Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Technology in Public Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the career progression of women in higher education in general and South Africa in particular, using the case study of the Durban University of Technology. Recent research has shown that even though women have made some progress as compared to where they were twenty years ago, the progress of women has proven to be resistant to change in terms of higher level and rewarding positions (Turner 2012; Hofmeyr and Mzobe 2012; Botool and Sajid 2013; Mouley, 2013). According to Boushey and Farrell (2013:6), this lack of progress results from a lack of flexibility and unpredictable scheduling at the workplace. Others argue that career interruption for childbirth and rearing; domestic responsibilities; gender parities at the work place; organizational structures; and policies that do not meet the needs of female employees affect career progress (Wallace and Smith 2011:3 and Tsoka 2010:6). The purpose of the study was, therefore, to examine the nature of the progress of women in higher education, and to identify factors influencing their progress. The study was conducted at the Durban University of Technology with a sample of 250 women from academic and administrative units the stratified random sampling technique was used, in which the target population at the DUT was grouped into different strata, and then the sample elements were selected from each of the groups. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research designs (mixed method), whereby self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. The questionnaire consisted of open-ended and closed ended questions. The closed- ended questions were quantitative, while the open ended questions were qualitative. The closed-ended responses were then analysed using SPSS, while the open ended responses used the inductive approach to highlight the factors influencing the career progression of women in higher education, thereby leading to recommendations on policies which would enhance career progression of women in higher education. The findings of the research revealed that women are still underrepresented in higher. It was recommended that management should improve working conditions for women and ensure that the effective monitoring and evaluation of the various policies in place.

Since the advent of democracy in 1994 South Africa has been faced with the shortage of skilled people and this is caused, amongst other things, by the inadequacy of the outdated National Education Programmes for Technical Colleges (NATED) and later referred to as the N-programmes. To address the problem, the former Department of Education (DoE) developed new programmes called the National Certificate Vocational NC (V) for the students of the Further Education and Training colleges (FETs), which were renamed the Technical Vocational Educational and Training Colleges (TVET). The TVET programmes were implemented with the collaboration of industry and other stakeholders who were involved when the NC (V) programmes were developed to ensure their buy-in. Despite all these efforts, Magnus et al. (2013) are of the view that the vocationally-oriented NC (V) programmes offered at colleges are not useful, work-focused and flexible, as a result some leading employers reject the products of the programmes. Returning to the global debate, Lewis (2009) contends that failure of vocational programmes anywhere ought not to be taken as an indictment of vocationalism. Based on the above scenario, this study surveyed and traced TVET graduates who graduated from 2009 to 2012, to determine the impact of the NC (V) programme on those who decided to either further their studies or be employed. Although the programmes offered by the FET’s are rolled out in various study fields throughout the country, the research was limited to graduates who were enrolled in the following three programmes in the North West Province: building construction, electrical, and engineering related studies. The three mega FET Colleges, composed of more than ten campuses as listed in point 1.2.1, are spread throughout the province, which is regarded to be predominantly rural even though it boasts the biggest hub of mines, especially platinum mines. There is also high concentration of tourism industry as well as agricultural businesses that require a skilled labour force to drive economic activities. An extensive literature review was conducted to appropriately inform the study and to provide a firm basis for the arguments. The NC (V) programmes by their nature and design are closely related to the work of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) with respect to the apprenticeships and the learnerships. Factors relating to the research scope, context and the geographical environment were analysed to ensure proper delineation and delimitation of the study since it covered only the North West Province of South Africa. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for the collection of data. An interview schedule was used for the collection of the qualitative data from the Colleges, Department of Higher Education and Training, the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), the Universities of Technologies (UoTs), and the various employer organizations. The questionnaire was applied to collect quantitative data from the graduates because of their large numbers. The use of both methods, the qualitative and quantitative, enhanced the quality of the verification and the validation of the data. The correlational relationship and connection between the NC (V) graduates and their post college destinations was determined. This refers to the correlation between NC (V) graduates and the opportunities seized after their college studies. Charles (1998:11) attests that “although in most cases data for correlation studies are obtained through measurement, at times they come from judgments made by researchers, teachers, or other qualified persons”. In line with this, the researcher presented the findings from the qualitative method in a manner that outlines the opinions and the post college status of the graduates. The findings of the qualitative method provided background knowledge into the NC (V) programmes, the graduates and their destinations, thereby validating the quantitative findings. A work integrated learning framework model is proposed for the enhancement of the FET College curriculum, for the improvement of quality work-placement and for the promotion of partnership amongst the beneficiaries; graduates, employers, colleges and the intermediaries. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: see full text for abstract / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: sien volteks vir die opsomming

