In order that the head may relate to, and work effectively with, the school's governing board, it is important that he or she understands the role and powers of the board and how it may operate to the best advantage in the management of their school.

Individual study time: 4 hours

Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
• describe the constitution of the governing board
• identify the powers of the governing board
• explain the roles of the governing board
• describe the membership of the governing board
• demonstrate how relations between the school head and the governing board may be developed
• explain some of the by-laws and procedures which govern board meetings.

Fig 2 provides a summary of the operational elements which influence the ability of the boards of governors and management committees to operate through the heads and their staff in well managed schools.

Fig 2 The operational elements of school boards of governors and management committees

Comments
In most African countries, the responsibility for overseeing the management of schools is entrusted to a school board of governors or a management committee. The term board of governors is most often used with secondary schools though in some places it is called a school council. The oversight of the management of primary schools is often entrusted to a management committee. Management committees usually have fewer members than boards of governors.

In order to ensure that governing boards operate on some common principles, every board has a constitution which provides basic guidelines and the legal framework for its operation. The constitution is usually approved by the Minister for Education, and it provides the blueprint for a board's operation as a legal entity. The constitution of a board of governors usually derives its powers from an education act or similar legislation. We should note, however, that there are likely to be differences in the constitutions of public and private schools, with those of the private schools being less strictly defined.

Comments
Specifically, the constitution of a school board addresses issues which are intended to provide for its effective functioning. Your list may have included:
• powers and functions of the board
• composition of the membership of the board
• tenure of office of members
• seal of the board
• powers and duties of the school head
• appointment of staff of the school
• management of the school fund
• preparation of an annual budget.

The powers of governing boards
One of the most critical and sensitive matters concerning school boards is the extent and limits of its powers of authority. If there is too little heads may be left too much on their own; too much and the heads may become frustrated by undue interference. Understanding where these limits are, is essential for both the school head and all the members of the board.

Comments
In identifying the powers of your school board of governors or management committee, you may have noted that:
• it is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal
• it may sue and be sued in its corporate name
• it may acquire property both movable and immovable on behalf of the school
• it may develop and control the general policy of the school.

As there are powers of a school board or committee, so also are there limitations to the powers that it may exercise. The limitations may include the following:

1 The board or committee cannot dispose of school property or create a charge against any such property without the written approval of the Minister.
2 To avoid conflict of roles, a school governing board or management committee shall, in exercising its powers and policy functions, be careful not to encroach on the day-to-day management authority and responsibility of the school head.

It is also important to note that, while an individual member of a board, deriving his power from the board as a corporate body, may act in his capacity as a board member for and on behalf of the board, he cannot as a private citizen transact business on behalf of the board.

Comments
The major role of a school board of governors or management committee is to ensure the effective and accountable use of resources in the provision of public or private education. Typically, when this major role is expanded the following components may need to be included:

1 The governing board should ensure that the school is conducted to provide educational services in accordance with the provisions of the relevant educational laws and regulations that may be in existence or may come into existence from time to time.
2 It needs to develop and control the general policy of the school within the framework of the board's constitution and any by-laws and regulations relating to education.
3 Meetings of the board should be held regularly and on a schedule set by policy to discuss the dispatch of school business.
4 The governing board causes the school annual budget to be prepared, approved, and submitted to the appropriate education authority for the provision of government grants for the operation of the school in the ensuing year.
5 It ensures that all funds of the school are properly managed and accounted for by the head.
6 It causes the school to submit to the relevant education authorities such information, returns and audited accounts as may be required by such authorities from time to time.
7 The governing board may cause an annual survey of the school to be conducted to verify the physical operation of the school in relation to the financial expenditure incurred during the year.
8 It holds the head of the school responsible for the effective operation of the school and for the provision of information to the board to enable it to be current and to make informed decisions on the school.

Membership of governing boards
Since school boards have a major responsibility for providing leadership and direction in the management of schools, membership of a board must be made up of individuals of reputable standing in their respective communities. As a school head, you must know the basis and rationale for the identification and selection of members of the public who are to serve on your school board.

Comments
Membership qualifications
In seeking members for your board, you should look for people who will have something positive to contribute. Such a quality may derive from their personality, experience or contacts. You need people who can argue constructively and work with others for the good of the whole school community. One should not need to be an educationist to be appointed. In most cases, unless a person is disqualified by statute or law, any literate adult may qualify for membership of a school board provided:
• he/she is a citizen of the country and of voting age
• he/she is resident in the community or district in which the school is situated
• he/she is a member of the religious body if he/she is to represent the religious body to which a school is affiliated.

