SGB Functional ity Tool

1. The South African School’s Act 84 of 1996 (SASA) as amended stipulates that the governance of a school is
vested in its School Governing Body (SGB). Some of the key statutory obligations of the SGB are summarized
as follows:
a. Determining the following policies-
• Admission policy of the school
• Language policy of the school
• Religious policy of the school
b. Adopt a learner code of conduct as well as dealing with cases of learner misconduct.
c. Maintain school buildings
d. Deal with all money issues at the school
e. Approve purchase of resources at the school
f. Support the principal in his or her work
g. Ensure that all children of school going age have access to schooling
h. Develop and implement a school strategic plan

2. The above policies and responsibilities provide a comprehensive framework for intervention. The key challenge is
to ensure the coherence, alignment and implementation of the various provisions embodied within these policies
and responsibilities.

3. The SGB support tool has been designed to provide guidance to School Governing Bodies in fulfilling their roles
and responsibilities in terms of SASA with regard to supporting teaching and learning in schools. The tool focuses
on the following key areas:

a. Policies legislated by the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996

b. Policies implied by the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996
c. Meetings of the SGB and its committees
d. Maintenance and procurement of school assets
e. Financial planning and management
f. Training and information sharing
g. Planning

4. You can use this tool for rating the following:

• Availability and implementation of policies regarding school governance;
• The frequency of legislated meetings held by the school governing body;
• How the SGB has planned to manage the school assets;
• How the SGB manages the school’s finances; and
• How the SGB is involved in some curriculum matters of the school.

5. For each statement the rating of the SGB functionality is between the scores 0 to 3. The rating should be done as
per attached descriptor table. The School Principal should administer the first rating and then followed by the
rating of the Circuit Manager based on the evidence provided by the school. The Department of Basic
Education/the province will select a sample of schools from those rated for verification purposes.

6. The official completing the tool is required to populate all sections from 1 to 3 in order to get a comprehensive view
of the SGB functionality.
SGB Functionality Tool:2017/2018
Name of School: _____________________ EMIS: ___________ District: ______________ Province:_______________________
Fee Paying: YES/No Quintile Number_____ Type of School: Urban Rural Township Farm School

KEY AREA Rating by the Principal Rating by the Education Official

Comments Comments
A. Policies and Documents 3 2 1 0 3 2 1 0
legislated by SASA

SGB Constitution

Admission Policy

Language Policy

Religious Observance
Policy
Learner Code of Conduct

Policies and Documents

implied by SASA

Finance Policy

Procurement Policy including

Supply Chain Management
Buildings, grounds and
maintenance Policy

HIV and Aids Policy

Health and Safety Policy

Recruitment and selection

policy for posts

Subtotal (33)
B. Meetings Rating by the Principal Rating by the Education Official
Comments 1 Comments
3 2 1 0 3 2 1 0
Executive Committee

SGB Quarterly meetings

Annual General Meeting

Parents, learners and other

staff meetings
Finance Committee

Disciplinary Committee for

Learners
Sub Total (18)

C. Assets Rating by the Principal Rating by the Education Official

Comments
Comments
3 2 1 0 3 2 1 0
Maintenance Plan

Procurement Plan

Asset Register

Sub Total (9)

D. Financial Management Rating by the Principal Rating by the Education Official
Comments
Comments
3 2 1 0 3 2 1 0
Approved Annual Budget

Audited Financial Statements

Spend allocated provincial
funds on LTSM accordingly
Spend allocated provincial
funds on Maintenance
accordingly
Spend allocated provincial
funds on Municipal Service
accordingly
Cheque book/EFT payment

Payment of Requisition
Forms
Receipt books - branded

Invoices and Claim Forms

Petty Cash Monthly

Reconciliation
Monthly Cash Book:
Statements of Receipts and
Payments
Approved signatories
to the bank account
Record of Exemption of
school fees
Sub Total (39)
Curriculum Support

Has the SGB been involved in the planning of the following?

E. Curriculum matters requiring Ratings by the Principal Rating by the education Official
SGB support Comments Comments
3 2 1 0 3 2 1 0
Drafting of Annual Academic Report

Strategy to improve overall

learner performance

Strategy to improve learner

performance in key subjects

Setting of realistic targets

Procurement of relevant textbooks

per learner and per grade

Procurement of furniture

Utilization of resources in the school

Systems by parents to play an over

site supporting role to effective
learning

Reporting systems to hold staff and

SGB accountable

Management plan for the school

to provide progress report on
learner performance to parents

Attracting good teachers

Sub Total (33)

Section 2
TOTAL SCORE(135): __________/135 (add the total scores in the columns above)

