Since 1994, the South African education system has been undergoing continuous transformation which has had an impact on the governance of Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. This study, which focused on an investigation of the principles of effective governance at FET colleges, was conducted in three purposefully sampled FET colleges. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data collected using semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis. The main finding of this study revealed that college councils do not have either the capacity or the resources to develop policies for colleges, nor is there a clear and documented reporting process in place. The study highlighted that the roles and responsibilities of college council’s sub-committees are not clearly defined in the 2006 FETC Act. Based on the research findings, recommendations were made in respect of the effective participation of college councils in the governance of FET colleges. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This research was undertaken to investigate the role of motivation in influencing secondary school pupils to learn effectively. The researcher determined that without teacher motivation, pupils cannot learn to their full capacity. A number of motivational theories, principles and strategies, were found which if used properly can improve classroom learning. The ultimate decision concerning how and when to use them is in the hands of the teachers. Pupils should be inspired to perform and reach beyond their perceived limits which demands different learning incentives. As becoming adults, pupils must be encouraged to achieve positive learning and discouraged from negative behaviour that could harm their development. Learning motives remain the strongest driving force to improve pupils' performance as they change their learning behaviour towards achieving set goals. To re-establish the true meaning of education, both teachers and pupils should act responsibly as both bear blame for education having lost its meaning. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie verhandeling word gepoog om teen die agtergrond van multikulturele skoolsituasies in Suid-Afrika 'n oorsig van die problematiek random kommunikasievaardighede te gee. Algemene intra- en interpersoonlike kommunikasievaardighede word uitgelig. In aansluiting by 'n literatuurondersoek is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met skoolhoofde en onderwysers wat by multikulturele skoolsituasies betrokke is, ingesamel. Die wyse waarop mense met mekaar praat is deurslaggewend. Kommunikasieprobleme kan ontstaan wanneer kultuurgroepe met mekaar kommunikeer. Die hantering van misverstande en konflik in multikulturele skoolsituasies is belangrik. Onderwysbestuurders moet verskeie kommunikasievaardighede tydens 'n konfliksituasie aanwend. Die doeltreffende funksionering van 'n skool word grootliks medebepaal deur effektiewe kommunikasievaardighede wat toegepas word om verhoudinge tussen verskillende groepe te verbeter. Onderwysbestuurders behoort opgelei te word om effektief met alle betrokkenes in 'n konfliksituasie te kommunikeer. / This paper endeavours to give a review of the problematic nature of communication skills against the background of multicultural school situations in South Africa. General intra and interpersonal communication skills are highlighted. Further to the literature review, qualitative data has been gathered through interviews with a number of principals and teachers who are involved in multicultural school situations. The manner in which people speak to each other is important. Communication problems can occur when culture groups communicate. The management of misunderstandings and conflict is important in multicultural school situations. Education managers must utilise several communication skills during a conflict situation. The successful functioning of a school is essentially co-determined by the employment of effective communication skills to improve relationships between different groups. Education managers should be trained to communicate effectively with all persons involved in a conflict situation. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The introduction of inclusive education in the South African educational system may be seen as one of the first steps to promote equality and human rights in post-apartheid South Africa. With the implementation of inclusive education, education became less segregated and fragmented, with the aim of ensuring equal learning opportunities for all children, including those with disabilities. The main driving force of inclusive education in South Africa is the Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education: Building an inclusive education and training system published in 2001. The aim of this study was to understand inclusive education from the perspectives of those who are charged with the implementation thereof. Classroom educators (teachers) together with district-based support teams are seen as the primary resource for achieving the goal of an inclusive education and training system. This study focused on the perspectives of teachers from one primary and one secondary school in one education