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, released in July 2001, is the response ofthe South African government's Department of Education to the inclusion movement. In this (re)search, I (de)construct this text to explore constitutions of (dis)ability and inlexclusion. I do so because I frame (de)construction as 'an aggressive, political mode of critical analysis that strips conventional and assumed truths down to their logically insubstantial bare bones' (Danforth & Rhodes, 1997: 358). I argue that it is necessary to (de)constructively read government policy that proposes a course or policy of action, particularly if, as poststructuralists state, language constitutes reality. In reading White Paper 6, I (de)construct the functionalist grand narrative as hegemonic: discourses constituted by and constituting this metanarrative, including the medical or special needs discourse, the charity discourse, the systems discourse, the business discourse and the pioneering discourse. The radical humanist grand narrative is also read as dominant, formed by and forming the rights discourse and social justice discourse. The social constructionist discourse, constituting and constituted by the intepretivist grand narrative, is (dejconstructed in White Paper 6 as not reflecting upon the social construction of disability itself, but on social constructions related to (dis)ability and inlexclusion. The objects, agents, action and binaries constituted by each of these discourses are also (de)constructed, as are the voices on the margins. The purpose of my (re)search is not to construct conclusions, but rather to (de)construct the polyphony of voices, truths and realities speaking into and out of White Paper 6. In so doing, the 'indecidability' (Silverman, 1989: 4) of the text is (de)constructed. With the indecidable (de)constructed, '... discourses can no longer dominate, judge, decide: between the positive and negative, the good and the bad, the true and the false' (Derrida, 1992: 86). (Dis)ability and inlexclusion tmths are troubled and the text is opened to different readings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Witskrif 6: Spesialebehoefteonderwys, wat in Julie 2001 beskikbaar gestel is, is die reaksie van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se Departement van Onderwys op die insluitingsbeweging. In hierdie (onder)soek(e) (de)konstrueer ek genoemde teks om bepalinge van (on)vermoë en inluitsluiting te ondersoek. Ek doen dit omdat ek (de)konstruksie sien as ". .. an aggressive, political mode of critical analysis that strips conventional and assumed truths down to their logically insubstantial bare bones ... " (Danforth & Rhodes, 1997: 358). Myns insiens is dit nodig om regeringsbeleid wat 'n handelswyse ten opsigte van, of beleid vir optrede voorstel, (de)konstruktief te lees, veral indien dit is soos die poststrukturaliste voorstel, naamlik dat taal werklikheid is. Met die lees van Witskrif 6, het ek die funksionalistiese groot narratief as hegemonies geede)konstrueer: diskoerse wat deur hierdie metanarratief gevorm word en dit tegelyk ook vorm, met inbegrip van mediese of spesialebehoeftediskoers, die relaas van naasteliefde, die stelseldiskoers, die sakediskoers en die baanbrekersdiskoers. Die radikaal humanistiese groot narratief, wat die regtediskoers en die diskoers van maatskaplike geregtigheid vorm en daardeur gevorm word, word ook as dominant vertolk. Die diskoers van maatskaplike konstruktivisme, wat die interpretatiewe groot narratief vorm en daardeur gevorm word, word in Witskrif 6 geede)konstrueer, as sou dit nie op die sosiale konstruksie van (on)vermoë self sinspeel nie, maar op sosiale konstruksies wat met (on)vermoë en inluitsluiting verband hou. Die voorwerpe, agente, optrede en binêres wat deur elk van hierdie diskoerse gevorm is, sowel as die stemme op die kantlyn, word ook deur hierdie diskoerse ge(de)konstrueer. Die doel van my (onder)soek(e) is nie om uitsluitings te konstrueer nie, maar eerder om die polifonie van stemme, waarhede en realiteite wat vanuit Witskrif 6 tot ons spreek, maar ook inspraak daarin het, te (de)konstrueer. Deur dit te doen, word die "indecidability" (Silverman, 1989: 4) van die teks ge(de)konstrueer. Met die nie-besluitnemende" ... discourses can no longer dominate, judge, decide: between the positive and negative, the good and the bad, the true and the false" (Derrida, 1992: 86). (On)vermoë en die inluitsluiting van Vt'aafhede is problematies en die teks word oopgemaak vir verskillende interpretasies.

