This study set out to establish and record headteachers’ and teachers’ perceptions of the role of collegial teams in enhancing continuous instructional improvement. The concept collegial teams is based on the collegial model. The model advocates that for instructional improvement, teachers ought to work together as colleagues. The study began by investigating whether the participants had the basic understanding of collegial teams in the first place. It then established whether the teams exist in the selected schools. It proceeded to find out how these teams operate and whether they play any role in enhancing continuous instructional improvement. Furthermore, the study solicited respondents’ perceptions of the obstacles that hinder the operation of the teams. Lastly, the study made effort to obtain respondents’ recommendations on how best to improve the operation of the teams. This study has found that headteachers and teachers perceive collegial teams as playing a very significant role in enhancing continuous instructional improvement. The degree of the role was found to hinge on the headteacher’s attitude and support of the teams. These two elements in turn determined the degree of the teachers’ empowerment by the headteacher. Empowerment in this study is synonymous with treating teachers as professionals. Where empowerment prevailed, professional interaction arid collaboration tended to prevail also. The latter seem to result in the deepening of subject content and increasing diversification of teaching strategies as teachers work together zmd share ideas. The ultimate result of teachers’ working as colleagues was noticeable improvement in students’ performance. However, contextual factors tended to affect some teams negatively more than others apparently depending on each team’s ‘mastery’ of group dynamics. Finally, among others, two key recommendations were made; in school A, working on the master time- table in order to accommodate peer evaluation was recommended. In school B, it was recommended that teamwork be built on the good elements of the teacher assessment form over which teachers have no control.

The concern of this study is the slow uptake of online learning at the Institute of Distance Education (IDE) in Swaziland. The Institute of Distance Education in Swaziland was set up in 1996 (Sukati, 2010) to offer distance learning to students. To date, most courses have used traditional print based materials, with some face to face contact in regional centres. IDE Policy makes clear that increasingly courses should be available online, using the institute’s learning management system (Moodle). However, uptake by lecturing staff of online learning has been very slow, and only a few courses are available on-line. The study identifies the factors that are perceived to support or inhibit the adoption and implementation of online learning at the IDE, and strategies that are seen as effective in facilitating its adoption and implementation. The research is located in the qualitative paradigm, and uses interviews as the main data gathering tool. Five different but coherent interview guides were used to collect data from staff offering online learning; staff not offering online learning; IDE programme coordinators; and two members of senior management. Some documentary analysis was also undertaken. The findings show that there were institutional factors, personal factors and external factors that both supported and acted as barriers to the adoption and implementation of online learning at the IDE. The study proposed strategies that might strengthen the supportive factors and overcome the barriers to adoption and implementation of online learning at the IDE. The conclusion drawn from the study was that there were more barriers than supporting factors and that this explains the slow adoption and implementation to online learning at the Institute. It also shows that while similar factors operate on the adoption and implementation of online learning at IDE as those identified in the literature, there are some factors which are particular to the IDE itself, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, et al., 1989) is thus modified to show the factors operating in this context.

Inclusive Education (IE) reflects the values, ethos, and culture of an education system committed to excellence by promoting education opportunities for all learners. IE is about building a more just society and ensuring the right to education for all learners regardless of their individual characteristics or difficulties (UNESCO: 2007). The kingdom of Swaziland has committed itself to high quality basic education which provides equal opportunities for all children and youth. This is evident in the Swaziland National Constitution (2006). To promote Education for All (EFA) as stated in the constitution, an IE Policy has been developed and a draft policy is in place. The programme has been operational since 2006. There are nine pilot schools and four teachers from each school who have been trained on how to handle pupils with disabilities. The programme will be rolled out to 608 primary schools by 2015. In this research, the goal was to investigate how a School Management Board responds to the challenges of managing an Inclusive School. This research is a qualitative interpretive case study based in one of the pilot schools in Mbabane in Swaziland. The study used document analysis, semi‐structured interviews and focus groups to collect data. The study revealed that the school has done much in accommodating IE as there are changes in management structures and approaches, organizational culture and operating procedures. On the other hand, there are still significant challenges such as a lack of knowledge of inclusion and negativity on the part of learners and parents. Other challenges include inadequate training for educators and lack of suitable infrastructure. The study concludes by recommending improved staff development programmes, infrastructure upgrades, acquiring appropriate teaching and learning resources and employing multidisciplinary personnel.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Education) -- Tshwane University of Technology, 2010. / Determines the impact of technical pre-vocational education programme which was piloted in 16 secondary schools secondary schools in Swaziland. It also looks at how the teachers and pupils responded to the pre-voational programme.

