Question NW1788 to the Minister of Basic Education
17 October 2016 - NW1788
Brauteseth, Mr TJ to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether, in line with recommendation 7 of the report of the Ministerial Task Team to Investigate Allegations into the Selling of Posts of Educators by Members of Teacher Unions and Departmental Officials in Provincial education departments, she is taking steps to ensure that (a) principals are selected by means of panels which have the resources to evaluate the competence and suitability of the candidates for their leadership, management, academic, experiential and professional abilities, (b) panels include educators of suitable rank and experience, (c) pre-interviewing testing of candidates occurs and the results are available to the panel members, (d) the interviewing panels are convened by the district managers and (e) a departmental representative is available as a suitably prepared resources person, having, for example, full details of the schools for which the interviews are being held; if not, in each case, (i) why not and (ii) what is the position in this regard; if so, in each case, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(a) Yes, the Department is in the process of reviewing the provisions stipulated on B5 of the Performance Administrative Measures (PAM) gazetted on 12 February 2016 that outlines the process of advertising and filling of educator posts, draft Guideline Procedure for the Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Promotion of Educators in order to enhance the professional image and Competencies of School Principals has been developed.
(b) The new appointment procedures, when finalised, will determine which officials constitute part of the panels for interviews.
(c) The National Development Plan calls for a change in the appointment process to ensure that competent individuals are attracted to become school principals. As in other senior management positions, candidates should undergo a competency assessment to determine their suitability and identify the areas in which they would need development and support. No determination has been made yet as to whether the competency assessment will be performed in-house or outsourced. These measures will be designed to give effect to the provisions of the National Development Plan and to improve the recruitment of competent school managers. School deputy principals and principals will be selected from candidates who possess appropriate managerial competences. These procedures are drawn from the basis that strong and competent School Management Teams are essential in improving the public schooling system.
(d) It is imperative that public school managers be selected from those candidates who have been evaluated and certified as possessing the competencies and proficiencies deemed necessary for success in the field. For effective appointment to take place, the Department will play a more central and influential role.
(e)(i) The roles and responsibilities of resource persons are provided for in the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) Collective Agreement on the Advertising and Filling of Educator Posts (ELRC Resolution 5 of 1998. Issues related to composition of the panels, pre-interviewing testing of candidates, district resource person, etc. will be addressed in the new draft procedures which have to undergo processes of negotiations with an aim of amending the existing Collective Agreement.
(ii) In each interview the Provincial Education Department makes available resource a person, who ought to be competent in performing their duties.