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Since 1989 most of the schools in Lenasia which were under the auspices of the now dissolved House of Delegates, began to 'admit black children. Most of these children live at the informal settlements in Lenasia. Soon after the admission of these children many Indian teachers expressed their difficulties with them, especially with regard to language, teaching and learning. Teachers also complained that children from the informal settlement lacked discipline, they often came to school late and they had difficulty in completing their homework. As a result of the several complaints from teachers the researcher decided to conduct a study on the experiences of children from the informal settlements at predominantly Indian schools in Lenasia. A pilot study revealed that the experiences of the children at the informal settlements also needed to be taken into consideration. Standard six children from the informal settlements, parents from the settlements and members of the camp education committee were identified as the target populations in the study. A qualitative research design that is explorative, descriptive and contextual, specifically to the experiences of standard six children from the informal settlements was used for the study. The study was conducted in two distinct phases. Phase one of the study involved the collection of data on the experiences of standard six children from the informal settlements both at their schools as well as their place of residence. Data was collected through the use of phenomenological interviews, focus group discussions, life studies and a projective test. Phase one of the study also focused on the analysis of the data that were obtained. The analysis of the data showed that children from the informal settlements had several negative experiences both at their schools as well as at the informal settlements which caused them to feel disempowered...

A Research Project Submitted to the Faculty of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education. Johannesburg, 1982 / This research project examines the influence of the philosophy of Christian National Education (C.N.E.) on the principles underlying South African education,and attempts to determine the general trend of that influence from 1948 to 1982. To this end the project investigates the nature of C.N.E. by tracing the development of the C.N.E. movement from its origins to the publication of its official policy statement in 1948. This historical overview highlights the fundamental shift in the movement from a religious to a more secular and national outlook, as C.N.E. became associated more closely with Afrikaner Nationalism and the National Party Government. An examination of its effect on South African education reveals that C.N.E. was a powerful influence on the system of Bantu Education and permeated many aspects of White education. In recent years, however, C.N.E.'s influence has been less noticeable and some of its tenets compromised. No C.N.E. bias was detected in the principles of the de Lange Commission (198i). From these findings it seems that C.N.E. has lost its impetus and appeal for many Afrikaners. Nevertheless, the rightwing Afrikaner reaction, against the de Lange Report and in favour of C.N.E., suggests that this educational philosophy still is subscribed to by a powerful section of Afrikanerdom.