This study sought to find out ways in which teachers can be supported to implement inclusive education at a primary school in the Kwaluseni district of Swaziland. The government of Swaziland introduced Free Primary Education ( F.P.E) also called mainstreaming. As per governments order, parents brought their learners for grade 1 and that was in 2010 January. That marked the beginning of the problem as teachers were not used to teaching disadvantaged learners in their classes but believed that such learners have to be transferred to specials schools of which the country only has four. The study is a case study using a qualitative approach. Purposive sampling was used in choosing the sample. The key informant were teachers from Kwaluseni primary school. For data collection a designed interview with semi structured and open ended items was used. Data was analysed using codes and there was a search for patterns of thinking or behaviour, words or phrases that appeared with regularity was the coding categories. A report was then written based on the findings. Then recommendations were stated. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study sought to find out ways in which teachers can be supported to implement inclusive education at a primary school in the Kwaluseni district of Swaziland. The government of Swaziland introduced Free Primary Education ( F.P.E) also called mainstreaming. As per governments order, parents brought their learners for grade 1 and that was in 2010 January. That marked the beginning of the problem as teachers were not used to teaching disadvantaged learners in their classes but believed that such learners have to be transferred to specials schools of which the country only has four. The study is a case study using a qualitative approach. Purposive sampling was used in choosing the sample. The key informant were teachers from Kwaluseni primary school. For data collection a designed interview with semi structured and open ended items was used. Data was analysed using codes and there was a search for patterns of thinking or behaviour, words or phrases that appeared with regularity was the coding categories. A report was then written based on the findings. Then recommendations were stated. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Text in English / In Swaziland, family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are professional nurses who have undergone preparation as general nurse, midwife and FNP. These nurses play an important role in the delivery of primary health care (PHC). Family nurse practice is an evolving concept introduced in Swaziland in 1979. It is a means of exploring nursing roles and primary health care services for deployment in under-served areas and to enable nurses to serve as the primary providers of health care services in clinics, health centres and in the outpatient departments of hospitals. Changing responsibilities within the health care setting require different skills and more knowledge. The expansion and extension of the nurses' role, including the techniques of diagnosing and treating, was a priority of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOH&SW) in Swaziland's five-year development plan for 1978-1983. It was regarded as a necessary component for raising the quality and effectiveness of PHC services. Some of the major and urgent challenges that confront FNPs today are the advent of the human immune virus/acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) scourge and the re-emergence of the tuberculosis epidemic. Both these health problems require proficient diagnosis and case management skills as well as new approaches. If FNPs are to remain relevant and to continue to provide quality services in spite of prevailing challenges, they have to engage in continuing education (CE). The main aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of the FNP role, CE needs and issues relevant to the current practice of FNPs in Swaziland. A further aim was to establish a structure or framework for a CE programme that would contribute to the strengthening of CE for FNPs and identify enabling factors and barriers in the practice and education ofFNPs. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used for data collection. A survey was conducted to collect data from 5 7 FNPs and 11 nurse managers and nurse educators. The transcript from the questionnaires was subjected to quantitative-based content analysis. A total of thirty nurse managers, nurse educators and MOH&SW nurse executives participated in the focus group interviews. The collected data was subjected to qualitativebased content analysis. The findings identified the role of the FNP as manager, clinical practitioner, educator and researcher. The analyses highlighted the CE needs of FNPs, and the question of updating and upgrading the skills of practising FNPs. The identified enabling factors and barriers, although perceived as issues that are peripheral and auxiliary to the curriculum, appeared to have a strong bearing on programme planning. The findings from this study have implications for a structured CE programme for FNPs at the University of Swaziland. / Health Studies / D. Litt et Phil. (Nursing Sciences)

