The effects of the no fees schools policy (NFSP) on primary schools enrolment: the case of the Metro South Education District, Western Cape
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Date
2015
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
In 2006, the National Department of Basis Education (Dept of Education then) put on gazette the “No fees Schools Policy (NFSP) as a demonstration and of its commitment to improving South Africa’s primary education system and envisioning an inclusive society with reduced socio-economic discrepancy. Following itspublicationon the Government gazette, the NFSP was implemented in 2007. However, the backdrop of No Fees School Policy is the UN Millenium Development Goals. Given that South Africa is a member state, to UNand a signatory to the MDGs, it domesticated the MDGs into the South African context to address South Africa’s problems. NFSP was also implemented to correct the negative legacy of the past. This is the backdrop against which this study was formulated. The study explored the no fees school policy (NFSP) and its impact on pimary schools enrolment in the Metro South Educatiuon District of the Western Cape. The study focused on the Metro South Education District of the Western Cape , purposely selecting forty-three participants from ten primary schools consisting of principals, chairpersons of school governing bodies from the schools and children in the identified schools. Senior circuit personnel were also included in thse study.The study used one- on- one interview with principals, chairpersons of school governing bodies and senior circuit personnel while it used survey questionnaires for parents. Following the data analysis, the study determined that though the Western Cape has relatively low levels of poverty as compared to other provinces, access and enrolment to primary education has increased specifically because of the additional policy intervention of providing nutritious food at public ordinary schools in quintile1,2 and 3. It also found the following as challenges namely: the impact of crime, drugs, alcohol and violence in communities around no fee schools, and overpriced school uniforms as a posiibility to deter children from attaining primary education.In respect to the phenomenon of crime, drugs, alcohol and violence in communities around no fee schools, the study recommended that the District and WCED should consider facilitating a forum with its stakeholders namely bthe South African Police Services on crime prevention and safety of schools, learners and educators. In reference to overpriced school uniforms as a possibility to deter children from attaining primary education, the recommendation is for both the District abd the head office of the WCED to consider an urgent investigation into this concern. The purpose of investigation should be multipronged including verification of the existence of this practice, providing corrective measures that prosecute the perpetrators and safeguards parents from being coerced into this unethical practice.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Development Studies in the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2015
Keywords
no fees school policy (NFSP) --metros --Western Cape