EXAMINING FACTORS BEHIND INSTITUTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: A SCENARIO OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE

Abstract

This paper explores a host of factors in secondary schools that earn for an educational institution a label of being an achieving school from the perspective of teachers serving in the School Governing Body and the Representative Council of Learners. The paper was motivated by diverse discourses about learner-achievement, most of which are mainly based on the perspective of professional teachers. This paper is conceptual and empirical in nature within the qualitative research paradigm. The question guiding this paper is: what are the host of factors in secondary schools that earn for an educational institution a label of being an achieving school from the perspective of teachers serving in the School Governing Body and the Representative Council of Learners? Narrative enquiry and interviewing techniques were used to collect data. Out of the population of 15 secondary schools in one of the circuits in Vhembe district in Limpopo Province, South Africa, twelve schools were conveniently sampled. In each of the twelve sampled secondary schools, only six representatives of the teacher components in the School Governing Body and six Chairpersons of the Representative Council of Learners (RCL) became research participants. Briefly, twelve research participants were interviewed and allowed to narrate their versions of achieving secondary schools. Findings revealed that achievement of a school could be ascribed to learner self-efficacy. In addition, achievement could be ascribed to learner-teachability. Furthermore, achieving schools are capable of turning around their underachievement. Moreover, achieving schools do pull everyone in one direction. Furthermore, achieving schools are capable of self-rehabilitating when distressed. On top of that achieving schools have a proactive proclivity. Finally, achieving schools are capable of rolling back grade repetition in no time. In conclusion, achieving learners make an achieving school contrary to the view that it is an achieving school that makes great learners. It is a host of factors that are behind a secondary school being viewed and regarded to be an achieving learning institution. The researcher recommends for schools to learn the art and tactic of picking themselves up and pulling themselves together especially after underachievement.