Abstract:

The aim of this article is to explore the views held by educators on learner leadership in rural secondary schools. The argument presented is that learner leadership is a critical component of education in the new democratic dispensation in South Africa .The South African Schools Act provides for greater participation by learners in the democratic functioning of schools.
The article reports on a study in which quantitative methodology was used to obtain information from educators about their perceptions of learner leadership in rural secondary schools.
The study is concluded by the submission that it is essential for rural secondary schools to establish learner leadership structures and give these structures necessary training so that they can have a working knowledge of school governance as their participation involves among other things planning, organising, leading, supervision, decision-making, controlling, and coordinating which are some of the management duties of the school governance structures.

Keywords:

Educators, learners, perceptions, Representative Council of Learners, rural, secondary schools.