Managing the environment : a case study of a Natal co-educational white high school and its response to changing environmental conditions.

Abstract

In the post de Lange period education was faced by uncertainty and change. There was a call for a greater contribution to education by the private sector and parent communities . This case study examines the response of a co-educational white high school, High School 139, to its environment. Different environmental types are discussed and the concept of turbulence introduced. The macro and meso environments of High School 139 are described with attention paid to the legal, political, economic, cultural, educational, sociological and technological factors which influence school management in times of uncertainty and change. Socio-political issues are addressed as well as problems relating to customers, suppliers and competition within the school. The case study explains how government funding at High School 139 was not adequate for the cost of education if standards were to be maintained and how the school management explored alternative approaches in order to meet these financial needs. The school introduced a ' Foundation Trust Fund ' and the way this was done, together with the impact on internal structures, is described. The academic and secretarial staff are one of any school's most valuable resources. Consequent the researcher sought the opinion of the staff on how the introduction of a Foundation Trust had affected their involvement at High School 139. This was done by means of a questionnaire and the results of this survey are presented in detail. The researcher concludes that turbulent environmental conditions are not likely to abate in the foreseeable future. Improvement in educational activity does not necessarily depend on mere money and more teachers being available, but on the articulation of practical and moral decisions.