This exploratory study investigated the influence of grandparent-headed families on the academic performance of secondary school learners in Port Elizabeth education district. It draws on Family systems theory and Role Theory to allow one to understand the organizational complexity of families, as well as the interactive patterns that guide family interactions.These theories capture the essence of this study which argues that grandparent-headed family is a very important family unit that needs to be supported in order to function well and thereby giving a better parental support and guidance to those learners who are in need. The study was conducted in five secondary schools and also in fifteen grandparent-headed homes. The participants included sixteen learners, 5 Life Orientation educators and sixteen grandparents who are caregivers to these learners. The learners were interviewed at their schools, after obtaining consent from them, the school personnel, their grandparents and the Department of Education in Port Elizabeth. The educators were interviewed at their respective schools after they signed written consent. The grandparents were interviewed in a naturalistic setting, namely at their homes after they have given their written consent. Data was gathered using semi-structured open-ended interviews. Interpretive analysis was used to analyse the audio-taped data. The interviews were voluntarily and anonymity was guaranteed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)

The aim of the study was to investigate the changing role of the secondary school principal in building sustainable communities. It is supposed that communities that are not sustainable affect secondary schools. The focus is on how the secondary school principal should go about building, sustaining and uplifting the school community. The direct and indirect involvement of secondary school principals in community issues, could contribute to sustainability within the community, which gradually becomes a reality. The task of the secondary school principal is realised through the results of effective educative teaching and learning practices. Through literature study it was found that the role of the secondary school principal in enhancing sustainable communities would contribute to the upliftment of communities. The qualitative approach was successful in obtaining information about how the changing role of the secondary school principal in building sustainable communities is viewed. Recommendations were made concerning research findings for stakeholders and officials to note. / Educational Studies / M.Ed(Education Management))

According to Hatlen (2004), most learners with disabilities in an inclusive educational setting are socially isolated. This statement contributed to the research question of this study, how do learners with visual impairment experience the social aspects of their inclusion in a Namibian mainstream secondary school? The aim of this study was to design a case study to analyse and describe data collected from learners with visual impairment and other participants to determine how they are socially included in a mainstream setting. A qualitative research methodology was used, which included purposive sampling to select participants. The researcher functioned in an interpretive/constructivist paradigm. It was found that the learners with disabilities and the able-bodied learners do not truly mix, however, the learners with disabilities are content in the mainstream school and they prefer it. / Om aan 'n groep te behoort en sosiaal ingesluit te voel is 'n basiese menslike behoefte - dit is net so belangrik soos die basiese behoeftes van kos en veiligheid. Sosiale inklusie kan as een van die kritiese elemente beskou word wat onderskei tussen mense wat ongesteld is en mense wat gesond is. Betekenisvolle verhoudings dra by tot self-aktualisering. Lae sosiale inklusie beteken vir leerders eensaamheid en swak aanvaarding deur portuurgroepe. Sosiale inklusie is van groot belang vir kinders se ontwikkeling. Navorsing het bevind dat inklusiewe hoofstroomskole die effektiefste manier is om diskriminasie te beveg en sosiale insluiting te bevorder. Hatlen (2004) is van mening dat die groter meerderheid van leerders met gestremdhede in 'n hoofstroomskool sosiaal gei soleerd is. Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om leerders met gestremdhede se persepsie van hulle eie sosiale aanvaarding binne 'n inklusiewe hoofstroom sekondere skool te ondersoek. Die navorser het binne 'n interpretatiewe/konstruktivistiese paradigma gewerk. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gevolg en het die volgende ingesluit: doelbewuste seleksie om te bepaal wie die deelnemers sou wees; onderhoude, observasie, dokumente en refleksies om data te genereer; en inhoudsanalise om die data te analiseer. Navorsingsbevindinge dui aan dat leerders met gestremdhede vir jare afgesonder was van die res van die samelewing deur hierdie leerders in spesiale skole te plaas. Dit het veroorsaak dat mense vervreemd van mekaar is en het 'n skeiding tussen 'ons' en 'hulle' veroorsaak. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van bewusmaking tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede. Daar kom wel afknouery voor op die skoolgronde en ware vriendskappe tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede vind nie in die ware sin van die woord plaas nie. Hierdie leerders is egter tevrede en verkies steeds om in 'n hoofstroomskool te wees. Inklusiewe onderwys is nog 'n nuwe konsep en in die ontwikkelingsfase in Namibie, terwyl die leerders nog onbekend is met inklusie, asook met mekaar. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

This exploratory study investigated the influence of grandparent-headed families on the academic performance of secondary school learners in Port Elizabeth education district. It draws on Family systems theory and Role Theory to allow one to understand the organizational complexity of families, as well as the interactive patterns that guide family interactions.These theories capture the essence of this study which argues that grandparent-headed family is a very important family unit that needs to be supported in order to function well and thereby giving a better parental support and guidance to those learners who are in need. The study was conducted in five secondary schools and also in fifteen grandparent-headed homes. The participants included sixteen learners, 5 Life Orientation educators and sixteen grandparents who are caregivers to these learners. The learners were interviewed at their schools, after obtaining consent from them, the school personnel, their grandparents and the Department of Education in Port Elizabeth. The educators were interviewed at their respective schools after they signed written consent. The grandparents were interviewed in a naturalistic setting, namely at their homes after they have given their written consent. Data was gathered using semi-structured open-ended interviews. Interpretive analysis was used to analyse the audio-taped data. The interviews were voluntarily and anonymity was guaranteed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)

Doctorat en sciences sociales, politiques et économiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished