This study explored how foundation phase heads of departments manage and support professional development in the foundation phase. The study also explored the support these heads of departments receive from external sources in managing and supporting teachers in their professional development. Teachers' perspective about their professional development and support from heads of departments were also explored. A qualitative approach, located in an interpretive paradigm, was adopted. Drawing on various elements of case study research designs, the study focused on six foundation phase HoDs, one Intermediate Phase HoD and five foundation phase teachers from different school settings in one of the provinces in South Africa. Interviews and document analysis were used as the primary tools for data collection. During the interviews, teachers outlined their views on the support provided by both heads of departments and external sources that work to enhance their professional learning. Through a cross-case analysis approach, the study indicated that teachers appreciated the support received from heads of departments and external sources. The main finding of the study was that there was little support for the heads of departments from external sources. Another finding was that there was minimal support for heads of departments from external sources, predominantly Non-Governmental Organisations. This study indicated the none availability of induction programmes for the newly appointed foundation phase heads of departments. It is recommended that the Mpumalanga Department of Education organise an induction programme for the newly appointed foundation phase heads of departments. The induction should focus mainly on leadership and management. Lastly, it is recommended that government officials from the district, province and nation provide external support that would benefit the foundation phase heads of departments. / Ifundorhubhululweli belihlola ngokuzeleleko kobana iinhloko zeminyango yezefundo ziphatha begodu zisekela njani ukukhula kwabosolwazi kusigabasisekelo. Ifundorhubhululweli, liveze isekelo lemithombo yangaphandle, lokuphatha nokusekela abotitjhere ekukhuleni kwabo ngokwelwazi. Indlela abotitjhere babona ngayo ukukhula kwabo ngokwelwazi nesekelo abalifunyana eenhlokweni zeminyango yezefundo nalo lihlolwe ngokuzeleko. Ifinyelelo lekhwalitheyithivi eliyi-interpretative paradigm ngilo elisetjenzisiweko. Ngokutjhejwa kwemihlobo eyahlukahlukeneko yeemfundosehlakalo, iinHloko zemiNyango ezisithandathu (HoD’s) zesigabasisekelo, iHloko yesiGaba (HoD) ngayinye nabotitjhere abasithandathu besigaba sisisekelo, ababuya eenkolweni ezihlukahlukeneko ngokuhleleka esifundeni sinye seSewula Afrika. Ukuhlunga nokuhlaziywa kwamadokhumende/kwemitlolo ngikho okusetjenziswe ukubuthelela ilwazi elaneleko. Ngesikhathi sokuhlungwa, abotitjhere baveze imizwa yabo ngesekelo ebalifunyana eenhlokweni zeminyango yezefundo nakumithombo yangaphandle ebasiza ukwandisa ilwazi labo kezefundo. Ngokwefinyelelo le-cross analysis, ifundorhubhululweli litjengise kobana abotitjhere bayalithokozela isekelo abalifunyana eenhlokweni zeminyango yezefundo nalelo elibuya kumithombo yangaphandle. Okukhulu okufunyenwe lirhubhululweli, litlhayelo lesekelo eenhlokweni zeminyango yezefundo elibuya kumithombo yangaphandle, kuqaliswe khulu eenhlanganweni ezingasekelwa mbuso (Non-Governmental Organisations). Ifundorhubhululweli litjengise godu itlhayelo lamahlelo wokufundisa iinhloko zeminyango yezefundo ezibekwe eenkhundleni ezitjha. Amahlelo wokufundisa iinhloko zeminyango yezefundo eziqedwa ukubekwa eenkhundleni, ezitjha azokuhlelwa mNyango wezeFundo eMpumalanga. Ukwethulwa kwabo kufanele kuqale zoburholi nokuphatha. Kokugcina, iinsebenzi zombuso ezibuya iiyingini, eemfundeni zenarha yoke zinikele ngesekelo langaphandle elizokuzuzisa iinhloko zeminyango yefundo yesigaba-sisisekelo. / Lolu cwaningo luhlola ukuthi izinhloko zeminyango yesigaba semfundo eyisisekelo ziyiphatha ziyesekele kanjani intuthuko yobuchwepheshe esigabeni semfundo eyisisekelo. Lolu cwaningo luhlole nangokwesekeleka okuvela emithonjeni yangaphandle okutholwa yilezi zinhloko zeminyango ekuphatheni nasekwesekeleni othisha ekuthuthukeni ebuchwephesheni emsebenzini wabo. Kwabuye kwahlolwa ukuthi othisha bakubuka ngeso elinjani ukuthuthuka kwabo emsebenzini wabo nokubheka