Abstract:

Schools producing academic excellence are made up of more than just a school, learners, and staff. Rather, they pull out through the ecosystem creating a thriving network centred on creating the best learning opportunities for learners. Creating effective school business partnerships is one of the important steps to produce and sustain academic excellence. Schools and businesses are working together to benefit the entire community. Reading this research work whets the appetite to rethink the traditional ways of managing school business partnerships and bring innovation in the classroom amid the era and post era of Corona pandemic.

This paper examines how school business teams, collaboration of partners and innovation can enhance school developments for better school outcomes amid post COVID-19 pandemic. The research has also been motivated by the current state of affairs in the school system where learners had to stay away from school for a longer period, thus, experiencing the learning losses. Public schools in particular found themselves most affected by the pandemic as they could not cope with the needs required to access distance learning. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to answer questions appropriately. A questionnaire survey and interview schedule were developed guided by study objectives in the collection of data. Three case studies of different contextual backgrounds were selected from schools that participated in the Partnership for Possibility programme. The population includes key stakeholders of the school community, such as parents, SGB, educators, SMT, community leaders and education officials among others. The mixed method has been appropriate for examining interventions to enhance both the internal and external collaborations related to school business partnerships that can work more effectively for improved school results. Thematic and excel spreadsheet were used for analysis and findings.

The study found out that effective and successful school business partnerships raise the expectations and the capacity within the institution to provide the tools to achieve the expectations as parties work together creatively to find solutions in disadvantaged public schools. The study has recommended collaborative teams, structures, processes, tools and innovation to make learning more equitable and accessible.

Keywords:

Rethinking, school business partnerships, collaboration, innovation.