Representation
The size of a school board usually ranges from nine to 21 members, representing as many as possible of the various identifiable groups which have interests in the school. You should remember that the strength of a team may be improved by having a range of people with different qualifications and with different interests in the school. There are dangers in having boards which are too small or too large; too small and it may be seen to be an unrepresentative clique, too large and it may divide into factions so that decisive action becomes difficult. The bodies you have identified as being represented on your school board may include :
• the general public
• the traditional council of the area in which the school is situated
• the religious body to which the school may belong
• the Parent-Teacher Association
• the former Students' Association
• the Local Educational Authority
• local employers
• the staff of the school.

Disqualification
A person may be disqualified for appointment to a school board if;
• he/she has a criminal record and has not been granted a pardon
• he/she has been declared insolvent or bankrupt and has not been discharged
• he/she is adjudged to be of unsound mind or has been detained as a criminally insane person
• he/she is disqualified from holding public office by any law for the time being in force
• his/her economic or business interests are linked to those of the board or school.

Relations between the school head and the school board
As a head, you are the chief executive of your school and usually an ex-officio member of your school board. You are the link between your school and the board on the one hand, and the Ministry of Education and other educational authorities on the other. In the first capacity you are expected to advise and keep the board informed on matters relating to the management of the school. You have to provide relevant facts and figures to guide the board in its deliberations and to help it make policy decisions for the school. In the second role, you have to provide, in co-operation with your board chairperson, a channel for information to flow between the board and the appropriate educational authorities.

Comments
The head's relationship with the school board should be one of partnership based on a mutual understanding of each other's role and responsibilities. We hope that some of the actions you have identified as necessary for enabling the board to fulfil its functions include:
• arranging for board meetings in consultation with the board chairperson
• preparing the annual budget estimates for consideration and approval by the board for onward transmission to the appropriate educational authority
• preparing and presenting annual Income and Expenditure accounts to the board
• assisting with the identification of worthy candidates for recommendation to the appropriate authorities for appointment to the school board
• preparing and presenting on a regular basis, reports on all aspects of the operation of your school.

From this you will realise that as a head, your relationship with your school board is that of a facilitator, enabling the board to perform its functions. While the board depends on you and your staff for information and professional expertise on educational matters, you and your staff should look to the board for support and direction in your operations.

Some by-laws and procedures governing school board meetings
Constitutions for school boards normally set out a framework within which the business of the board is transacted. Within this framework, however, school boards have the flexibility to develop their own policies and practices to ensure the orderly and productive conduct of meetings. Although by-laws and procedures for conducting business at board meetings may vary from one board to another according to the context and types of educational system, most school boards follow accepted rules of parliamentary procedure for the conduct of business. For an introduction to some of the principles in managing meetings study Unit 7 in Module 3, Personnel Management.

Comments
Rules and procedures
The following are some of the rules and procedures for conducting school board meetings:
1 There must be a chairman who is normally elected from among board members.
2 There must be a secretary to the board who may be the deputy/assistant head of the school.
3 The frequency for meetings must be established.
4 A quorum for meetings must be established.
5 The minutes of board meetings must be taken and safely kept.
6 Board authority in the form of a common seal must be established for use on board documents.

Sub-committees
To enable the board to consider and make decisions on issues which need immediate attention before a full board can be convened, a school board appoints a Standing or Executive Committee from among its members. This committee usually consists of three to five members of the board who can be called to meetings at short notice. The committee meets in-between board meetings to deal with pressing or emergency issues which are then reported to a full board meeting for ratification.

The board may also appoint an Advisory Committee to advise it on issues which require technical and other advice, often from external sources. Thus membership of this committee may include both board members and others from outside the board.

The board may also appoint an Ad-hoc Committee as a task force or a work committee to investigate a specific issue and to report back within a specified time. Its membership may also include temporary members invited by the board.

Summary
In this unit we have considered the importance of boards of governors and management committees in school governance. The constitution which provides the legal framework under which boards operate has been reviewed in order to emphasise the powers and limitations which are conferred on boards.

The role of school boards and management committees and the appointment of members have also been considered. The relationships which should exist between the head and the school board, and some procedures for the conduct of school board business have been identified and explained.