Van Dewenter, Hesna (2016-03)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The migratory patterns of people to other countries – in search of a better life – is a global phenomenon. On a continent beset by civil and ethnic conflict, poverty, and unemployment, the newly democratic South Africa has become a much desired home. As such, South Africa has not only become a haven for those in search of a better life, but also the educational hope for thousands of immigrant children. True to its democracy, the South African constitution ensures the right to basic education for all children, including immigrants. However, whether these immigrant learners are in fact acknowledged, accommodated and integrated in South African schools, is another question.
In focusing on principals at five Western Cape schools, my research seeks to ascertain whether the leadership and management of a school play a role in the integration of immigrant learners. I specifically seek to understand whether there are any management structures and strategies in place in order to accommodate immigrant learners; and whether principals are prepared to act as agents of change in meeting the needs of immigrant learners, and also how educational policies address and support the needs of immigrant learners. The research was conducted at five schools: three former Model C schools, and two previously disadvantaged schools. Each of these schools has witnessed a significant growth in the number of immigrant learners.
The findings show that the cosmopolitan rights and the diversity of immigrant learners are not always respected by principals. Principals as school managers continue to act as gatekeepers in terms of which type of learner enters their schools. Immigrant learners struggle to become integrated as learners in the schools, in which they constitute a very small minority. Current education policies fail to take into account the challenges encountered by immigrant learners, and, as such, do little to address their needs.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Immigrasie van bevolkingsgroepe na verskillende lande is ’n wêreldwye verskynsel. Verskeie redes word aangevoer vir die mensdom se soeke na ’n nuwe tuiste. Met die viering van demokrasie, wat ‘n verwelkomende hand teenoor vreemdelinge uitgesteek het, tesame met maklik toeganklike grense, het Suid-Afrika ook ’n tuiste vir duisende immigrante geword. Immigranteleerders vergesel hulle ouers of familielede. Die reg tot gelyke onderrig vir al ons leerders sluit ook immigranteleerders in wat noodgedwonge in ’n skool geïntegreer moet word.
Leierskap en bestuur verrig ’n waardevolle funksie in ons skole. Met my ondersoek poog ek om uit te vind of skoolhoofde ’n fasiliterende rol in die integrasieproses van immigranteleerders speel, al dan nie, en indien wel, of dit gesetel is in die gesindheid of bestuurstyl van die hoof gesetel is? Respekteer hoofde die demokratiese beginsels van Suid-Afrika, waar gelyke regte, morele regverdigheid, diversiteit asook inklusiewe onderrig aan die orde van die dag is? Wat is skoolhoofde se beleefde ervaring van die immigranteleerder? Ek wou ook navors of ons nasionale beleide, as rigtingaanwysers, skoolhoofde sowel as immigranteleerders in die integrasieproses ondersteun, al dan nie.
Die vyf skole wat by my studie betrek is, verteenwoordig drie voormalige model C-skole en twee skole uit swak sosio-ekonomiese gebiede. Skole met verskillende demografieë en uit verskillende sosio-ekonomiese gebiede is dus ingesluit as verteenwoordigend van die huidige onderwyssituasie in Suid-Afrika. Immigranteleerders word in ’n mindere of meerdere mate in al die skole verteenwoordig.
Die doel van my studie was om nie alleen my leser bewus te maak van ons kwesbare immigranteleerders of die belangrike rol van die skoolhoof as pasaangeër nie, maar om my leser te inspireer om hom/haarself in die skoene van ons kosbare immigranteleerders te plaas en hulle sodoende daadwerklik te help om ’n regmatige sitplek in ons klaskamers te verdien. My navorsingstudie het bewys dat die kosmopolitiese regte, asook die diversiteit, van die immigranteleerders nie deur alle hoofde gerespekteer word nie. Skoolhoofde besit steeds grootliks die mag om te besluit wie in hul skole toegelaat word, en omdat die uitdagings van die immigranteleerder hulle verblind, verrig nasionale beleide daarby geen ondersteuningsrol nie.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/98802