THE ORIGINS AND MEANINGS OF DISTRICTS IN SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION DISCOURSE

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Organisational forms of decentralisation

The decentralisation literature is replete with categories used to describe the various ways in which decentralisation is manifested organisationally. The most common labels used by authors include the notions of devolution, delegation and deconcentration. However, the most comprehensive description of organisational forms of decentralisation emerges from Rondinelli et al. (1989:72), who conclude that there are five major organisational forms of decentralisation – privatisation, deregulation, devolution, delegation and deconcentration.
According to Rondinelli et al. (1989:72), privatisation and deregulation represent organisational forms of decentralisation that permit governments to divest themselves of responsibilities for functions either by transferring them to voluntary organisations or by allowing them to be performed by private businesses.
Devolution, on the other hand, reflects decentralisation within government structures, and according to most authors (Lauglo& McLean, 1985; Chau, 1985; Mangelsdorf, 1988; Naidoo, 2002) represents the most extreme form of decentralisation within government. Devolution generally implies a shift in programmatic responsibility from the central to local government, and requires that local government be given autonomy and independence, and be clearly perceived as a separate level over which central authorities exercise little or no direct control (Rondinelli et al. 1989:74). Through devolution, central government creates units of government that are outside of its control, and have the status and power to secure resources to perform their functions. In devolution, permanent authority is transferred over financial, administrative or pedagogical matters, and cannot be revoked at the whim of central officials (Fiske, 1996:10). Mwafrica (1999:2) adds that devolution refers to a form of political decentralisation where a local government has an established local assembly with members that are usually elected.

CHAPTER 1  BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY.
1.1 Purpose of the study
1.2 Rationale for the study.
1.3 The contested meaning of districts
1.4 Why districts?
1.5 Research design .
1.6 Research methodology
1.7 Limitations of the study
1.8 Ethical considerations
1.9 Conceptual framework
1.10 Overview of thesis
CHAPTER 2  LITERATURE REVIEW: VIEWING DISTRICTS THROUGH MULTIPLE PORTHOLES
2.1 Introduction.
2.2 Viewing districts through the window of decentralisation
2.3 Comparing district-level functions with those at other levels of the system .
2.4 The role of districts
2.5 Identifying challenges facing districts.
2.6 Searching for a district identity
2.7 Conclusion .
CHAPTER 3  THE ORIGINS AND MEANINGS OF DISTRICTS IN SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION DISCOURSE: A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
3.1 Introduction.
3.2 A portrait of the past
3.3 Preparing for the future: post-1990.
3.4 The future arrives.
3.5 Tracing the origins of the term ‘districts’ .
3.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER 4 HOW PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS ASSIGN MEANING TO DISTRICTS.
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Implications of the South African Constitution for local education
4.3 Districts on the agenda .
4.4 The quest for a national policy on districts – abandoned?
4.5 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5  EXPLORING PILLARS OF PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY.
5.1 Introduction.
5.2 Exploring the physical space of Tshwane South District
5.3 In the beginning
5.4 Restructuring the GDE
5.5 The district and its staff
5.6 Capacity building of principals and teachers .
5.7 The district budget
5.9 District accountability .
5.10 The legal status of districts.
5.11 District-level governance.
5.12 Summary of findings.
5.13 Conclusion
CHAPTER 6 . EXPLORING DISTRICT PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES: WHAT DISTRICTS ACTUALLY DO
6.1 Introduction.
6.2 School-district interactive spaces.
6.3 IDS activity – a view from the district office.
6.4 CDS activity – a view from the district office.
6.5 ESS activity – a view from the district office
6.6 Activities of the examinations unit – a view from the district office.
6.7 Activities of the Human Resources Unit
6.8 Conclusion .
CHAPTER 7 . HOW STAKEHOLDERS ASSIGN MEANINGS TO DISTRICTS.
CHAPTER 8 . THE MEANINGS OF DISTRICTS IN SOUTH AFRICA: IMPLICATIONS FOR THEORY, RESEARCH AND PRACTICE.