Perceived barriers to optimal effectiveness of the South African School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS): a case of selected township schools

The undeniable impact of implementing school management systems on the efficiency of school administration in the Global South is evident. Nevertheless, the implementation of school management systems can provide significant challenges, particularly in educational settings with little resources, such as township schools. This qualitative study examined the impediments to the optimal efficiency of SA-SAMS in three township schools located in the Nkangala Education District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The study was based on the people, processes, and technology framework (PPTF). A deliberate sampling technique was employed to choose a sample of five administrative clerks and three principals. The results indicated that administrative clerks identified several obstacles: 1) unreliable internet connectivity; 2) issues related to the delayed release of the assessment patch and changes to its structure during the school term; 3) glitches in learner admissions, leading to the deletion of profiles of learners admitted to schools in the middle of the year, exacerbated by the system's inability to smoothly process admissions of foreign learners; 4) lack of onsite technicians to provide technical support, necessitating schools to allocate funds designated for academic and operational programmes to hire private technicians. Meanwhile, principals identified two main issues: 5) limited acceptance among teachers and 6) the inadequacy of provincial SA-SAMS helpdesk workers, whose skills frequently failed to offer necessary technical assistance when system issues developed. The study suggested ensuring dependable internet access for schools with limited resources, promptly releasing the patch, maintaining clear and timely communication regarding patch format changes, providing training to teachers on SA-SAMS, offering on-site technical support to schools, and employing competent SA-SAMS provincial helpdesk personnel. Key Words:School management system; education management information system; administrative clerks; principals; SA-SAMS; knowledge management system.