Teacher diversity in the doldrums: A call for transformative staffing in former Model C schools

Abstract

This qualitative paper employed the theory of representative bureaucracy (TRB) to contextualize the effects of subverting racial transformation in South Africa’s Former Model C schools. It covered a sample of seven principals and three district officials (altogether ten research participants) from three education districts in the Eastern Cape Province. The paper employed a case study design, utilizing semi-structured interviews and document analysis as data collection instruments. Thematic analysis of the findings indicated that the sampled schools did not commit to a solid recruitment diversity plan. This lack of commitment was due to the district officials overseeing school operations not holding principals accountable for failing to guide their respective School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in complying with applicable labor laws during teacher recruitment and selection processes. The findings further showed that Black parents’ inadequate participation in SGBs weakened their power to veto unjust teacher recruitment practices. Also, the Language of Teaching and Learning policy was found to be a convenient safety net to insulate the institutionalization of White racial hegemony and the longstanding institutional ethos of the studied schools. In view of these findings, the paper aimed to level the playing field by tabling context-specific suggestions to diminish the legacy of apartheid in Former Model C schools’ staffing processes and demonstrate the importance of embracing racial diversity in public service organizations.