act no eighty four of nineteen ninety six the department of basic education has called for the election of school governing bodies in our schools prior to nineteen ninety four educators learners parents and communities were largely excluded from school governance however with the establishment of the south african schools act all public schools are required to have an sgb democratically elected by members of the community the month of march is set aside for the election of school governing bodies in all the twenty four thousand public schools sgb