution and retrieval of the questionnaires. I am also grateful to my principal, Dr Saths Govender who not only inspired me into pursuing this study but who also very unobtrusively monitored my progress with regard to this study. At times when my workload became increasingly demanding, he unfailingly provided the necessary support and encouragement. Further, his competent proof reading of this study helped to enhance the quality of the final product. v My profound gratitude is extended to my to my seminar group, Prof. R Sookraj, Dr P Ramrathan, Prof. N Bojuwoye, Dr S Reddy, Ronicka Mudaly, A K Mohamed, Meara Applesamy, Jabulani Mpungose, Mona Singh, Marge Bhagowat and Tilly Moodley for their healthy debates and constructive criticisms of my work in progress with regard to this study. Their inputs assisted me tremendously in providing new insights to this study. A special thank you is due to Mr Y I Ramcheron (Deputy Provincial Secretary – SADTU) and Mr T P Reddy (Provincial Negotiator – APEK) for so willingly making available documentation relevant to this study. To the many principals across the province who took the time to complete my questionnaire, and to the principals and union officials who made time available for the interviews go my profound thanks. Your input made this study possible. The assistance of the Spencer Foundation is much appreciated. The granting of the Spencer Fellowship to me proved to be of immense help. Their financial assistance enabled me to meet much of the costs associated with this study. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Title Page i Declaration ii Abstract iii Dedication iv Acknowledgements v List of Tables xiv List of Figures xviii Abbreviations and Acronyms xxi CHAPTER ONE : BACKGROUND AND ORIENTATION TO THIS STUDY 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Purpose of this Study 5 1.3 Critical Questions 5 1.4 Rationale for this Study 5 1.5 Significance of this Study 6 1.6 Statement of the Problem 7 1.7 Delimitation of the Study 7 1.8 Definition of Terms 8 1.8.1 Post Provisioning Model (PPM) 8 1.8.2 Post Provisioning Norm (PPN) 8 1.8.3 Learner-Educator Ratio 9 1.8.4 Public Schools 9 1.8.5 Equity 9 1.8.6 Redress 10 1.8.7 Policy 10 1.8.8 Ideology 10 1.9 Review of Literature 11 vii 1.10 Research Methodology 11 1.10.1 Overview of Research Plan 11 1.10.2 Methodology 12 1.10.3 Instrumentation and Data Collection 13 1.10.4 Sampling Procedure 13 1.11 Chapter Outline 14 1.12 Summary 16 CHAPTER TWO: THE INTRICACIES OF THE POLICY PROCESS: THE CASE OF EDUCATOR POST PROVISIONING 2.1 Introduction 17 2.2 The Macroeconomic Framework 17 2.2.1 The Essence of Gear 18 2.2.2 The RDP and the GEAR 20 2.2.3 The Gear and its Impact on Education 20 2.3 The Gear and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 22 2.3.1 The South African Budgetary Process and Budgetary Reform 22 2.3.2 The Link Between GEAR and The Medium Term Expenditure 23 Framework (MTEF) 2.4 The Financing of Public Education in South Africa 24 2.4.1 Provincial Budgets and Education Expenditure 24 2.4.2 Personnel Expenditure 26 2.4.3 Non-Personnel Expenditure 27 2.4.4 The NSSF and Personnel Expenditure 28 2.4.5 Commentary on the NSSF 29 2.5 The Policy Framework for Schools in South Africa 30 2.5.1 The South African Schools Act 31 2.5.2 The South African Schools Act and Private Funding 32 2.6 Developments with regard to Educator Provisioning 35 2.6.1 Resolution 3 of 1996 36 2.6.1.1 Determinination of Staffing Norms 36 viii 2.6.1.2 Implementing Resolution 3 of 1996 38 2.6.1.3 Termination of the Nationally Driven Rightsizing Process 40 2.6.1.4 Resolution 3 of 1996 and Rightsizing 40 2.6.2 Showdown Between Educator Unions and the State with regard to 42 Educator Provisioning 2.6.3 Personnel Costs 46 2.6.4 The Employment of Educators Act, 76 of 1998 and Educator Post 46 Provisioning 2.6.5 The Creation of Educator Posts and the New Post Distribution Model 46 2.6.5.1 The Post Provisioning Model (PPM) 47 2.6.5.2 Weighting Norms 49 2.6.6 Implementation of Resolution 6 of 1998 50 2.6.7 Educator Post Provisioning since the Implementation of Resolution 6 53 of 1998 2.6.8 The Timing of the Release of the PPN 54 2.6.9 Dissatisfaction with the PPM 55 2.6.10 The Revised PPM 56 2.6.10.1 Determination of Educator Post Establishments of a Provincial 56 Department of Education by the MEC 2.6.10.2 Features of the Revised PPM 57 2.6.10.3 Weighting Norms 58 2.6.10.4 An Assessment of the Revised PPM 60 2.6.11 Post Provisioning and Learner-Educator Ratios 62 2.6.12 Procedures for the Implementation of the Post Provisioning Norm 65 (PPN) at School Level 2.6.12.1 Objectives of the PPN Implementation 65 2.6.12.2 Main Principles 65 2.6.12.3 Implementation of the PPN 65 2.6.12.4 Identification of Educators ‘Additional/Surplus’ to the Staff 66 Establishment 2.6.12.5 Management Plans 67 ix 2.6.12.6 Commentary on PPN Implementation 67 2.6.12.7 PPN Implementation and School Organisation 67 2.6.13 The Unfolding of the 2004 PPN Debacle in KZN 69 2.7 Summary 75 CHAPTER THREE: THEORETICAL ORIENTATION 3.1 Introduction 77 3.2 Policy Analysis 77 3.2.1 Critical Policy Analysis and Critical Theory 78 3.2.1.1 Critique of Ideology 79 3.2.1.2 Critique of Instrumental Rationality 80 3.2.1.3 Enlightenment 80 3.2.1.4