district (Education District A) and District-based support team members from another education district (Education District B) in the Western Cape. The study takes on a social constructionist paradigm and illustrates how our understanding and conceptualisation of disability have changed overtime. A social constructionist paradigm highlights the way in which disability is a socially constructed and how it changes according to our understanding thereof. The different models of disability and the role of education was also a main focus of this study. A qualitative research design was used, with purposive and opportunity sampling being applied. Data was gathered using focus groups and in-depth semi-structured interviews and was analysed using thematic analysis. The key findings of this study showed that the teachers and district-based support team members believe that inclusive education can be successful in South Africa provided that changes are made in how it is currently conceptualised and implemented. The teachers have a very different perspective on inclusive education from the support team members. The teachers believe that the success of inclusive education can only be ensured if barriers to teaching are prevented or eradicated, while the support team members believe the success of inclusive education depends on the identification and prevention of barriers to learning. Both groups do however believe that inclusive education is a very good ideal to strive towards but that it has not yet been achieved and that the inclusion and education of all learners are of great importance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bekendstelling van inklusiewe onderwys in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel kan gesien word as een van die eerste stappe om gelykheid en menseregte in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika te bevorder. Met die implementering van inklusiewe onderwys het die onderwysstelsel meer toeganklik en minder gefragmenteerd geword. Die doel van inklusiewe onderwys is om te verseker dat alle kinders, ook dié met gestremdhede, gelyke leergeleenthede kry. Die belangrikste dryfkrag agter inklusiewe onderwys in Suid-Afrika is die Onderwys Witskrif 6 oor Spesiale Onderwys: Die bou van 'n inklusiewe onderwys-en opleidingstelsel wat in 2001 gepubliseer is. Die doel van hierdie studie was om inklusiewe onderwys vanuit die perspektiewe van diegene wat dit moet implementeer te verstaan. Klaskamer opvoeders (onderwysers) asook distrikgebaseerde kringondersteuningspanne word gesien as die primêre bronne vir die bereiking van 'n inklusiewe onderwys-en opleidingstelsel. Hierdie studie het op die perspektiewe van onderwysers, van een primêre en een sekondêre skool in een onderwysdistrik (Onderwysdistrik A), en kringondersteuningspanlede, van ʼn tweede onderwysdistrik (Onderwysdistrik B), in die Wes-Kaap gefokus. Die studie neem 'n sosiale konstruktivistiese paradigma aan en illustreer hoe ons begrip en definiëring van gestremdheid oor tyd verander het. 'n Sosiale konstruktivistiese paradigma beklemtoon die manier waarop gestremdheid sosiaal gekonstrueer is en hoe dit verander volgens hoe ons begrip daarvan verander. Die verskillende modelle van gestremdheid en die rol van onderwys was ook 'n hooffokus van hierdie studie. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik, doelgerigte steekproefneming en geleentheid-steekproefneming was toegepas om die deelnemers te kies. Data is ingesamel deur middel van fokusgroepe en in-diepte semigestruktureerde onderhoude en is ontleed deur gebruik te maak van tematiese analise. Die belangrikste bevindings van hierdie studie was dat die onderwysers en distrikgebaseerde kringondersteuningspanlede van mening is dat inklusiewe onderwys slegs in Suid-Afrika suksesvol kan wees mits daar veranderinge gemaak word in hoe ons dit tans konseptualiseer en implementeer. Die onderwysers se perspektief van inklusiewe onderwys verskil heelwat van die perspektiewe van die kringondersteuningspanlede. Die onderwysers is van mening dat van inklusiewe onderwys slegs verseker sal wees indien hindernisse wat onderrig verhoed, voorkom of uitgewis word. Kringondersteuningspanlede is weer van mening die sukses van inklusiewe onderwys afhang van die identifisering en voorkoming van hindernisse van leer. Beide groepe is egter van mening dat inklusiewe onderwys 'n baie goeie ideaal is om na te streef, maar dat dit nog nie bereik is nie, ook dat die insluiting en opvoeding van alle leerders van groot belang is.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In terms of the latest education legislation, there is a shift of emphasis in the approach to teaching. In particular, there is a move from contents-based learning to outcomes-based learning. It has been shown that technical education is becoming more and more expensive. Manual skills and the teaching of these at school is therefore still of cardinal importance. In the technical school the learner receives specialised training. Following the successful completion of the Senior Certificate examinations, the learner receives a matric certificate. This certificate does not give an indication of specific skills, however. If the learner could receive some accreditation for the skills which he/she has already mastered, it would count in his/her favour. The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree to which the learner can transfer his/her acquired technical knowledge and skills to other training institutions or employers in the form of credits. In the first chapter, the historical background of an outcomes-based learning approach in South Africa, as well as the implications of legislation for technical high schools is researched. A number of necessary concepts are also explained in this chapter. In chapter two, the structure of a modular approach in technical education is looked at in more detail. Different types of modules, the advantages and disadvantages of a modular system, as well as different models for modular curriculum design is discussed. The already tested competence-based modular approach, as well as the newly proposed outcomes-based learning approach is discussed in detail in chapter three. Since it is the competence-based modular approach which is largely used in technical education, it is important to investiqate the shift to an outcomesbased approach in technical education. In the fourth chapter, specific modular points of intersection between the training of apprentices and secondary school education are looked at. The feasibility of acquiring credits in the technical high school is discussed on the basis of an empirical study in chapter five. The possible applications of the implementation of an outcomes-based learning approach in technical high schools are set out in chapter six and the findings of this research are summarised in chapter seven. The subject of this research is currently very topical and if the findings contained therein are applied in practice, many of the modern challenges faced by the education system could be addressed. Learners should receive education and training which prepare them practically for their roles as citizens, while also enabling them to enter the job market or create work for themselves. The importance of an education system which continually determines the needs of both the national and international markets, investigates technological and other relevant tendencies and develops current curriculums in such a way that learners will always be competitive cannot be emphasised enough. An outcomes-based approach places much less emphasis on content-based syllabuses and merely exposes learners to balanced learning programmes in which the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes and values carries equal weight. Because of the changes in education and training, the teaching approach in the technical high school is extremely important. To some degree, technical education is already specialised education. Although learning takes place at school, the acquired knowledge is not currently transferable to other training institutions in the form of credits. This situation is contradictory to the National Qualifications Framework, in which an outcomes-based approach to education is proposed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Volgens die nuutste onderwyswetgewing is daar in die onderwys 'n klemverskuiwing ten opsigte van onderrigbenadering. Daar word vanaf 'n inhoudsgerigte na 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering beweeg. Afdoende bewyse bestaan dat tegniese opleiding al hoe duurder raak. Die noodsaaklikheid van die ontwikkeling van handvaardighede daarin op skool is daarom steeds van kardinale belang. In die tegniese skoolontvang die leerder bepaalde gespesialiseerde opleiding. Na die suksesvolle aflegging van die Senior Sertifikaateksamen, ontvang die leerder 'n matrieksertifikaat. Hierdie sertifikaat dui egter nie spesifieke bevoegdhede aan nie. Indien die leerder krediet sou kon ontvang vir die bevoegdhede wat hy/sy reeds suksesvol bemeester het, sou dit in sy/haar guns tel. Die doel van hierdie studie is 'n ondersoek na die mate waarin die leerder sy/haar verworwe tegniese kennis en vaardighede na ander opleidingsinstansies of werkverskaffers kan oordra in die vorm van krediete. In die eerste hoofstuk word die historiese agtergrond van 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering in Suid-Afrika nagevors, asook die implikasies van wetgewing vir tegniese hoërskole nagegaan. Bepaalde tersaaklike begrippe word ook in hierdie hoofstuk verduidelik. In hoofstuk twee word die struktuur van 'n modulêre benadering binne tegniese onderwys van nader beskou. Verskillende soorte modules, die voor- en nadele van 'n modulêre stelsel, asook verskeie modelle vir 'n modulêre kurrikulumontwerp, word bespreek. Die reeds beproefde bevoegdheidsgebaseerde modulêre benadering asook die nuutvoorgestelde uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering, word breedvoerig in hoofstuk drie bespreek. Aangesien hoofsaaklik die bevoegdheidsgebaseerde modulêre benadering in tegniese onderwys toegepas word, is dit belangrik om die noodsaaklikheid van 'n klemverskuiwing na 'n uitkomsgebaseerde benadering in tegniese onderwys te ondersoek. In die vierde hoofstuk word daar spesifiek gekyk na bepaalde modulêre raakpunte tussen vakleerlingopleiding en sekondêreskoolopleiding. Die haalbaarheid van kredietverwerwing in die tegniese hoërskool word in hoofstuk vyf na aanleiding van 'n empiriese ondersoek bespreek. Die toepassingsmoontlikhede vir die implementering van 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering in die tegniese hoërskool word daarna in hoofstuk ses uiteengesit en die bevindinge van die navorsing in hoofstuk sewe saamgevat. Die onderwerp van hierdie navorsing is tans baie aktueel en indien die bevindinge daarin vervat in die praktyk toegepas sou word, sal heelwat van die moderne uitdagings wat aan die onderwys gestel word, aangespreek word. Leerders behoort onderwys en opleiding te ontvang wat hulle prakties op hul rolle as landsburgers voorberei en hulle ook bekwaam maak om tot die arbeidsmark toe te tree of vir hulleself werk te skep. Die belangrikheid van 'n onderrigstelsel wat voortdurend behoeftes in nasionale en internasionale markte bepaal, tegnologiese en ander relevante tendense naspeur en huidige kurrikulums só ontwikkel dat leerders altyd kompeterend is, kan nie genoeg beklemtoon word nie. 'n Uitkomsgebaseerde benadering plaas minder klem op inhoudsgebaseerde sillabusse en stel leerders bloot aan gebalanseerde leerprogramme waarin die verwerwing van relevante kennis, vaardighede, houdings en waardes ewe veel gewig dra. As gevolg van die klemverskuiwings in onderwys en opleiding is die leerbenadering wat in die tegniese hoërskool gevolg word van kardinale belang. Tegniese onderrig is in 'n sekere mate reeds gespesialiseerde onderrig. Alhoewel leer op skool plaasgevind het, is die verworwe kennis tans nie oordraagbaar na ander opleidingsinstansies in die vorm van krediete vir die leerders nie. Hierdie situasie is in stryd met die bedoeling van die Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk wat 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderwysbenadering voorstaan

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A perennial challenge facing public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges in South Africa is that the majority of staff, while technically qualified to do the work that forms the contents of what they teach, are either not professionally qualified educators, or are professionally qualified as educators in other educational sectors. For TVET lecturers, the development of their teaching skills, like their professional identity, relies primarily on informal development by line managers, other members of staff or themselves. This study examines how professionally underqualified lecturers employed at TVET colleges in the Western Cape develop their teaching skills, inter alia, by being mentored by managers, experienced members of staff or themselves by asking the question: in what ways do mentoring processes within a college contribute to the incorporation of staff into a college?. Flowing from the primary research question this study sought to identify the nature and forms of institutional level mentoring, as well as the related use of language and power. This study is framed within the critical paradigm, applying a methodological framework developed by Fairclough (2010) and a combination of methods of analysis. At a micro level a form of analysis designed by Fairclough (1989; 2001) is used. The results are classified by means of a Foucauldian-based methodological framework developed by Keevy (2005). Mentoring has become popular as a term to describe informal learning in a wide variety of settings, including business and education. As a result of the popularity of the term, publications on a wide array of aspects related to informal learning have been produced. Periodically, however, criticisms of mentoring have surfaced, which fundamentally challenge its standing as an academic discipline. Such critique prompted this research project: to question whether or not mentoring was, what Fairclough calls a social wrong. Challenging the assumption that mentoring is a social wrong forms a point of departure for this study. A broad analysis of literature about mentoring is presented with the aim of identifying what Foucault calls, its ethical substance. The established ethical substance of mentoring is extrapolated into a schema indicating various broad descriptions of mentoring. The broad descriptions are used in an analysis of mentoring practices in a professional work environment suited to the application of current mentoring practices, one in which has not yet been formally applied in staff induction programmes: namely, public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. In addition to challenging the assumption that mentoring is a social wrong, the study, significantly, the neo-liberal notion that mentees are passive recipients of knowledge. Findings from this study indicate, significantly, that new lecturers develop themselves as lecturers by unconsciously using mentoring methodologies, in the absence of formal mentoring programmes. In contrast to many international institutions, where mentoring programmes are mandatory, the lecturers interviewed in this study were not constrained by the managerialist ideology of neo-liberalism and were empowered by the mentoring with which they were involved. This study provides insights into how professional mentees learn, who they learn from and how they use what they have learnt in their own development, and how this contributes towards an understanding of the nature of adult learning in the workplace. Literature reviewed in this study includes a wide range of publications on the topic of mentoring, including education publications, business management publication and translations of the two original texts on the subject, namely Homer’s Odyssey and Fenelon’s Adventures of Telemachus. Key educational publications consulted include the translated works of Plato and Freire. Publications on social critique include the works of Fairclough and Foucault. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kwessie rakende personeel wat tegnies gekwalifiseerd is om die werk, wat die vakinhoud van hulle lesings vorm, te doen, maar wat nie professionele onderwysopleiding het nie of in ander opvoedingsvelde gekwalifiseer is, is ’n uitdaging waarmee tegnies en beroepsgerigte onderwys en opleiding (TVET/TBOO) colleges voortdurend te kampe het. Hierdie dosente steun grotendeels op hulself, lyn bestuurders of ander personeellede om hulle onderwysvaardighede op ’n informele wyse te ontwikkel. Hierdie studie ondersoek die maniere waarop dosente met onvoldoende professionele kwalifikasies by (TVET/TBOO) colleges in die Wes-Kaap hulle eie vaardighede ontwikkel deur onder meer die mentorskap van bestuurders en ervare personeellede. Dit word gedoen aan die hand van die volgende vraag: “Op watter wyses dra prosesse van mentorskap binne ’n kollege by tot die inkoporering van personeel.” Hierdie studie poog om, na aanleiding van die primêre navorsingsvraag, die aard en vorm van mentorskap op die institusionele vlak te identifiseer sowel as die meegaande gebruik van taal en gesag. Hierdie studie is benader vanuit die kritiese paradigma met die toepassing van ’n metodologiese raamwerk soos ontwikkel deur Fairclough (2010) tesame met ’n kombinasie van analitiese metodes. ’n Metode van analise wat Fairclough (1989; 2001) ontwikkel het, is op ’n mikrovlak toegepas en die resultate is daarna geklassifiseer met Keevy (2005) se Foucault-gebasseerde metodologiese raamwerk. Mentorskap word wyd gebruik as ’n omvattende begrip om informele leer in diverse kontekste aan te dui. Dit sluit die sakewêreld en onderwys in. Die gewildheid van die begrip het ’n wye verskeidenheid publikasies betreffende informele leer tot gevolg gehad. Daar is egter deurentyd kritiek op mentorskap wat die fundamentele waarde daarvan bevraagteken. Dit is hierdie kritiek wat die navorser genoop het om te vra of mentorskap wel ’n “maatskaplike wandaad” is soos wat Fairclough dit noem. Die vertrekpunt van hierdie studie is die veronderstelling dat dit wel so is. ’n Oorsigtelike analise van literatuur betreffende mentorskap word voorgelê met die doel om dit wat Foucault die “etiese substans” noem, te identifiseer. Die bepaalde etiese substans van mentorskap word geëkstrapoleer tot ’n skema wat verskeie breë definisies van mentorskap aandui. Hierdie breë definisies word dan gebruik in ’n ontleding van mentorskap in ’n professionele werksomgewing, wat geskik is vir die toepassing van bestaande mentorpraktyke, maar waar dit nog nie formeel in personeelinduksieprogramme ingesluit is nie: naamlik (TVET/TBOO) colleges. Hierdie studie bevraagteken nie net die aanname dat mentorskap ’n maatskaplike wandaad is nie, maar ook die neo-liberale siening dat diegene wat gementor word die ontvangers van kennis is en dui daarop dat nuwe dosente hulself ontwikkel, weens ’n gebrek aan formele mentorprogramme, deur die onbewuste gebruik van mentormetodes. In teenstelling met baie internasionale instellings waar mentorprogramme verpligtend is, is die dosente met wie daar onderhoude gevoer is nie aan bande gelê deur neo-liberale bestuursideologieë nie en is bemagtig deur die mentorskap waarin hulle betrokke was. Die studie gee insigte in hoe professionele persone wat mentorskap ontvang, leer, van wie hulle leer, hoe hulle dit wat hulle leer in hulle eie ontwikkeling toepas en hoe dit bydra tot ’n begrip van die aard van volwasse leer in die werkplek. Die literatuur wat in hierdie studie geraadpleeg word, sluit ’n wye spektrum van publikasies oor die vakgebied van mentorskap in. Dit is onder meer onderwys- en sakebestuurpublikasies sowel as vertalings van twee oorspronklike geskrifte rakende die onderwerp, by name Homeros se Odusseia en Fénelon se Avonture van Telemachus. Die vertaalde werke van Plato en Freire is onder die opvoedkundige sleutelbronne wat geraadpleeg is en bronne oor maatskaplike kritiek sluit die werke van Fairclough en Foucault in.

This research is an attempt to determine the extent to which the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in higher education promotes social transformation. Through analysing the case study of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) RPL programme, some conclusions on this matter were drawn. This research, a qualitative study, analyses key official documents, institutional reports, learning portfolios - produced by RPL candidates wherin they narrated their autobiographical learning histories - extensively. In addition, qualitative data were incorporated into this study to assist in the construction of the context within which RPL is being offered ...

