The purpose of this study was to investigate the socio-economic impact of learners’ achievement at public schools in Nkangala District in the Mpumalanga Province. The benefits of the study were highlighted within the narrative of the study. The study was qualitative in nature and included a literature study, observations and semi structured interviews. It was discovered from the data that the socio- economic conditions in the district, the learners’ home environment, the school environment and the Department of Education impacted on learners’ achievement. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for improvements to assist in addressing the socio economic impact on learners’ achievement. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study explored school choice and school commuting in the town of Ladybrand in the Free State Province. A mixed research method (survey and qualitative interviews) was used. Grade 8 parents from all three public secondary schools in Ladybrand were surveyed. Members of the School Governing Bodies (SGB) and School Management Teams (SMT) were also interviewed. The study found that all three schools are dominated by Black African children, although Ladybrand High (a fee-charging, former Model C, whites-only school), had a multiracial learner profile. Most Black African learners in Ladybrand High came from lower to middle-class working homes in the neighbouring township. Lesotho nationals were also enrolled in this school. Most Ladybrand High learners had parents who are married, financially resourced, educated, and working in skilled or professional jobs. In terms of Lereng Secondary and Sehlabeng Secondary School (both no-fee township schools), most learners hail from poorly educated, single-parent homes, where the parents are either working in semi-skilled or unskilled jobs or are unemployed. None were from Lesotho. Their financial status is weak. These parents said they selected the school based on proximity and low cost, whereas quality of education drove enrolment in Ladybrand High. Thus, the schools in the Ladybrand area demonstrate that class segregation has replaced apartheid race segregation. Learners from Ladybrand High commute using a variety of transport modes, while learners in township schools either use a subsidised government bus or walk – in some cases long distances if they live on neighbouring farms. The township schools complained of poor learner discipline and feeling unsafe due to local gang activities, both of which negatively impact on the functioning of the schools. This was not the case with Ladybrand High. While all the schools offer extra lessons, the two township schools hold extensive extra-lesson sessions and matriculation study camps. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

The Umnini Tribal Authority is a poor, semi-rural area in KwaZulu-Natal, governed by a local chief. This study set out to determine school commuting patterns in relation to school choice and socio-economic status (SES) in the area. Mixed methods were used, involving a parental questionnaire survey, interviews, focus groups and a field audit with photographs. Overall, almost all learners enrolled in the seven 'no-fee' state primary (four) and high schools (three) under study were found to be Black African, IsiZulu speakers, and generally ‘extremely poor’ to ‘very poor’. Most households are headed by single mothers who have completed high school but are unemployed. Most households rely on government social grants to some extent. Most fathers were either absent, poorly educated to uneducated, and far less likely to be employed than the mothers. Children living with both parents, especially where the father was tertiary educated, and the mother employed, fell into the ‘less poor’ and ‘better off than most’ categories. In terms of school choice affordability, good teachers, good school management and proximity to home were the main drivers of enrolment. SES seems to have an impact on the amount of money spent on school lunches and school expenses, although there were some concerning exceptions. Primary school learners walked to school, but many parents pay for monthly transport. Some use the government-subsidised bus. High school learners tended to have longer and less safe journeys to school and back than primary school learners. This is especially true for boy learners, who are targets for criminals, drug addicts and, even worse, school bus drivers. Several challenges face all these learners en route to school every day: crime, unsafe and poor road conditions, roadworthy vehicles, long journeys and rough terrain. Primary school learners often get lost or left behind by their transport drivers. Fortunately, their teachers are actively involved in ensuring their safety and well-being – far more so than their parents, who seldom even know the name of the transport driver, let alone whether the vehicle is appropriate, roadworthy or licenced. High school learners were more likely to live in ‘extremely poor’ to ‘very poor’ households, a possible indicator that financially better-off parents are sending their high school children to schools outside of the area. It is recommended that the local tribal authority, the provincial government, the schools, parents and drivers need to work in unison to make the school commute simpler and safer. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Text in English, with abstracts and keywords in English, Sesotho and Afrikaans / The purpose of the study was to investigate and explore how rehabilitation and wellness of juvenile offenders in selected South African correctional schools can be promoted. A wellness model that can be used to promote the wellness of juvenile offenders was proposed based on the findings of the study. The researcher used the wellness, ubuntu and bio-ecological theories as theoretical frameworks to guide the study. These theories helped the researcher to understand how the promotion of wellness among juvenile offenders can facilitate effective rehabilitation and, ultimately, offender reintegration into society. The interpretive paradigm was employed to understand the experiences and views of juveniles as well as teachers and heads of schools who were directly involved in the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. The study used the qualitative research method in which open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from juveniles and teachers whereas semi-structured interviews were to collect data from heads of schools. Participants were purposefully selected to ensure relevant data was gathered. Twenty-one juveniles, twelve teachers and seven heads of schools took part in the study. Participants were drawn from four provinces and seven schools. Data were analysed qualitatively through coding, categorising and developing themes. Themes that developed from data interpretation were used as headings for the findings in each wellness dimension. Themes that developed from the study revealed that schools were making a great effort to promote the wellness of juvenile offenders. Great strides were made especially in promoting the wellness of juvenile offenders through the involvement of different stakeholders although this was inadequate. Schools were facing challenges such as lack of resources, shortage of skilled personnel as well as inadequate stakeholder involvement. The research proposed a wellness model that is holistic in nature to help teachers and other stakeholders involved in juvenile offender rehabilitation to promote their social, physical, emotional, spiritual, career and intellectual wellness. / Mohola wago bala e be e le go aga lenaneo leo le ka šomišwago ke barutisi le batho ba bangwe mo thekgong ya bana bao ba lego dikolong tsa kgolego (dihlokatsebe). Lenaneo le mohola wa lona ke go dira gore bana ba ba sa hlokomeleng melao ya setšhaba ba bušetšwe gore ba kgone go boela go setšhaba. Basekaseki ba šomiša go hlokomela botho le tša tlhago go tlhatlha dithuto tša bona. Dikakanyo tse di dirišeditšwe go dihloka tsebe le barutiši le dihlogo tša dikolo bao ba bego ba ruta bana ba. Thuto ye e šomišitšwe ke ya maemo a godimo moo go šomišitšwego dipotšišo tšeo di se nago phetolo e tee go hwetša kakanyo ya dihlokatsebe le barutiši. Fela mo gongwe go be go dirišwa dipotšišo go dihlogo tsa sekolo. Bao ba bego ba botšišwa ba be ba kgethilwe gabotse goba go lekaleka gore dikarabo e be tša maleba. Masomepedi a dihlokatsebe, barutiši bašupa le dihlogo tsa sekolo ba ile ba šomišwa go dithuto tše. Bao ba kgethilwego ba be ba tšwa di provensing tše nne le dikolong tše šupa tša kgolego. Dikašišo di ile tša sekasekwa gabotse ka maemo a godimo go šomišwa dinomoro, peakanyo le gore ba kgone go aga maikemišetšo a motheo wo. Motheo wo o agilwe go tšwa go dikakišišo gore re hwetše hlokomelo ya dihlokatsebe. Metheo ye e šomišitšwego e bontšhitse gore dikolong tša dihlokatsebe bana ba be ba latela molao. Gobe go šomišwa le kago ya mmele, go tsošološwa moyeng ya di hlokatsebe go šomišwa batho kamoka. Dikolo di ile tša ba le bothata mo go godišeng dihlokatsebe. Yengwe ya bothata e be e le go hlokega ga dišomišwa le batho bao ba hlahlilwego go ruta dihlokatsebe tše mola gape go be go se na batho bao ba nago le kgahlego. Basekaseki ba ile ba tla le seka sa go hlokomela dihlokatsebe ka go felela le go thuša barutiši le batho bao ba lebanego le dihlokatsebe. Gore go godišwe kgwerano, go godišwe go aga ga mmele, go aga tsošološo ya semoya, go ba aga gore ba be le seo ba kgonago le go aga le go godiša menagano ya bona le tša mešomo. / Die doel van die studie was om ’n welstandsmodel te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word deur onderwysers en relevante belanghebbendes in die bevordering van die welstand van jeugdige oortreders in korrektiewe skole. Die model beoog om te verseker dat jeugdige oortreders doelftreffend gerehabiliteer word en gereed is vir herintegrering in die samelewing. Die navorser het die welstand, ubuntu en bio-ekologiese teorieë as teoretiese raamwerke gebruik om die studie te lei. Hierdie teorieë het die navorser gehelp om te verstaan het die promosie van welstand onder jeugdige oortreders doeltreffende rehabilitasie kan fasiliteer en uiteindelik, oortreders in die samelewing te herstel. Die uitleggende paradigma is aangewend in ’n poging om die ervarings en sienings van die jeugdiges, onderwysers en hoofde van skole wie direk betrokke in die rehabilitasie van jeugdige oortreders is te verstaan. Die studie maak gebruik van die kwalitatiewe navorsings-benadering, waar ope vrae gebruik is om data van jeugdiges en onderwysers te versamel, terwyl semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gebruik is om data van die hoofde van skole te kry. Deelnemers was opsetlik geselekteer om te verseker dat geskikte data versamel is. Een- en twintig jeugdiges, twaalf onderwysers en sewe hoofde van skole het aan die studie deelgeneem. Deelnemers is uit vier provinsies en sewe skole gekies. Data is kwalitatief ontleed deur kodering, kategorisering en ontwikkeling van temas wat gebruik is as opskrifte vir die bevindings onder elke welstands-dimensie. Die ontwikkelde temas het bewys dat skole moeite gedoen het om die welstand van jeugdige oortreders te bevorder. Daar was groot vordering, veral in die bevordering van die fisiese en spirituele welstand van jeugdige oortreders deur die betrokkenheid van verskillende belanghebbendes. Skole het verskillende uitdagings in die gesig gestaar in hul pogings om die welstand van jeugdige oortreders te handhaaf. Sommige van die uitdagings was ’n tekort aan hulpbronne, geskoolde personeel sowel as onvoldoende betrokkenheid van belanghebbendes. Die navorsing stel ’n holisties welstandsmodel voor om onderwysers en ander belanghebbendes te help wat betrokke raak in die rehabilitasie van jeugdige oortreders en bevordering van hul sosiale, fisiese, emosionele, spirituele,loopbaan en intellektuele welstand. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)