Name of the School: Rating by the Principal Rating by the

Education Official
Place x Place x

5 - 106-132..…+ 80% Works very well

4 - 80-105………80% Works
3 - 53-79…………60% Almost works
2 - 27-52…………40% Does not work
1 - 0-26….……….20% Needs
Intervention

Section 3
OVERVIEW OF AREAS: School Governing Body Functionality

Principal’s Principal’s Education Education

Score Percentage official’s official’s
Area rated Score Percentage

A. Policies /33 % /33 %

B. Meetings /18 % /18 %
C. School assets; /9 % /9 %
D. School’s /39 % /39 %
finances
E. Curriculum /33 % /33 %
matters
Total /132 % /132 %

Remarks
1. NAME OF SCHOOL

2. SCHOOL TELEPHONE

3. NAME OF PRINCIPAL

SIGNATURE:

Telephone/Cell no

DATE:

4. NAME OF SGB CHAIR

SIGNATURE:

Telephone/Cell no

DATE:

5. NAME OF EDUCATION
OFFICIAL

SIGNATURE:

Telephone/Cell no

DATE:

School Stamps
SGB Functionality Tool Descriptors:

1. Please use the descriptors provided below to help complete the functionality tool.
2. What the indicators mean

Rating What the rating means

0 Mean the SGB does not have a policy, process or plan in place
1 Means the SGB has developed the policy, process or plan
through consultation
2 Means that the policy, process or plan has been approved by the
SGB/relevant official
3 Means the policy, processes or plan is being fully implemented

3. The aim of the descriptors is to assist in populating the SGB Functionality Tool.
SGB Functionality Tool: Standards

KEY AREA Ratings Descriptors

A. Policies and
Documents 3 2 1 0
legislated by SASA

SGB Constitution Constitution has been Constitution has been

Develop a constitution
approved by the District approved by the SGB Have no constitution
through consultation
and implemented and signed

Admission Policy Admissions Policy has Admissions policy has Develop an admissions
been approved by the been approved by the policy through No Admissions policy
District and implemented SGB and signed consultation

Language Policy The language policy has Developed a language

been approved by the Approved by the district policy through No language policy
SGB and implemented consultation

Religious Observation Implemented by the Developed a religious

No religious observance
school and approved by Approved by the district observance policy
Policy the SGB through consultation
policy

Learner Code of Conduct Implemented by the Learner code of conduct

No learner code of
school and approved by Approved by the district has been developed
conduct
the SGB through consultation

Policies and Documents implied by

SASA
The Finance policy has
Finance Policy been approved by the
Finance policy has been
Approved by the district developed by the No finance policy
SGB and Implemented
finance committee
by the school and

The Procurement policy

Procurement Policy has been approved by Procurement policy has
including Supply Chain the SGB and Approved by the district been developed by the No Procurement Policy
Management Implemented by the
school and
finance committee

Buildings, grounds and Implemented by the

Maintenance policy has
school and approved by Approved by the district No maintenance policy
maintenance policy the SGB
been developed

HIV and Aids Policy Implemented by the

HIV and aids policy has
school and approved by Approved by the district No HIV and aids policy
been developed
the SGB

Health and Safety Policy Implemented by the

school and approved by Approved by the district Health and Safety Policy No Health and Safety
the SGB has been developed Policy

Recruitment and Implemented by the

Approved by the SGB Recruitment and No Recruitment and
selection policy for SGB school SGB selection policy for SGB selection policy for SGB
posts been developed posts
posts
B. Meetings Ratings Descriptors
3 2 1 0
SGB executive meets at SGB executive meets at SGB executive meets
Executive Committee least once a week with least once a month with from time to time with the
No meetings

the Principal the Principal Principal

SGB meets once a term,
SGB Quarterly meetings keeps minutes, actions
SGB meets once a term SGB meets from time to
No meetings
keeps minutes time
plans and resolutions and
register
Reports are discussed Reports handed out to Information meetings per
Parents, learners and with parents at the end of parents quarterly grade once a year.
No meetings

other staff each term

Have an AGM, minutes Have an AGM, minutes
Annual General Meeting taken, finances, and taken
Have an AGM No AGM

reports, motions tabled

Systems in place, policy
Finances operational and reports
Meets twice a term and
Meets twice a term No Finance meetings
have developed a policy
and resolutions to the
SGB.
Policy in place, with Policy in place with Have a disciplinary policy No disciplinary system in
Disciplinary systems operational, hold appropriate systems in place the school
hearings

C. Assets Ratings Descriptors

3 2 1 0
Maintenance plan has Maintenance plan has Maintenance plan has
Maintenance Plan been implemented been reflected in the been developed
No maintenance plan

budget
Procurement of stock is Procurement policy has Procurement policy has
Procurement Plan signed by relevant parties been implemented been developed
No procurement plan

