The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has established a Principals' Forum to enable school principals to participate directly in the consultative processes of the department.

The inaugural meeting of the Provincial Principals' Forum took place on Friday, 6 February 2009, at the Northlink FET College in Bellville, following an extensive consultative process.

All principals are members of circuit principals' forums by virtue of their employment as principals by the WCED. The circuit forums elect representatives for district forums, who in turn elect representatives for the provincial forum.

This forum will make it possible for principals on every level to participate in bringing expertise, experience and knowledge to bear on decision-making by the department as a whole.

"While this is an official structure, we do not want to interfere with the way in which principals' debate educational issues," said Ron Swartz, Head of Education in the Western Cape, at the inaugural meeting.

"This would undermine the purpose of this forum, which is to create a space for open debate and consultation. For this reason, senior managers will not be part of the decision-making structures of this forum."

"This forum is for principals, and it will be up to you as principals to make it work."

Mr Swartz said the forum would play an important role in bridging the gap between principals and the management of the department.

Senior management will be represented on the forum, to hear principals' views and to engage in discussion. Senior management would respond immediately to issues that could be addressed immediately, where possible.

Some issues could take longer to resolve, for example, policy changes that required a legal process for ratification and implementation. This forum would provide an official platform for input into the policy-making process.

The department will provide staff to assist with administration of the forum. The secretary will email minutes to all principals so that they will always be kept in the loop.

Sindi Lingela, Deputy Director-General, Institution Development and Coordination, said the forum would play a key role in building the future of education in this province, by bringing your expertise and experience to bear on the future direction we take in education.

"This is an historic moment, because this forum will represent all principals in the province for the very first time."

She said it had taken some to launch the forum, because all involved had to wait for the finalization of circuit and district boundaries determined by the redesign of the WCED. The department now has eight districts divided into 49 circuits.

The forums would play a crucial role by helping to build networks of principals and other stakeholders responsible for the future success of education in the province.