Abstract This article reports on a study that was prompted by the resistance to school mergers by local communities in the rural region of Limpopo, South Africa. Traditional leaders, who are prominent people in rural communities, were at the forefront of protests against school mergers. Thus, it was necessary to investigate the tensions experienced by the community during the school merger process to determine the causes of the resistance. The study was conducted within a qualitative research approach using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews as the method of data collection. Six participants formed the sample comprising two traditional leaders, two principals and two parents. A significant finding was that resistance to school mergers stemmed from the cultural beliefs of the community who view schools as symbols of heritage. Another finding that emerged from the study was that a merger is precipitated by poor consultation between the Department of Education (DoE) and the community. A constraining factor in the school merger process is the provision of reliable transport for learners to travel to schools in neighbouring villages. Therefore, it is recommended that the DoE engages in discussions with stakeholders well before the merger process starts. Effective dialogue is required to discuss the community's concerns and find appropriate solutions.

中文翻译：

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传统领袖，校长和父母对学校合并的抵制

摘要本文报道了一项研究，该研究是由于南非林波波（Limpopo）农村地区当地社区对学校合并的抵制而发起的。传统领导人是农村社区的杰出人物，他们在反对学校合并的抗议活动中走在前列。因此，有必要调查社区在学校合并过程中所经历的紧张局势，以确定阻力的原因。该研究是在定性研究方法下进行的，使用面对面，半结构化的访谈作为数据收集的方法。六名参与者组成了样本，其中包括两名传统领袖，两名校长和两名父母。一个重要发现是，对学校合并的抵制源自社区的文化信仰，他们将学校视为遗产的象征。该研究得出的另一个发现是，教育部（DoE）与社区之间的协商不畅导致了合并。学校合并过程中的一个制约因素是为学习者提供前往邻近村庄学校的可靠交通工具。因此，建议美国能源部在合并过程开始之前就与利益相关者进行讨论。需要有效的对话来讨论社区的关注并找到适当的解决方案。建议美国能源部在合并过程开始之前就与利益相关者进行讨论。需要有效的对话来讨论社区的关注并找到适当的解决方案。建议美国能源部在合并过程开始之前就与利益相关者进行讨论。需要有效的对话来讨论社区的关注并找到适当的解决方案。