After annual stock take Annual stock take is

Asset Register assess register is taken
Has an asset register No asset register

updated

D. Financial Management Ratings Descriptors

3 2 1 0
Annual budget is The budget and financial Annual budget developed
Approved Annual Budget No annual budget
implemented includes report is approved at the by finance committee
NSNP funding AGM and report
Audited financial The SGB approves Financial statements are Financial statements are
Audited Financial Statements
statements are sent to findings and audited audited not audited
district by 30 June report
Spend the full budgeted Not spent the budgeted Have a budget but not Not spent the allocated
Spend allocated provincial
allocated amount allocated amount in full spent the allocated amount or spent it on
funds on LTSM accordingly amount as stipulated other items
Spend allocated provincial Spend the full budgeted Not spent the budgeted
Have a budget but not Not spent the allocated
funds on Maintenance allocated amount allocated amount in full
spent the allocated
amount as stipulated
amount or spent it on
other items
accordingly
Spend allocated provincial Have a budget but not Not spent the allocated
Spend the full budgeted Not spent the budgeted
funds on Municipal Service allocated amount allocated amount in full
spent the allocated amount or spent it on
amount as stipulated other items
accordingly
Cheque book/EFT payment Payment can also made if Payment must be only
Three signatories and two
requisition form made if the item is
must sign or approve the No signatories or approval
accompany payment and budgeted for with correct
payment
is approved by the SGB processes followed

Requisition are filed per Requisition forms are Requisition forms are
Payment of Requisition Forms No Requisition forms
date of transaction signed and checked by made for each transaction
SGB/Principal
Receipts are filed per date Receipts are reconciled Receipts made for each
Receipt books - branded No receipts
of transaction with money received payment or when money
is received
Financial Management Ratings Descriptors
(Continued)
3 2 1 0
Payment is made if Invoice is signed by Invoices received are
Invoices and Claim Forms No invoices kept
invoice are reconciled to SGB/Principal and checked with order and
orders goods received checked against budget procurement policy
Petty cash is reconciled Petty cash payments are Petty cash policy is No petty cask journal
Petty Cash Monthly
against the budget reconciled, signed for developed
Reconciliation monthly
Monthly Cash Book: Reconciled statement are Monthly reconciliation
Income and expenses are Follow up on any errors
Statements of Receipts and checked monthly and statements are not
allocated to budget found
signed checked monthly
Payments
Signatories sign if a Signatories sign or Must be three official
Approved signatories No signatory
motion from the SGB is approve if item is signatories
to the bank account approved budgeted for.
Qualifying parents are Proper working process Policy for exemption in
Record of Exemption of school No fee paying school
granted exemption by the for exemptions line with provincial policy
fees SGB

Curriculum Support
Has the SGB been involved in the planning of the following?

E. Curriculum matters Ratings Descriptors

requiring SGB
3 2 1 0
Handed to the district for Academic report
Drafting of Annual Academic Accepted by the SGB No academic report
their approval completed
Report
Teachers are held Strategy developed by
Strategy for learner No Strategy to improve
Strategy to improve overall accountable for reaching input from the Teachers
performance produced learner performance
their targets and SMT
learner performance
Teachers are held An improvement strategy No Strategy for learner
Strategy to improve learner Consultation with
accountable for reaching is developed in key performance in key
teachers and parents
performance in key subjects their targets subjects subjects

Teachers are held Consultation for the

Targets are set each
accountable for reaching setting of targets with No targets setting
Setting of realistic targets subject
their targets stakeholders

Procurement of relevant Textbooks have been A procurement plan with A procurement plan is
No such plan
purchased timeously a budget developed
textbooks per learner and per
Furniture has been A procurement plan with A procurement plan for
No such plan
Procurement of furniture purchased timeously a budget furniture

Each year stock is

Resources are distributed Recourses that are Resources are in the
Utilization of resources in the counted and resources
to teachers for use bought are catalogued store unpacked
school are monitored

Systems by parents to play an oQuarterly meeting held to Parents sign and Parents sign homework No systems to establish
inform and support comment on test and
dairies learning communities
site supporting role to effective parents workbooks
learning
The staff are held Strategic plan is The vision, missions The vision, missions
Reporting systems to hold staff aaccountable for the developed after statements are made statements are not made
implementation of the consultation with staff known to staff known to staff
SGB accountable strategic plan

Management plan for the

school to provide progress Parents discuss the Parents review the report Report issued to parents No learner reports
report with teachers and sign for the report. per quarter produced
report on learner
performance to parents

School actively seeks to Partnership with School Interview policy No policy or process in
Attracting good teachers attract good teachers Universities and districts developed place