An evaluation of human resource management practices in schools in the Mahikeng area project office (North West Province Department of Education)

Abstract

The study was undertaken with the aim of gathering data on the status quo of Human Resource Management practices in schools serviced by the Mahikeng Area Project Office. The main problem is that Human Resource Management practices like recruitment, selection, performance appraisal, employee relations, training and budgeting are carried out by line management, who are not qualified and often not trained to do so effectively. The quantitative approach was used to conduct the study, together with the descriptive survey method of research. All 50 schools in the Mahikeng/Mmabatho area were surveyed. A sample of 128 was drawn from a target population of 150. The sample consisted of educators involved in carrying out the Human Resource Management functions in schools (principals, vice principals, heads of departments and members of the School Governing Bodies). As only four officials from the Area Project Office is expected to manage the Human Resource Management practices at 50 schools, it has been found that all of the practices are not carried out as effectively as they should be, for example 21,9 percent of the respondents reported that no performance appraisals were conducted at their schools. Some recommendations, based upon the results of the study, were made, e.g. to the effect that educators and SGB members involved in carrying out the Human Resource Management practices should be trained in order to do so effectively.