This phenomenological study discusses the problem of whether the agents or actors who design strategies take full account of the concepts that their plans are designed to change. Therefore, I critically assess DramAidE's methodology in order to show how efficient it is in the light of Freirean pedagogy. In that, the study investigates whether there is an analytically bulletproof communication form that necessarily achieves behaviour change, as has occasionally been attributed to Freire. The theoretical framework of this study includes development communication theories along with the Entertainment-Education approach (EE) used in health communication. More specifically, the study is informed by Freirean critical pedagogy and behaviour change theories. On the other hand, the Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977), the Fixation of Belief Model (Peirce, 1877) and the concepts of intimate and social realms (Arendt, 1958) are also used to explain the realities observed in DramAidE's programmes. The methodologies used, in addition to the literature review, consisted of semistructured in-depth interviews along with focus group discussions with DramAidE's staff, schoolchildren, teachers and caregivers. Among the results established by this study, it is worth mentioning the growing interest displayed by beneficiaries towards DramAidE's programmes. Life-skills claimed by learners included aspects such as self-confidence, assertiveness, decision making skills, informed sexuality, and improved communication. However, serious discrepancies were noticed between these life-skills, how well they were mastered and how effectively the learners put them into practice. Reasons for that proved to be rooted chiefly in peer pressures and cultural stumbling blocks, for example gender inequality and violence against females. This means that peer educators needed a more supportive environment to extend DramAidE's action. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

Since 1994, the South African education system has been undergoing continuous transformation which has had an impact on the governance of Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. This study, which focused on an investigation of the principles of effective governance at FET colleges, was conducted in three purposefully sampled FET colleges. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data collected using semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis. The main finding of this study revealed that college councils do not have either the capacity or the resources to develop policies for colleges, nor is there a clear and documented reporting process in place. The study highlighted that the roles and responsibilities of college council’s sub-committees are not clearly defined in the 2006 FETC Act. Based on the research findings, recommendations were made in respect of the effective participation of college councils in the governance of FET colleges. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study was to develop the i-STEM programme, an awareness initiative that would improve the participation of young women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in South African universities. That would serve as an intervention measure to young women’s significantly low numbers in the STEM fields, causing a gender disparity in those fields. Young women are said to be overrepresented in the fields that are at a lower level, the so-called soft disciplines and of short-term duration at tertiary level. The STEM fields, on the other hand, are well-remunerated and high-status careers, perceived as the main solution for the unprecedented socioeconomic challenges that the world is experiencing, as a result of, mainly, climate change and lack of food security. The literature reviewed was focused on the participation of young women in the STEM fields in South Africa, Africa and globally, assisting the study to investigate the reasons for low numbers of young women in the STEM fields. The mixed method approach was of benefit to the nature of this study, a quantitative and qualitative enquiry. The study was conducted at two universities with completely different profiles, contact sessions and modes of content delivery. The third institution was the government department relating to higher education. For research design, data was collected from 111 participants who were involved with the STEM fields and/or university education. Two (2) lecturers, two (2) government officials and two (2) young female students were interviewed and 105 other participants completed the questionnaires. Some data were collected from participating institutions’ documents. Interpretation and analysis of such data, was done through concurrent, triangulation design, where data collection was done concurrently, i.e. in the same phase, in both the quantitative and qualitative manner. The main findings blamed the different ways in which boys and girls were socialised in their communities. Girls were more exposed to matters pertaining to food and caring while boys were more exposed to cars and machines, resulting in girls preferring socially orientated careers and the boys, mechanical ones. Those findings were used as the impetus to construct Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the developed awareness programme, i.e. ‘Identification’, ‘Induction’ and ‘Implementation’, whereby the departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training, together with universities, would identify learners and students as mentees and mentors, who will become the advocates for breaking the above stereotypes. Another discovery was that there is an element of cultural stereotyping in society, that the STEM fields were difficult and therefore meant for men, since they are supposed to be more demanding and not for women as soft targets; hence the environment was unsupportive of women. It also related to the classification of certain jobs as men’s and others as women’s territory. That theory was further extended through the finding that the STEM fields were more-costly than the social sciences and that most of them require a longer study period. As a result, young women who anticipate becoming mothers and wives, avoid them as careers, in consideration of their future cultural roles. Those findings influenced the last four phases of the i-STEM programme, i.e. ‘Impression’, ‘Integration’, ‘Intensification’ and ‘Ignition’, whereby cultural and classist stereotypes would be determined through baseline information and rooted out by synergy in terms of resources, research and effort by local, national and international stakeholders, as guided by the programme. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)