Faktore wat aanleiding gee tot weerstand teen verandering in die onderwys

Abstract

Presently education in South Africa is undergoing major changes. These changes immediately lead to resistance regarding change. Therefore, resistance is a part of the change process. The purpose of this study was to determine: * What the nature and essence of resistance entail. * Which external and internal factors, according to the study of literature, lead to resistance regarding change, and to categorise these. * To determine by means of the empirical research to which extent internal and external factors can be observed and to which degree they play a role in staff members' resistance behaviour regarding change in education. * From a first point of view resistance occurs when a radical change is brought about. Resistance is a reaction to change and an endeavour to retain the status quo. From a second perspective resistance occurs in the absence of change. This research focuses on the first perspective. Internal factors include, amongst others, individual aspects such as personality factors, motivation, fear, skills and abilities. External factors include, amongst others, factors in die cultural environment and the social system, which include the school as organisation. A statistical survey has been made according to answers derived from questionnaires which have been sent to principals. The empirical data has been interpreted and certain deductions have been made and findings reached. Amongst others, it has been found that most internal and external factors have been observed to a lesser extent in schools and that they played a lesser role in staff members' resistance behaviour. Those factors which played a greater role have been highlighted and discussed briefly. From these findings it is clear that presently there is little resistance to change in secondary schools under control of the OFS Education Department. The recommendations also refer to the initial training of teachers and the in-service training of principals in strategies and methods to manage resistance to change. To implement change successfully, principals and their management teams will have to be equipped to identify resistance factors and handle them effectively.