One of the most important aspects of managing a school is good corporate governance. School governing bodies are responsible for the financial management of the school, which includes procurement of a variety of products. However, in the current economic climate finances remain a challenge. The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS) says its 2014 environmental analysis has indicated that lack of funds and the management of available funds are some of the biggest obstacles faced by school governing bodies. In addition, schools in rural areas are often forced to use the available supplies irrespective of the quality of the services or products.

In an effort to address these challenges and to enable school governing bodies, teachers and parents to make the best possible decisions when buying school supplies FEDSAS has joined hands with SchoolAdvisor.

“FEDSAS is the leader in school governance and the organisation prides itself on being on the cutting edge of systems and technology that can make life easier for its members, as well as the larger education community,” says Dr Jaco Deacon, Deputy CEO of FEDSAS.

“SchoolAdvisor is a world-first for schools. It is a virtual marketplace for schools where you can compare, rate, review and buy supplies. It is not a product, but rather a place where products are compared. In this way you can see what other schools’ opinion or experience of a product or supplier are and then base your decision on dependable advice from consumers with similar needs and requirements,” explains SchoolAdvisor CEO Peter Morgan.

The basic aim of SchoolAdvisor is to connect schools and suppliers. This will also enable suppliers to learn what schools require and then adapt or improve their products or services accordingly. Morgan explains that the website offers a comprehensive range of products and services from a variety of suppliers. “Currently the website provides access to more than 500 suppliers. This number grows continually as more suppliers join. Schools can also access more than 250 reviews of available products and services,” says Morgan.

“Schools require a diverse range of products and services to function – anything from stationary and clothing to sporting equipment, building maintenance and fleet management. Managing all of this can be a daunting task. FEDSAS is involved in training and equipping school governing bodies of public schools to ensure that school governance is professional and according to accepted norms and standards. SchoolAdvisor is one of the services that can make this task easier,” says Deacon.

Schools are encouraged to visit www.schooladvisor.co.za and get a feel for the platform. “As added incentive we are currently running a competition to introduce the service to the school community. A trip to Mauritius is up for grabs – always a welcome reward for anyone involved in the demanding field of education,” says Morgan.
Additional information is also available on the FEDSAS website at www.fedsas.org.za.