Strategic Governance

Overview

Governance broadly refers to how laws are observed and policies are formulated, implemented and managed in order to achieve goals. This can be at a government level, or at an organisational level. It is about who has the power or authority to do what, who is responsible to whom, and how accountability is maintained.  
In an education and training context, ‘governance’ refers to the structures and procedures that oversee planning, decision-making and financial management in the organisation or institution (e.g. the school, other institutions of learning, provider organisations). Examples of structures might be a Board of Directors, a College Council, a School Governing Body, or an Audit Committee. Examples of procedures might be the accounting practices prescribed for legal and effective financial management, the human resources processes prescribed for staff appointments, or planned cycles for monitoring and evaluation. Governance is therefore part of an organisation’s overall Quality Management System.

Strategic Governance is the aspect of governance that focuses on guiding management and monitoring progress towards the principled, effective and profitable achievement of the organisation's goals and priorities.

Examples of structures might be a Board of Directors, a College Council, a School Governing Body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Category: Definitions and forms of governance 

1.What is governance? click here
2. Why has governance become an issue? click here
3. What are some of the different forms of governance? click here
4. What is managerialism? click here

Category: Governance and the NQF 

5. How does governance relate to quality assurance? click here
6. How does governance relate to the NQF? click here

Category: Planning and planning terms
7. How does governance relate to strategic planning in an organisation? click here
8. What are the differences between strategic planning, and short, medium and 
    long term planning? click here
9. What do the terms vision, mission and values mean? click here
10. What is a SWOT analysis? click here
11. What other terms are commonly used in planning? click here

Useful Guidelines, Extracts, Tools, and Templates

In this section you will find summaries and other texts on aspects of strategic governance and planning. Some of these are taken or adapted from the NQF Support Link programme, while others offer examples of governance structures. Sample tools and templates which may be useful in the work of understanding governance or undertaking strategic planning are given.
A summary of changing understandings of governance click here
A summary of Corporate Governance issues click here
Terminology relating to ethics and values click here
Example: Governance structures in FET Colleges click here
Example: Governance structures at an HE institution click here
Example: governance and quality management criteria from a SETA click here
A model for strategic planning click here
The Balanced Score Card Method: example of a planning approach click here
Progressive approximation in developing strategy: example of a planning approach click here
Phases in planning ICT change: example of a planning cycle click here
Guidelines for strategic thinking click here
Example of a template for strategic planning click here
Overview of School Governing Bodies click here

Useful background information

In this section you will find longer documents, reports or articles on issues which relate broadly to governance.
McLennan, A C. 2000. Education Governance and Management in South Africa. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, pp.50-54 click here
Prof. Christopher Day. Professional Development and Reflective Pratices: Purpose, Processes and Partnerships.  University of Nottingham, England (pp. 1-5, undated) click here
Council for Higher Education, May 2002. Governance in South African Higher Education, research report click here
Council for Higher Education, May 2002. Policy Report: Promoting Good governance in SA Higher Education click here
Department of Education. Undated. Strategic Planning Framework for FET Institutions click here
The NQF and Strategic Governance. NQF Support Link Seminal Text click here

Acts and Regulations relating to Strategic Governance

The most pertinent Acts regarding governance are those setting up statutory requirements for specific sectors. These are:

• Further Education and Training Act No 98 of 1998 click here
• Further Education and Training Colleges Act No 16 of 2006 click here
• South African Schools Act No 84 of 1996 click here
• Higher Education Amendment Act No 63 of 2003 click here
• Higher Education Amendment Bill 2008. click here

You will find links in the listing of all education and training related Acts and Regulations on the ‘General’ page. You should also refer to the draft legislation noted on ‘Upcoming Changes’.

How to order and enrol for the NQF Support Link

If you would like more information on the NQF Support Link, please click here.

Discussion Forum

This is your space to comment, to ask questions and to share with both SAQA and with other practitioners in the field. Topics could cover any aspects of strategic governance, financial management and strategic planning. We would also like to encourage users to share any useful resources or information they have come across.