parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning

[ 85 1
oftheir children. They have to follow their good conscience and custom, with due
regard to the true interest of their children. The education that takes place in
school is, therefore, not isolated from the parental home: it should be a
continuation of, and should link up with, the spirit and direction of the parental
education (Van der Westhuizen (ed.), 1995:430). The principal's authority as a
secondary educator (that is, one who is in loco parentis - a common law principle)
is also based on statutory law (Bondesio et al., 1989: 104). The fact that parents
are empowered legally to delegate certain right and duties, renders the principal
to some extent accountable to the parent and to the community (Prinsloo &
Beckmann, 1995:42-43).
The school complements, extends and formalises the life-world of the child's
home, hence of education in the family situation. The home is the primary
education situation where education is spontaneous and informal. In the small,
intimate family group values, norms, knowledge and skills are conveyed to the
child in a spontaneous, unplanned, often haphazard manner. The home situation
provides a secure place for experience and the practice of life skills which the
child must increasingly and systematically practise independently and self­
responsibly in society (Van der Westhuizen (ed.), 1995:430-431). A school is a
secondary human design which came about because parents no longer felt fully
competent to accomplish their educational task. Although the school's task is
defined as teachingor instruction, in essence it remains the education of children
(Van Schalkwyk, 1988:265). It is, however, supplementary education. The
school can never replace the home, nor can teachers or principals ever be parent
substitutes. Teachers or principals are never in loco parentis but perform their
educational task cum parente (in conjunction with parents). The school builds on
the foundation laid by the parents at home. Consequently it is of the utmost
importance that teachers/principals should know and respect the norms and values
endorsed both at home and in the community (Munnik & Swanepoel, 1990:82-83).