Text in English / In Swaziland, family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are professional nurses who have undergone preparation as general nurse, midwife and FNP. These nurses play an important role in the delivery of primary health care (PHC). Family nurse practice is an evolving concept introduced in Swaziland in 1979. It is a means of exploring nursing roles and primary health care services for deployment in under-served areas and to enable nurses to serve as the primary providers of health care services in clinics, health centres and in the outpatient departments of hospitals. Changing responsibilities within the health care setting require different skills and more knowledge. The expansion and extension of the nurses' role, including the techniques of diagnosing and treating, was a priority of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOH&SW) in Swaziland's five-year development plan for 1978-1983. It was regarded as a necessary component for raising the quality and effectiveness of PHC services. Some of the major and urgent challenges that confront FNPs today are the advent of the human immune virus/acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) scourge and the re-emergence of the tuberculosis epidemic. Both these health problems require proficient diagnosis and case management skills as well as new approaches. If FNPs are to remain relevant and to continue to provide quality services in spite of prevailing challenges, they have to engage in continuing education (CE). The main aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of the FNP role, CE needs and issues relevant to the current practice of FNPs in Swaziland. A further aim was to establish a structure or framework for a CE programme that would contribute to the strengthening of CE for FNPs and identify enabling factors and barriers in the practice and education ofFNPs. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used for data collection. A survey was conducted to collect data from 5 7 FNPs and 11 nurse managers and nurse educators. The transcript from the questionnaires was subjected to quantitative-based content analysis. A total of thirty nurse managers, nurse educators and MOH&SW nurse executives participated in the focus group interviews. The collected data was subjected to qualitativebased content analysis. The findings identified the role of the FNP as manager, clinical practitioner, educator and researcher. The analyses highlighted the CE needs of FNPs, and the question of updating and upgrading the skills of practising FNPs. The identified enabling factors and barriers, although perceived as issues that are peripheral and auxiliary to the curriculum, appeared to have a strong bearing on programme planning. The findings from this study have implications for a structured CE programme for FNPs at the University of Swaziland. / Health Studies / D. Litt et Phil. (Nursing Sciences)

The Kingdom of Swaziland is a signatory to policies on universal education that seek to ensure the provision of high quality basic Education for All (EFA). EFA is a commitment to providing equal opportunities for all children and the youth as provided for in its highest piece of legislation. With the view to providing equal education opportunities to all children in the country, a draft inclusive education policy was drafted in 2006. The implementation of this policy meant the introduction of inclusive education into mainstream schools and all teachers in the country’ schools were called upon to have adequate capacity to teach learners with a wide range of educational needs. Inservice teachers received inadequate staff development ahead of implementation of IE and a majority of teachers never received pre-service inclusive education training at tertiary level. The primary purpose of this study is to explore teacher training at inclusive schools in Gege branch of schools in order to determine how not enough training and sometimes lack of professionally trained inclusive teachers shall have an implication on inclusive education programmes and the quality of education in the country going forward. The term branch in the context of this study refers to schools found under the Gege constituency, which are sometimes refered to as Gege cluster of schools in some education and teacher circles. This study chooses to use branch as it is used in official national government documents. This research is a qualitative interpretive case study based selected schools in the Gege branch of schools. Data was obtained through semi-structured research interviews and documents analysis, processed and analysed through data coding, unitizing, categorising; wherein the themes that emerged became the findings of the study. Themes that emerged highlighted that teachers have divergent understanding of Inclusive education. Some teachers are unaware of the governmental policy regarding teacher training for inclusivity at inclusive schools in Swaziland. Un-inclusive curriculum, big numbers of learners, lack of resources and teacher’s lack of competency were found to be barriers in the implementation of inclusive education. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The aim of this study was to find out how praxis is fostered in professional development processes, through the assignment four of the Rhodes University / Swaziland Participatory course in Environmental Education (referred to as the Swaziland course), in the Swaziland context. The research aimed at exploring instances of praxis in assignment four development processes and in implementing the assignment ‘product’ in the field of participants’ practice at their schools. The research is intended to improve practice in professional development in the Swaziland course, and in the SADC region more broadly, although the case study does not assume generalisability. The study employed a naturalistic research methodology, involving the development of an interpretive case study to aid understanding of social phenomena in the natural setting. It is influenced by the belief that knowledge is socially constructed and the assumption that meanings are generated and shared through language. The research methods involved observing interactions in the course processes during tutorials sessions and I compiled a course processes profile. I also analyzed copies of assignment four products of two course participants, and observed them using their assignment ‘products’ in their workplaces. Using this data, I generated two ‘constructions’ of the two course participants’ experiences of praxis-based assignment work in the Swaziland course. I also interviewed two course tutors. Data was analysed with an intention to understand actions and interactions relating to praxis-based assignment work. Two ‘layers’ of data analysis were undertaken, to deepen understanding of the phenomenon studied. Through this research I have learnt that though assignment processes enable praxis basedlearning, there are problems encountered in participants’ field of practice due to power relations and participants articulation of the relationship between theory and practice. These, and other structural factors impinge on reflexive agency in the context of both educational and environmental praxis. The structures in the school system frustrate reflexive agency in environmental teaching and learning, and socio-political and socio-economic structures also constrain environmental praxis, hence false consciousness prevails. Given the above situation I recommend further research into the relationship between environmental and educational praxis in environmental education and further research into reflexive agency in environmental education contexts.