Perception of School Governing Bodies About Decentralisation of School Governance in Eswatini, Swaziland

The adoption of decentralisation as a reform in the administration of education sector in Eswatini has been a subject of debate due to its attending challenges. This study therefore examined the perception of school governing bodies about decentralisation of school governance in Eswatini, Swaziland. The qualitative case study is embedded in the interpretative paradigm, and it employed the Subsidiarity Theory (ST) as a framework for understanding the decentralization of school governance in Eswatini. Four research questions guided the study while purposive sampling technique was used to select five school principals from the selected schools who had served as principals for five years and above. Five chairpersons of school governing bodies also participated in the study. Data was generated from participants using semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed through thematic analysis and the findings revealed several challenges encountered by principals in the decentralization of school governance. The challenges include financial management, capacity building, decision-making, and accountability. The findings also revealed growth opportunities for those in leadership positions. The study concludes that since decentralisation offers benefits, it is recommended among others that capacity-building programmes should be prepared for school governing bodies to enable them to effectively execute their roles.