Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Student dropout at higher education institutions in South Africa is an aspect that is receiving increasing attention from the various role-players who have an interest in this aspect due to the negative influence it has on students, higher education institutions, and the economy of the country. Higher education institutions that offer agriculture as a course of study also have to deal with this problem. Approximately one quarter of the students who are admitted at most agricultural training institutions are forced to discontinue their studies or do so voluntarily. Most of these cessations of study occur during or near the end of the first year of study. The cessation of studies is not the only negative aspect. The low pass rate of students at higher education institutions in South Africa is also alarming. The main object of this study was to ascertain why students discontinued their studies and why they took longer than the minimum time allowed to complete their studies. In order to substantiate this theory, an attempt was made to obtain both an international and a national perspective of the student dropout rate in general, as well as to determine what factors were responsible or contributed to successful completion of their studies by students. A background perspective of agricultural education in South Africa was included. The literature reviews are supplemented by a qualitative investigation of students who discontinued their studies specifically at agricultural higher education institutions. A case study approach was employed, in which an in-depth interview strategy was utilised to obtain descriptive and illustrative data. The study demonstrated that dropout rates can be attributed mainly to academic and/or social factors. These factors prevented adequate integration, which is essential to successful studies, from occurring. Various academic factors may be the reason for inadequate academic integration, of which the most important were unclear objectives, a lack of motivation, wrong academic expectations, a misconception of hard work, as well as a lack of the necessary explanatory knowledge in the agricultural study field. New students’ academic adjustment appeared to be the most problematic factor. It appeared that new students were insufficiently prepared to make the adjustment, and in fact, less prepared for this step than was generally the case in the past. Ineffective social integration was the result of too little student participation in social activities or the absence of adequate opportunities for social activities at agricultural training institutions. Unbalanced and unhealthy social activities were often the major factors that contributed to student dropout. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that non-academic factors such as inadequate accommodation or financial problems were not significant causative factors for student dropout, but rather non-academic factors such as unbalanced or unhealthy social activities and poor time management. After the probable causes for student dropout had been established, a theoretical framework was created that could offer possible explanation for the student dropout rates at agricultural training institutions. The framework was created to establish student dropout from a longitudinal perspective, and not only to explain the phenomenon as a result of what had occurred during the time that the student was at the institution. The framework was therefore designed to explain student dropout against the background of the student, together with various factors that were related to students or the institution and which were responsible for inadequate integration. From this framework it was possible to develop individual models for specific agricultural training institutions or for one specific institution in respect of the dropout phenomenon.

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / This project is an architectural response to a setting shared by an active open cast platinum mine and the surrounding rural traditional subsistence farming communities located in the Mogalakwena municipality, Limpopo Province. The area is characterised by its mine waste landscape and large open cast pits, all of which are remnants of the process of open cast mining. The Mogalakwena communities’ economic livelihood is largely dependent on agricultural land. This land is reducing, partly due to the establishment and expansion of the mine and partly to the increased growth rate of the surrounding communities. This project argues that the remnants of the mining industry (particularly open cast pits, mine waste rock and infrastructure) need not be redundant and can be reused and rehabilitated to result in productive outcomes by establishing the necessary systemic strategy for transposed use. It contends that the proposed reconfi gured mining infrastructure programs can be responsive to context (history, environment and communities), climate and natural processes of the area. In testing the strength of this argument, diff erent research investigations and theories were used as was appropriate to each area of research in this topic. These included, among others, investigations into the history and context of both the mining industry generally, including its legislative context, and the site specifi cally. Considerations of the embedded memory of the site were taken into account. Theories which assisted in leading to a proposed strategy for the site on a contextual scale included theories relating to contextual productive systems, continuous productive urban landscapes, permaculture and biomimicry, augmented landscapes, entropic architecture, architecture as a machine and the mortality of architecture. Ultimately, a proposed solution as an architectural product was sought. The following questions had to be answered in a eff orts to produce an appropriate architectural response to the site and its challenges: 1. How can the role of architecture reconfigure the redundant, disused mine waste landscape so as to harness a rehabilitative and productive system and how can that system be managed by the design? 2. How can contemporary rural agricultural projects be challenged to form new typologies that empower the communities to provide for their own present and future needs? 3. How can architecture as a system be designed to outlast the temporality of its program to transform a redundant open cast mining landscape into a productive landscape? The architectural intervention is a design of reconfi gured structures aimed at facilitating a productive and sustainable environment for agricultural advancement, in order to rehabilitate the existing “minescape” (industrially altered mining land), and reconcile the use of this land with the history of subsistence farming as practiced by members of the surrounding communities. The proposed architectural product strives to create a site and context responsive architectural program or system by fusing technological strategies into the body of architecture that are essentially environmental. It aims to employ air, water, sun, and earth to augment the productive relationship between architecture and the “minescaped” terrain, thereby creating a Productive Minescape, which yields tangible positive by-products such as agriculture, renewable energy, water treatment and harvesting systems, among others. Other productive by-products of the project are education and research facilities and facilities which aim to provide accessibility and reconciliation of the stakeholders of this area, to the site and to each other. The introduction of these systems and facilities will be phase one of the proposed architectural intervention. However, the intervention is networked, and therefore has a scalable logic which is envisaged to grow and develop at a much larger and more intensive scale, suggested to occur over the next 30 years, which are phases two, three and four (see figures 17 and 18).

