Comparative analysis of the use of SA-SAMS and other school administration software in rural schools

Sibongamandla Dlomo, Alan Buthelezi & Admire Chibisa

Volume 6 Issue 2, June 2025

Abstract

This study examines school preference to use the South African School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS) over other administrative software solutions. The research aims to explore the benefits and challenges associated with SA-SAMS in school management. A qualitative research design was used, with data collected through interviews and analysed thematically. The study focused on five school administrators from the iLembe district, each representing a circuit within a district that consists of 441 schools. The population of the study includes school administrators responsible for managing school records, timetables, assessments, and compliance reporting. A purposive sampling technique was applied to select participants based on their experience with SA-SAMS. The findings indicate that schools prefer SA-SAMS because it integrates well with government education systems, ensures compliance with regulations, and supports essential administrative tasks like record-keeping and reporting. Participants highlighted that SA-SAMS helps align school management with the Department of Basic Education's requirements. However, the study also identified challenges, including difficulties in navigation, limited technical support, and system inefficiencies. Some administrators expressed concerns about the software’s user-friendliness and emphasised the need for better training and improved technical assistance. The study concludes that while SA-SAMS is widely used due to its alignment with national education policies, enhancements are required to improve its usability and efficiency. The findings suggest that continuous technical support, user training, and system upgrades could improve its effectiveness in school administration. Enhancing SA-SAMS based on user feedback will help schools maximize its potential for efficient data management and administrative processes.

Keywords

Author information & Contribution

Sibongamandla Dlomo. Corresponding author. Master’s degree in educational leadership and management policy. Lecturer. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Email: Dlomos1@ukzn.ac.za.

Alan Buthelezi. PhD in Educational Leadership and Management Policy. Senior Lecturer. University of Zululand. Email: ButheleziAB@unizulu.ac.za.

Admire Chibisa. PhD in Mathematics and Science Education. Senior Lecturer. University of Zululand. Email: ChibisaA@unizulu.ac.za.

"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."

Disclosure statement

Funding

Institutional Review Board Statement

Data and Materials Availability

AI Declaration

Notes

Editor’s Note: During the journal’s quality checks, the editorial team identified critical concerns regarding non-existent references and citations. The decision was communicated to the corresponding author, who was given the opportunity to correct and update the citations and references. The online PDF version of the paper was updated on April 22, 2026.

This paper has been presented in the 6th Teaching and Learning Conference hosted by the University of Zululand.

Acknowledgement

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Cite this article:

Dlomo, S., Buthelezi, A. & Chibisa, A. (2025). Comparative analysis of the use of SA-SAMS and other school administration software in rural schools. International Journal of Educational Management and Development Studies, 6(2), 210-225. https://doi.org/10.53378/ijemds.353216