Strategies used by the School Management Team in managing learners’ late coming in a Cape Town high school

Abstract

This study explored the strategies used by the School Management Team (SMT) in managing the late coming of learners in a Cape Town school in relation to the Department of Education policy on late coming of learners. The need for this study has its origin in the current difficulties the school is experiencing in managing late coming of learners despite the existence of the Department of Education’s policy on late coming. The data was collected from 7 members of the School Management Team, 3 parents and 3 learners from the school, and was collected using semi-structured interviews. Results firstly confirmed some of the findings from the literature concerning the causes of learners’ late coming which include transport, gangsterism, parents leaving their homes very early for work and child headed homes. The SMT members, learners and parents had limited knowledge of the Education Department’s policy on late coming and, more particularly, the circular on late coming, and this was found to be the main barrier for the school in managing the late coming of learners. The SMT was inadequately capacitated in dealing with the challenges of late coming. Poor communication between the parents and the teachers was also evident in the study. Finally, the study made a number of recommendations regarding how the school could manage its challenges on late coming of learners.