The effects of rationalization and redeployment on the culture of teaching and learning in selected primary schools.

Abstract

The research sets out to investigate the effect of the policy of Rationalization and Redeployment on the culture of teaching and learning in three primary schools in the Pinetown District in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Rationalization and Redeployment was a policy adopted by the new government of South Africa to address the inequalities in education created by apartheid. There was an excess of educators in historically advantaged schools and a shortage of teachers in historically disadvantaged schools. The average teacher: pupil ratio in historically advantaged schools in 1991 was 1: 18 while the average teacher: pupil ratio in historically disadvantaged schools in the same year was 1: 43. Due to budgetary constraints the new government was unable to employ more educators to fill vacancies in historically disadvantaged schools. Therefore redeployment of human resources became imperative. While this may have been a simple solution for the new government, it proved to be a daunting experience for educators, which resulted in a negative influence on the culture of teaching and learning in schools. Two critical questions were posed: 1. What impact did the contents, claims, objectives, assumptions and silences of the policy of rationalization and redeployment have on the culture of teaching and learning? 2. How did the implementation of the policy of rationalization and redeployment affect the culture of teaching and learning? The two research questions were addressed by analysing the Kwa-Zulu Natal Education Departmental Circulars, from 1996 to 2004 pertaining to the rationalization and redeployment policy and by analysing questionnaires administered to educators and the school management team in three schools chosen for this study. 62 questionnaires were administered of which 56 were returned. The responses were analysed and conclusions were drawn. From the research it is quite evident that the policy of rationalization and redeployment had a negative effect on the culture of teaching and learning. It became evident that this policy was politically motivated rather than an attempt to improve the education in the country. In addition several conclusions and recommendations are presented in the concluding chapter.