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Implementing inclusive education policy in selected mainstream primary schools of Chris Hani West Education District
(University of Fort Hare, 2024-05) Zini, Neliswa Ester; Tyilo, P.N.
Inclusive Education as a vehicle for quality education is gaining global momentum. Central to Inclusive Education is equitable access to education, which accommodates learner diversity, including those learners who experience learning difficulties and who experience exclusion when having to attend the same schools with their peers. In response to this gap, most African countries, such as South Africa introduced Inclusive Education policies. The policy was spearheaded by the Department of Education to support learners who experience learning barriers and for them to be accommodated in the mainstream provision. This transformation affected teaching and learning, as teachers had to adopt pedagogies and diverse assessment strategies that accommodate all learners in their classes. However, despite the effort made to accommodate all learners in the mainstream, there seem to be challenges as some children remain out of the school system. Hence, this study aimed to examine the implementation of the Inclusive Education Policy in selected mainstream primary schools. The theory of implementation by Rogan and Grayson was adopted for this study as it builds on the strengths of different educational stakeholders, such as teachers, parents, learners and district officials. The theory looks at what constitutes good practice, monitoring systems, resources and support, provided by outside agencies to facilitate innovation in schools. The study adopted an interpretive paradigm and qualitative approach. The data from the 12 purposively selected research participants was collected through semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that teachers do not understand Education White Paper 6 and are not clear about what it entails. The inadequate visitation of schools and an absence of school-based training workshops by the DBST raised another concern among participants. In addition, limited classroom-based monitoring and follow-up support challenge the effective implementation of inclusive education. Inadequate training of teachers, non-involvement of parents, and scarcity of resources, which includes human and physical resources, worsen the situation. This study recommends that teachers receive adequate training on implementing Inclusive Education at the school and district levels. Provision of adequate physical and human resources for DBSTs and the teachers to perform their various tasks needs to be prioritized. The study further recommends strengthened collaboration of all stakeholders to support each other in implementing Inclusive Education in mainstream classrooms.
Implementation of positive discipline in selected secondary schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa
(University of Fort Hare, 2025) Thanyani, Ntsieni; Caga, N.; Khalo, X.
The study assessed the implementation of positive disciplinary measures in selected secondary schools in the Vhembe West District of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study was premised on the fact that the implementation of positive disciplinary measures remains an elusive process in the Vhembe West District. The study was located in the interpretive paradigm, and it used a qualitative approach and a case study design to examine the issues under review. Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants who were rich informants, and these included 10 secondary school principals, 10 teachers, 20 learners from grades 10-12, and school governing body chairpersons from each selected school. Data was solicited through semistructured one-on-one interviews, focus group interviews, and documentary data. The data were categorised into themes, analysed, and discussed accordingly. The study established that Vhembe West District‘s schools use positive discipline to deal with learner indiscipline in schools. Teachers use different positive disciplinary measures that comprise referral to the code of conduct, detention, manual work, positive reinforcement, demerit system, suspension, etc, in varied ways, and they also lack the necessary skills to fully implement such different positive disciplinary measures. The study revealed challenges such as a lack of training on how to implement positive disciplinary measures. For example, there were no qualified guidance and counselling teachers. The study revealed that teachers were not trained to implement positive disciplinary measures in schools. This failure has resulted in teachers applying common sense when implementing disciplinary measures. The study recommended that the Department of Basic Education should organise workshops for teachers, learners, and parents on the implementation of positive disciplinary measures because some of them do not understand the issue of positive discipline, so they need more training on disciplinary techniques. The Department of Basic Education should also appoint professionals such as school counsellors, psychologists, social workers and security guards to all schools to assist teachers with the problem of learner indiscipline. In-service training is also recommended to enable principals and teachers to know about the current trends in the implementation of positive discipline in schools.
HIV and AIDS vulnerabilities and support mechanisms to students. A qualitative study of Technical Vocational Education and Training Colleges at Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan District: A case of two TVET colleges
(University of Fort Hare, 2024) Tame-Gwaxula, Sindiswa Ruby; Linake, M.A.
Given the high prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among students in tertiary Institutions, the study sought to investigate the availability and nature of HIV and AIDS support mechanisms in TEVT Colleges. The scope of the study was focused mainly on two TVET Colleges located in the Municipality Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan District (NMBMD). Thus, the study’s objectives included exploring how the unavailability of HIV and AIDS support mechanisms in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges leaves students vulnerable. In this phenomenological study, the researcher employed a qualitative approach, using focus group discussions and Face-to-face individual interviews to collect data. This study used Fineman’s theoretical framework as its theoretical foundation. The focus group discussion comprised eight students and the researcher conducted eight semistructured individual interviews with two Campus Managers, four TVET lecturers, two from the National Certificate Vocational (NCV) program and two from the National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED), separately, one DHET representative and one from ECDoH. The data collection process started in March 2022 and will continue until May 2022. Data analysis was conducted from May 2022 until August 2022. The study's findings revealed that students in the two TVET colleges are either affected or infected by HIV and AIDS. This exacerbates the vulnerabilities that the students are already exposed to, such as financial, poverty, mental health issues, and risky sexual behaviours, amongst others. However, there were no HIV and AIDS support mechanisms available to them. The study recommended that TVET colleges strengthen their Student Support Services (SSS) to ensure HIV and AIDS support to all students. TVET Colleges' HIV and AIDS programs must go beyond campus boundaries and into the surrounding communities.TVET Colleges have a massive role to play in developing communities by creating rapport with community leaders, local health institutions and other relevant stakeholders.