Agriculture is one of the most important economic activities, with significant contribution to food security, job creation and gross domestic product (GDP) in many countries. Due to the historical inequalities in the distribution of farming land, agriculture in South Africa has been divided into commercial agriculture and subsistence agriculture. The end result are inequalities in the distribution of land, skills and wealth, with the majority of South Africans living in poverty, being illiterate and with no skills. The newly elected democratic Government has since 1994 attempted to address these inequalities. Among the programmes introduced to skill farmers was the launch of the Agricultural Education and Training (AET) Strategy. The aim of AET was to improve Agricultural production through quality agricultural education and training, and thereby addressing the needs of the country’s economy. Adult in-service training was introduced at agricultural institutions. It is now mandatory for the management of agricultural institutions providing in-service training to skill their workers. Yet there is still no clear understanding of how the farmers, managers and supervisors benefit or do not benefit from their employees’ in-service training. This lack of information has been of concern to the farm managers, training providers, sponsors and other stakeholders. Apart from frequent discussions, little has so far been written on the subject. In particular, there is little known about the role of management of the adult in-service training at the agricultural institutions. The aim of this research was to explore the role of the management of in-service training of adult learners at an agricultural institution with the objective of providing the needed information. The qualitative research approach, using grounded theory, was employed because of its suitability to the study. Information was collected from the participants using both in-depth open-ended questions and focus groups interviews. The data analysis was achieved by using the ATLAS ti. The aim was to provide an in-depth understanding of people’s experiences in the agricultural industry, especially at the two sampled agricultural institutions, both situated in Gauteng. vi The lack of evaluation of the Adult in-service training project was found to be the main reason why there is still no clear understanding of how the farmers, managers and supervisors benefit or do not benefit from their employees’ in-service training. The problem of lack of evaluation was related to the level of literacy of the adult in-service learners, who preferred practical training to theoretical training. At the same time, the farm managers, training providers, sponsors and other stakeholders are anxious to know the training progress results. The knowledge of training progress is also needed for the implementation of improvements or financial sponsorship. This research therefore recommends, among others, that evaluations be carried out among the adult in-service learners in such a manner that both the adult learners and the other stakeholders are satisfied. It is, therefore, essential that the role of management of the Adult in-service training agricultural institutions be well defined, so as to fulfil the purpose of these in-service institutions of skilling the trainees to be productive agricultural farmers for the benefit of agricultural production in South Africa. / Temothuo ke nngwe ya ditirwana tsa botlhokwa tota tsa ikonomi, tse di nang le seabe se segolo mo netefatsong ya lotseno lwa dijo, go tlhola ditiro mmogo le go Palogotlhe ya