ukwesekelwa kwabo yizinhloko zeminyango. Kwalandelwa indlela yokubheka ikhwalithi egaxwe emkhakheni wokuchazwa (interpretative) kwezinto. Kwacashunwa ezimpawini ezahlukene zokucubungula amadizayini okucwaninga kokwenzeka ngempela (case study), kwagxilwa kuZinhloko Zeminyango eziyisithupha zeSigaba Semfundo Eyisisekelo, eyodwa yeSigaba Semfundo Emaphakathi, nothisha abahlanu besigaba semfundo eyisisekelo abavela ezizindeni zemfundo ezahlukene kwesinye sezifundazwe zaseNingizimu Afrika. Kwasetshenziswa ukuhlaziywa kwama-intaviyu namadokhumenti njengamathuluzi okuqoqa imininingwane noma idatha. Ngesikhathi sama-intaviyu, othisha babenika imibono yabo ngokwesekelwa ababekuthola ezinhlokweni zeminyango nemithombo evela ngaphandle eyayibambisene ekuthuthukiseni ukufunda kwabo ubuchwepheshe. Lapho kusetshenziswa indlela yokuhlaziya ngokugamanxana kokucubungulwayo (cross-case), ucwaningo lukhombise ukuthi othisha bakuthokozela ukwesekelwa abakuthola kuzinhloko zeminyango nemithombo evela ngaphandle. Okubalulekile okwatholakala kulolu cwaningo ukuthi kuncane kakhulu ukwesekelwa ezazikuthola emithonjeni yangaphandle izinhloko zeminyango. Okunye okwatholakala ukuthi kuncane kakhulu ukwesekelwa izinhloko zeminyango ezazikuthola kuvela ngaphandle, ikakhulu eziNhlanganweni okungezona ezikaHulumeni. Lolu cwaningo lukhombise ukuthi azitholakali izinhlelo zokuzingenisa emsebenzini (induction) izinhloko zeminyango esigabeni semfundo eyisisekelo, Kunconywa ukuthi uMnyango Wemfundo WaseMpumalanga uhlele ukuba kube nohlelo lokuzingenisa emsebenzini izinhloko ezintsha zeminyango esigabeni semfundo eyisisekelo. Lokhu kungeniswa kumele kugxile ebuholini nasekuphatheni. Okokugcina-ke, kunconywa ukuthi izikhulu zikahulumeni ezivela esifundeni, esifundazweni nakuzwelonke zilethe ukwesekela okuzosiza izinhloko zeminyango esigabeni semfundo eyisisekelo. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Educational Leadership and Management)

Teachers leaving the profession is an ongoing problem; fewer teachers enter the profession each year and the number of teachers leaving the profession has increased. Many teachers listed job satisfaction as a reason for leaving the education profession, whilst citing the lack of mentoring as a cause of job dissatisfaction. Mentoring is known as the planned paring of a more experienced person with a lesser individual to help with the professional development of that individual and reduce teacher turnover. The aim of the study is to explore the impact of an effective mentoring programme at primary schools by developing and implementing such a mentoring programme to support and improve job satisfaction among beginner teachers in the province of Mpumalanga entering the profession for the first time. The following quantitative techniques were used during this study: document analysis and Likert-scale questionnaires, completed by 1 000 male and female teachers (principals, deputy principals, heads of departments, teachers and student teachers) from different races and cultures (20 teachers per school) from 50 randomly selected rural primary schools, private primary schools and Quintile 4 and 5 primary schools in the province of Mpumalanga. The analysis of data enabled me to identify a series of factors that were utilised to develop a mentoring programme that school management can implement in their schools to help beginner teachers to cope in their new work environment in order to improve job satisfaction and improve teacher retention. The factors identified include: aspects of job satisfaction that support leaners in achieving their goals; aspects of school management; the contribution of mentoring programme on the job satisfaction of beginner teachers; the responsibility of a mentor in developing a mentoring programme; the responsibility of a mentee in developing a mentoring programme; the responsibility of schools in developing a mentoring programme and characteristics that should be demonstrated by a mentor. From the data gathered, a mentoring programme was developed, namely the Hugo mentoring model. This model outlined the roles and responsibilities of mentors, mentees and school management throughout the mentoring process. The model also provided steps that should be taken into consideration when organising meetings between mentors and mentees. / Educational Studies / D. Ed.