School Governing Bodies - Education Rights Project

School Governing Bodies
A voting member of a school governing body must chair all
committees of the SGB – co-opted members of the school
governing body may not chair committees established by the
school governing body.
Who can be a chairperson of a school governing body?
The South African Schools Act states that only a parent who is not
employed at the school can be a chairperson of a school
governing body. The other members (educators, the principal,
non-teaching staff, co-opted members and learners) of the school
governing body are not allowed to hold the position of a
chairperson of a school governing body.
How long can SGB members serve?
Representatives of parents, educators and non-teaching staff of
the school may serve on the SGB for a period of not more than
three years. After their three-year term is complete, they can stand
for re-election or they can accept to be co-opted. Unlike the
other three categories of membership to the SGB, learner
representatives can only serve on the SGB for a period of one year.
As with the other members of the SGB, learner representatives are
allowed by the law to stand for re-election after their one-year
term is finished. There is no limit on the number of times that a
person can serve on the school governing body, either as an
elected member or a co-opted member.
How long can SGB office bearers serve?
All the office bearers of the SGB (Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer
and any additional office bearers) cannot serve for a period of
more than one year without re-election. The law allows them to
seek re-election after one year if they wish to continue as office
bearers of the school governing body. The South African Schools
Act does not put a limit on the number of times that a person can
serve as an office bearer of a school governing body.
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