Dikumo tsa Naga (GDP), mo dinageng di le dintsi. Ka ntlha ya hisitori ya go sa lekalekane mo kabong ya lefatshe la temo, temothuo mono Aforikaborwa e ne ya aroganngwa ka mapahata a le mabedi, e bong temothuo e e totileng kgwebo le e e totileng go iphedisa fela. Kwa bofelong re feleditse ka go sa lekalekaneng ga kabo ya lefatshe, bokgoni le khumo, fao bontsi jwa Maaforikaborwa ba tshelelang mo khumanegong, ba sa rutega e bile ba se na bokgoni. Puso ya demokerasi e e tlhophilweng sešwa, e sa le e leka go mekamekana le go sa lekalekaneng go, go simolola ka 1994. Gareng ga mananeo a a itsisitsweng go neela balemi bokgoni, ke kgakolo ya Leano la Thuto le Thupelelo malebana le Temothuo (AET). Maikaelelo ka AET e ne e le go tokafatsa kumo ya Temothuo ka mosele wa thuto le thupelelo ya boleng, ka jalo go mekamekanwe le ditlhokwa tsa ikonomi ya naga. Go itsisitswe thupelelotirong ya bagolo kwa ditheong tsa temothuo. Gajaana, bolaodi jwa ditheo tsa temothuo bo gapelediwa go neela thupelelotirong gore badiri ba ditheo tse, ba nne le bokgoni. Le gale, ga go ise go tlhaloganyege sentle gore balemerui, balaodi le batlhokomedi ba ungwa go le kae, kgotsa ga ba ungwe jang, malebana le thupelelotirong ya bathapiwa ba bona. Tlhokego e ya tshedimosetso, e tshwentse balaodi ba dipolase, bakatisi, baetleetsi mmogo le banaleseabe. Ga go a kwala go le gontsi malebana le setlhogo se, go fitlha gajaana. Go feta fa, ga go itsiwe seabe sa bolaodi malebana le thupelelotirong ya bagolo mo ditheong tsa temothuo. Maikaelelo a tlhotlhomisi e e ne e le go leba seabe sa bolaodi mo thupelelotirong ya baithuti ba bagolo kwa ditheong tsa temothuo, ka maikaelelo a go neela thsedimosetso e e tlhokegang. Molebo wa patlisiso wa diteng o dirisitswe ka ntlha ya bomaleba jwa ona mo tlhotlhomising e. Go kokoantswe tshedimosetso go tswa go batsaakarolo, go dirisiwa dipotso tse di tseneletseng mmogo le tse di sa tsenelelang jalo, le dipotsolotso tsa ditlhopha tse di totilweng. Kanaanelo ya datha e fitlheletswe ka go dirisa ATLAS ti. viii Maikaelelo e ne e le go neela tlhaloganyo e e tseneletseng ya maitemogelo a batho mo industering ya temothuo, bogolosegolo ditheo tse di supilweng tsa temothuo, bobedi jwa tsona bo le mo Gauteng. Lebakalegolo la gore go bo go se na tlhaloganyo e e edileng ya gore balemerui, balaodi le batlhokomedi ba ungwa jang kgotsa ga ba ungwe jang malebana le thupelelotirong ya badiredi, ga le ise le tlhake. Matsapa a go tlhoka tekanyetso a tsalana le maemo a borutegi a baithuti ba bagolo ba thupelelotirong, ba ba neng ba eletsa thupelelotirong ya tiragatso e seng ya tiro. Ka nako yona e balaodi ba dipolasa, batlamedi ba thupelelo, baetleetsi mmogo le banaleseabe, ba fela pelo go itse dipholo tsa thupelelo. Kitso ya tsamao ya thupelelo e bile e tlhokega malebana le tiragatso ya tlhabololo mmogo le ketletso ya tsa matlhole. Tlhotlhomisi e, ka jalo, gareng gat se dingwe e tshikhinya gore, gareng gat se dingwe, tlhotlhwafatso e dirwe mo baithuting ba bagolo ba thupelelotirong ka tsela e e tlaa kgotsofatsang baithuti ba bagolo mmogo le ba na le seabe. Ka jalo go botlhokwa gore seabe sa ditheo tsa bolaodi jwa katiso ya bodiredi jwa temothuo jwa Bagolo, se lebiwe sentle, gore se kgotsofatse maikaelelo a ditheo tse tsa katisotirong ya ditheo tse, e maikaelelo a yona e leng go nonotsha bakatisiwa go nna balemirui ba ba tlhololo go ungwa temothuo mo Aforikaborwa. / Ezolimo zingomunye wemisebenzi yezomnotho ebaluleke kakhulu, kanti zibambe iqhaza elisemqoka ekutholakaleni kokudla, ukudala amathuba omsebenzi nakusambamkiqizo wezwe (GDP) emazweni amaningi. Ngenxa yomlando wokungalingani ekwabeni