Many students find that their greatest academic step is that from high school to college or university, and that it involves a transition affecting almost all aspects of their lives. In order to offer assistance to students experiencing transitional and other personal problems, Student Counselling Services have been established and are operature at most tertiary institutions in Southern Africa. Currently no such service exists on the campus of the Cape College of Education, Fort Beaufort. This exploratory study attempts to determine whether there is a need for such a service and further, to establish factors which might encourage or discourage students from using such a service. An open-ended questionnaire was administered to 178 students at the College in order to gain insight into their ideas and feelings and what they perceive their needs to be. Through an explication of the student protocols, several major themes emerged and are discussed in detail. The research findings suggest a need for the establishment of a counselling service, and shed some light on factors which need be considered should such a service be offered. The methodological approach is discussed as well as recommendations for improvements.

1. This pilot study is a survey of practices of natural sciences educators at Cape College of Education to establish if they reflect the conceptual development, development of skills, change of attitudes and values that are the pillars of the Outcomes Based Education (OBE). Their approaches of lecturing have been assessed to determine if they incorporate investigative approaches based on social constructivism, the theory underpinning Curriculum 2005. The status of science education in the college has been analyzed to establish whether the curriculum can adapt itself to the specifications of the new curriculum. It has been concluded that the educators at Cape College of Education need to be empowered about strategies that will help them function along the principles embracing Curriculum 2005 specifications. The educators have shown not to be ready to practice social constructivism and the assessment strategies incorporated in their programmes do not embrace a variety of approaches that will enable their learners to develop conceptually, skill wise and enable them to develop change in attitudes and values. Investigative approaches to practical work appear to be lacking in the college teaching/learning and this also indicates that Curriculum 2005 will take time to be properly implemented at Cape College of Education. 2. This study is based on the practices of science educators in the squatter-camp school in Khayelitsha, a densely populated area for blacks near Cape Town. Teachers at Vuselela primary school were interviewed about their teaching assessment strategies to establish whether they incorporate a learner centred approach, which is the necessity for the Outcomes Based Education approach. Also some of the lessons they taught were observed in order to find out whether they validate what transpired from the interviews through a process of triangulation. It has become evident that the teachers are to some extent aware of the changes the education system is going through in South Africa. It also became clear from the study that the teachers are still lacking expertise as to how to practice along the lines of Curriculum 2005, the South African version of Outcomes Based Education (OBE). They also showed that they are keen to learn and practice OBE even though more opportunities need to be created for their epistemological empowerment as well as empowerment on the content of science.