Resistance to School Mergers by Traditional Leaders, Principals and Parents

Abstract This article reports on a study that was prompted by the resistance to school mergers by local communities in the rural region of Limpopo, South Africa. Traditional leaders, who are prominent people in rural communities, were at the forefront of protests against school mergers. Thus, it was necessary to investigate the tensions experienced by the community during the school merger process to determine the causes of the resistance. The study was conducted within a qualitative research approach using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews as the method of data collection. Six participants formed the sample comprising two traditional leaders, two principals and two parents. A significant finding was that resistance to school mergers stemmed from the cultural beliefs of the community who view schools as symbols of heritage. Another finding that emerged from the study was that a merger is precipitated by poor consultation between the Department of Education (DoE) and the community. A constraining factor in the school merger process is the provision of reliable transport for learners to travel to schools in neighbouring villages. Therefore, it is recommended that the DoE engages in discussions with stakeholders well before the merger process starts. Effective dialogue is required to discuss the community's concerns and find appropriate solutions.