umhlaba wezolimo, ezolimo lezi eNingizimu Afrika sezehlukaniswe zaba ngezolimo zokuhwebelana, nezolimo zokungadliwa ekhaya. Umphumela walokhu kube ukungalingani ekwabiweni komhlaba, amakhono, nomnotho, nokuba iningi lezakhamizi zaseNingozimu Afrika liphile ngobumpofu, ukungakwazi ukufunda nokubhala nokungabi namakhono. Uhulumeni omusha wentando yeningi, kusukela ku-1994 ubuzama ukubhekana nalokhu kungalingani. Kwezinye zezinhlelo ezisunguliwe ukuhlomisa abalimi ngamakhono kube ukwethula iNdlela Yokufundisa Nokuqeqesha kwezolimo (Agricultural Education and Training [AET] Strategy). Injongo ye-AET ukwenza ngcono imikhiqizo yeZolimo ngokufundisa nokuqeqesha kwezolimo okusezingeni eliphakeme, ngalokho kubhekanwe nezidingo zezomnotho ezweni. Kwaqalwa ukuba kube nokuqeqeshwa kwabadala okwenzelwa ezikhungweni zezolimo. Sebephoqelekile manje abaphathi bezikhungo zezolimo eziqeqeshela emsebenzini ukuba bahlomise abasebenzi babo ngamakhono adingekayo. Noma kunjalo akukho ukuqonda kahle ukuthi abalimi, izimenenja nababhekile bazuza noma abazuzi kanjani ngokuqeqeshelwa emsebenzini kwabasebenzi babo. Ukungatholakali kolwazi lwalokhu kuyazikhathaza izimenenja zamapulazi, abaqeqeshi, abaxhasi nabanye ababambe iqhaza. Ngaphandle kwezingxoxo ezihlale ziba khona, kuze kube manje kuncane osekubhaliwe ngalesi sihloko. Ikakhulu kuncane okwaziwayo ngeqhaza labaphathi (izimenenja) bokuqeqeshelwa emsebenzini kwabafundi abadala ezikhungweni zezolimo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo-ke bekungucubungula ngeqhaza labaphathi bezikhungo zokuqeqeshela abafundi abadala emsebenzini ezikhungweni zezolimo, inhloso kungukuba kuhlinzekwe ngolwazi oludingekayo. Lapha bekusetshenziswa indlela yocwaningo egxile emsocweni (qualitative) kusetshenziswa ithiyori ezinzile (grounded) ngoba lokhu kuyezwana nalolu cwaningo. Ulwazi oludingekayo beluqoqwa kwababambe iqhaza kusetshenziswa imibuzo ejulayo x kodwa evulekile, nokuba kubuzanwe namaqembu ebekugxilwe kuwo. Imininingwane etholakele ibihlaziywa ngokusebenzisa i-ATLADS TI. Injongo bekungukuba kutholakale ukuqonda okujulile ngalokho abedlula kukho abantu embonini yezolimo, ikakhulu ezikhungweni zezolimo ezimbili eziqokiwe, zombili eziseGauteng. Ukungenzeki kokuba kuhlolwe izinga lephrojekthi yokuqeshelwa emsebenzini kwabadala kwatholakala kuyikhona okuyisizathu esiphambili sokuba kuze kube manje kungacacile ukuqonda ukuthi ngabe abalimi nezimenenja bayazuza yini noma abazuzi lutho ngalokhu kuqeqeshelwa emsebenzi kwabasebenzi. Inkinga yokungabi bikho kwalokhu kuhlolwa kwezinga kuhambisana nezinga lokwazi ukufunda okubhaliwe nokubhala kwabafundi abadala abaqeqeshelwa emsebenzini, ababethanda kakhulu ukuqeqeshwa kokwenziwayo kunalokho okuyithiyori. Kanti ngaso leso sikhathi izimenenja zepulazi, abaqeqeshi, abaxhasi nabanye ababambe iqhaza kulo msebenzi banexhala ngokwazi imiphumela yokuqhubekela phambili kwalokhu kuqeqesha. Ukwazi ngokuqhubeka kokuqeqesha kuyadingeka futhi ukuze zenziwe ngcono ezinye izinto, noma kuhleleke nokutholakala kwabaxhasa ngezimali. Ngakho-ke lolu cwaningo, ngaphezu kwezinye izincomo, luncoma ukuthi kuhlolwe izinga kubafundi abadala abaqeqeshwayo ngendlela yokuba bagculiseke abafundi abadala nabanye ababambe iqhaza kule phrojekthi. Kubalulekile-ke ukuba uchazwe kucace kahle umsebenzi wabaphathi bezikhungo zezolimo zokuqeqeshela abadala emsebenzini, ukuze kufezeke izinhloso zalezi zikhungo zokuqeqeshela emsebenzini mayelana nokuhlomisa abaqeqeshwayo ngamakhono ukuze bagcine sebengabalimi abakhiqiza okomkhakha wezolimo okuzosiza iNingizimu Afrika yonkana. / Science and Technology Education / D. Phil. (Education)