Education, Learning and Diversity
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1155
2024-03-28T12:50:37ZGerontocracy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Public Sector Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Perennial Problem
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1531
Gerontocracy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Public Sector Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Perennial Problem
Joseph Mudau; Madikana Jackinah Mokgokong; Mmatshepo Phuti Khanya
The COVID-19 outbreak has affected a proliferation of countries in an unimaginable way
and South Africa is no exception. This outbreak demands a shift in knowledge, power
and governance – particularly in how the public sector delivers public goods and services.
The pandemic exposed the reluctance of aging government officials to adopt new ways of
governance aimed at expediting service delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced
governments across the spectrum to introduce policies, adaptations, and innovations to meet
the demands brought about by the pandemic. Government departments are required to be
dynamic in response to the changing needs of the citizenry. Its failure reaffirms the decline
in the running of the affairs of the state. The public sector is designed to be a fruitful agent
of change and development in society. To remain as such, it is pivotal that it adapts to the
dynamic environment that presents unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic and the
fourth industrial revolution (4IR). The paper uses a literary analysis approach to explore the
readiness of aging public servants in embracing the 4IR. The context of its consideration is the
South African public sector amid the COVID-19 pandemic period. A theoretical framework on
the phenomenon is explored. Summation and recommendations are provided.
Gerontocracy is leadership premised on seniority derived from the age factor.
2021-12-01T00:00:00ZAN EXPLORATION OF ACE TEACHING CYCLE IN IMPROVING GRADE 12 LEARNERS’ UNDERSTANDING OF QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1530
AN EXPLORATION OF ACE TEACHING CYCLE IN IMPROVING GRADE 12 LEARNERS’ UNDERSTANDING OF QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
WISANI, HLANGWANI
2023-06-21T00:00:00ZAn Exploratory Study on the Challenges Faced by Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in the Schools of Maleboho East Circuit of the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province to Develop a Multi-Disciplinary Mode
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1528
An Exploratory Study on the Challenges Faced by Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in the Schools of Maleboho East Circuit of the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province to Develop a Multi-Disciplinary Mode
Ntjana, Ngwanamontjane Eglesia
Society faces the serious challenges of having to find solutions to look after orphaned
and vulnerable children (OVC), who often survive against all odds, and are exposed to
more threatening or challenging environments than other children. Although this is a
widespread and global problem, in sub-Saharan Africa it is exacerbated by other
precarious social conditions such as poverty, unemployment, inequality and domestic
violence, among other factors. South Africa is no exception to these challenges. Being a
developing country, it is still faced with an escalating problem of vulnerable children. This
scenario is complicated by the fact that the scope of vulnerable children is vast and
complex, but OVCs form the most vulnerable group, as they experience multiple
dimensions of vulnerabilities. The South African Government took a positive step and
responded with a series of legislations, policies and programmes to mitigate the
vulnerability of children. However, despite these responses, the issue of vulnerability
continues to grow. In schools, vulnerability makes it extremely difficult for OVC to cope
with the demands of academic work and causes them to repeat their grades several
times.
The present study explored the challenges facing OVC in schools of the Maleboho East
Circuit. The communities around the Maleboho East Circuit are termed multi-risks
communities, where social issues such as poverty, unemployment, inequality and
substance abuse are prevalent. The study anchored itself on ecosystem theory,
emphasising the importance of a person in context, strength-based, which was a shift
from deficiencies to strengths and resilience theory. This approach provided a lens and
mind map that guided the study. This was paramount for a study of this nature, as the
problems experienced by the child at home will eventually cascade into the school
environment, where academic performance is needed. The three theories were
complementary to each other, as they were used to compensate each other’s
deficiencies.
The study followed an interpretive paradigm, which placed emphasis on the participants’
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lived experiences. In a study such as this one, where in-depth data was required; this
paradigm allowed the researcher to enter the participants’ lived world through a focus
group discussion and personal interviews. From the interviews, themes and sub-themes
were generated that were informed by the participants’ responses.
Findings indicated that the OVC face many challenges both in school and in their homes
as well as their communities. In their homes, they are heavily burdened with household
chores that consume most of their time, making it difficult for OVC to juggle both
household duties and academic work, causing serious barriers that hinder their academic
progress, and results in them often failing and repeating their grades multiple times. They
are also challenged by other psychosocial issues such as anger and frustration, and
emotional difficulties caused by their lack of basic and school necessities.
Though faced with these challenges, they developed their own coping strategies to
manage their situation. However, the researcher concluded that the OVC’s challenges
made them feel and become educationally excluded. As most OVC are coming from
impoverished homes, they will fail to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty they are
subjected to. Therefore, the researcher recommended that the government as a
custodian of children’s welfare should create an environment that is more conducive for
the policy for inclusive education to be implemented. Schools should adopt a
responsibility, where the focus is not only on education, but on creating an environment
where all learners will be catered for holistically, irrespective of their background, thereby
enabling them to become better citizens of tomorrow. This is in line with the spirit of the
Constitution of South Africa, 1996.
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZFEMALE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN RURAL SCHOOLS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1456
FEMALE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN RURAL SCHOOLS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
NGWEDZENI MICHAEL RAVELE
This study focused on female school principals, as a gender that has been marginalised in society, on challenges they face in navigating leadership in rural schools before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible strategies to overcome these challenges. Six schools from Limpopo province were purposively selected as research sites. Participants were female school principals. Individual in-depth interviews and overt observation were used to collect qualitative data. The research findings revealed that female school principals face many challenges that include gender stereotypes, a lack of support and respect from staff, and the schools’ inferior infrastructures. The outbreak of COVID-19 has exacerbated the alluded challenges that hamper female school principals in managing their rural schools well. COVID-19 has unpredictably and intensely changed the female school principals’ role of leading their schools. This unprecedented nature of the situation means there should be a nurturing of a positive attitude toward female school principals, with female school principals being empowered for their role as school leaders in response to crises. They need a strong support system that promotes equity and equality in schools geared towards the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) with all stakeholders contributing towards strategies and solutions
2021-08-30T00:00:00Z