Effect of selected forms of school violence on Grade 10 learners’ academic achievement in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality District, South Africa
(University of Fort Hare, 2025-03) Olabode, Sadiat Adewumi; Adu, E.O.
The problem of school violence is not specific to South Africa but is a global concern that continues to be on the increase. Despite numerous measures put in place by the government and other educational stakeholders, the menace of school violence continues unabated in schools, particularly in secondary schools in South Africa. This complex problem has now manifested into various forms of violence, including bullying, gender-based violence (GBV), physical fighting, stabbing, gang rivalry, racial discrimination, shootings, crimes and robberies, and vandalism. This problem has resulted in wasted lesson time and learners' poor overall academic performance. School violence has caused physical harm and psychological distress to the victims. For learners to achieve a good academic record and transition to the next grade level, good term marks are required.
Hence, this study examined the effects of selected forms of school violence (bullying, sexual harassment, teen gang violence, and vandalism) on Grade 10 learners’ academic achievement within Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Dreikurs’ social discipline model and Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory were adopted for the study. The study employed a positivist paradigm approach where quantitative data was collected from the participants. A descriptive research design survey was adopted. This study used a proportional stratified sampling method to select participants from within the BCMM area. As of the time of planning this study, a total recorded enrolment of 14,819 Grade 10 learners was confirmed at the Buffalo City Education District, of which one thousand and thirtyseven (1,037) Grade 10 learners participated by filling out a structured questionnaire, whilst a document containing participants' term report marks was also used as part of the analysis. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were performed.
The study results reveal that Grade 10 learners who rarely experience any of the selected forms of school violence are less likely to fail in their academic performance compared to those who only sometimes or many times experience any of the selected forms of school violence; moreover, those who only sometimes experience the selected forms of school violence are more likely to pass in their academics than those who experience it many times; those who experience the selected forms of school violence many times are more likely to pass compared to those who always experience selected forms of school violence. At the same time, those learners who always experience any of the selected forms of school violence are less likely to pass compared to those who never, rarely, or only sometimes experience it.
The study concludes that the selected forms of school violence affect learners’ academic progress. As school students must study for every subject and hand in good quality projects and assessment tasks from the beginning of the school year to be transitioned to the next grade, it is vital to provide a safe learning environment for learners to perform at their best. Based on this conclusion, the study asserts that school authorities must provide a conducive environment for students to learn effectively. If students continue to learn in a hostile environment where violence flourishes, such an atmosphere could create fear, anxiety, and psychological trauma in their minds, which may subsequently affect their academic outcomes.
Economics teachers’ perceptions of Economics curriculum changes in the selected high schools of Amathole West Education District
(University of Fort Hare, 2024) Nkalitshana, Asanda; Skhephe, M.
The purpose of this study was to explore Economics teachers’ perceptions of Economics curriculum changes in the selected high schools of Amathole West Education District, Eastern Cape, South Africa. This action was prompted by the researcher’s observation of the challenges in implementing curriculum changes in the classroom. A qualitative research approach was undertaken with the purpose of developing a better understanding of the research problem under study. The case study research design was deemed appropriate for this study. Convenient sampling was used to solicit data from fifteen participants who were, specifically, Economics teachers selected from five high schools of Amathole West Education District. Semistructured interviews and documents analysis were used to collect data to provide valid and reliable information for the compilation of this study. Themes and categories were used to analyse data. The outcomes of the study revealed that economics teachers are facing challenges in implementing new economics curriculum changes due to their lack of involvement when a new curriculum is developed, to such an extent that the issue of lack of resources and capacity to support curriculum changes become major barriers. Based on the findings of the study, some recommendations were made. The researcher recommended that whenever it would be necessary to change the economics curriculum, a bottom-up approach should be employed to cope with the changes. Instead of being instructed by the authorities what changes should be made, teachers should be given a chance to express their opinions. In addition, the researcher recommends that economics discussion forums be held in order to help teachers with any problems they encounter, such as a shortage of economics teaching and learning resources. Furthermore, the researcher recommends that curriculum training and workshops for economics teachers should be offered continuously in order to equip teachers with sufficient information regarding the curriculum. The researcher recommended further that all teachers must be encouraged to either speak in discussion forums or write down their views without mentioning their names in order to avoid being victimised and censured by others. In this study the researcher concludes that it is important to note that the process of changing the curriculum compels teachers to participate in continuing education programmes for their own personal growth in order to accept and adapt to any curriculum changes that may occur. It is crucial to remember that new information and expertise can help with teaching by inspiring the development of fresh approaches to education. Furthermore, before any curriculum changes are made, teachers should be given curriculum material that they can read and understand in order to raise their opinions. Since teachers are the ones who carry out the curriculum, it is vital that they participate in the planning and design of the curriculum.