This study examines the concept of ideology and then surveys the relationship between ideology and education. Particular forces that help to shape ideologies which affect education are indicated. The focus then moves to an investigation of the influence of ideology on visible elements of the educational system: leadership, structure and process. It is contended that ideology as a world-view, based on prescriptive group beliefs and assumptions which are rationalized in terms of ontology, axiology and epistemology, is translated into action within social apparatuses, such as schools. It is argued that ideology does have a disguising motive in that through its slogans and rhetoric it attempts a justification of itself. In essence it deals with issues of power and control. These contentions are examined through a detailed analysis of the concept and function of ideology to determine its locus of inference and definition to be used in this work. Ideology is then considered from the perspective of its relationship with education. The concept of leadership and concepts of organizational models, such as bureaucracy, are examined in general terms and then in relation to ideology, with the major focus on the influence of ideology on educational leadership, structure and process. These elements are shown to be important and visible reflections of an ideology in action. There is shown to be a strong degree of congruence between theoretical ideology and ideology in action. From an international survey, the focus of the study moves to South Africa. The historical milieu which has helped to create the ideology of Afrikaner Nationalism, based on twin pillars of domination and segregation, is reviewed before this 'dominant' ideology is analysed in relation to education and the visible elements of educational leadership, structure and process. It is contended that this complex ideology has been associated with issues of power and control and has caused widespread harm through its translation of belief into action in terms of social engineering. Its ontology, axiology and epistemology are questioned. In contrast, a liberal-humanistic type of ideology is analysed in action in white English medium schools. It is shown how this 'dominated' ideology has withstood Afrikaner hegemony in many essentials. Although it is postulated that in South African black education, no institutionalized ideology can be investigated, a theoretical or aspiring ideology which has considerable black support, that of People's Education, is reviewed. Finally, it is contended that ideologies need to be analysed and differences in beliefs and assumptions, even the use of slogans, to be acknowledged before negotiations can produce any acceptable synthesis for South African education. It is argued that new styles of leadership, new structures and new processes are needed before the State President's 'democratic goal' can even begin to be realised. Directions for a future educational system are stated. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Natal, 1992.

This study investigated how rural children with disabilities and their families in the Qwaqwa Region of the Free State province experience disability. The aim was to examine the various social, cultural, economic, and political factors that impact the lives of the children and their families. It also explored what support systems are available for the children and the families in this rural context. Seventeen children with disabilities and their families were selected through a process of purposive sampling from three areas in the region: Mabolela, Makgalaneng, and Bolata. Nine of the children are currently in primary schools, and eight do not have access to formal schooling. This was a qualitative study. The research method was the semi-structured interview. The main caregiver in each of the families was interviewed. Interviews were conducted in Sesotho and audio-taped. These were transcribed, and then translated into English. The findings in the study reveal that despite the fact that various legislation and policy documents in South Africa make special reference to the protection of the rights of rural children with disabilities, the rights of the children and families in this study continue to be violated. The study revealed the urgent need to address barriers to learning and development that these children are experiencing which are largely located in the system. Some of these are: poverty and underdevelopment; negative attitudes; lack of education and rehabilitation services, lack of access to information; inadequate social and psychological support; lack of community based and accessible support services; lack of access to information about disability; poor access to resources such as health care, and social welfare; lack of coordination between professional services and departments in the province. The study has implications for planning services to address the needs of children with disabilities and their families in this rural context. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 1999.

The end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994 triggered unprecedented changes in the country's institutions including the school. In the city of Durban one such change was the influx of Zulu-speaking pupils into previously "Indian" and "White" schools in their quest to learn through the medium of English only. The majority of these students are less proficient in English and therefore find it difficult to participate in classroom activities. Drawing on questionnaires, interviews and personal observations of classroom interaction, this study reports on one teaching method, peer tutoring, that some teachers at Southlands Secondary use to attend to the communicative needs of these students. In particular, the study reports on how peer-tutoring works at this school, what its benefits are to the learners, what the learners' attitudes are toward this teaching method, and what its implications are for the English-only argument. The study shows that contrary to the English-only argument, using the students' native tongue, Zulu, in an English-only classroom can assist rather than impede ESL learning. Peer tutoring not only contributes to the academic development of Zulu-speaking pupils and fosters friendships and meaningful contacts between Zulu-speaking and Indian pupils, but it also provides the latter with opportunities to learn Zulu and to appreciate the language as a resource in an English-only environment. It is hoped that this study, which is very much pilot in nature, will help highlight issues that can become the subject of more detailed studies in this field. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1999.

No abstract available / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)