This study investigated the implementation of the Business Studies National Curriculum Statement in Schools in Fort Beaufort District. The interpretive paradigm was utilized in this study because it focuses on individual perceptions and experiences. In addition a qualitative approach was used for the collection of data so as to gain in-depth information on the implementation of the Business Studies National Curriculum. Semi- structured interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis were used as a form of collecting data. The participants were purposively selected for the sample of this study and comprised of 4 Principals, 3 Subject Advisors, 1 Provincial Subject Planner, 6 Teachers and 36 learners and interviews lasted for about 1 ½ hours. Data analysis was done in line with the research questions, aims and objectives of the study. Through the participants’ answers from schools under study, a transcript was formulated, coded and categorized in view of the implementation of Business Studies National Curriculum Statement in schools. Therefore, it was discovered from the data of the research study that the participants encounter a number of challenges with regard to teaching and implementing Business Studies in their schools. Namely: (1) lack of qualified personnel to teach Business Studies (2) lack of adequate teaching materials (3) lack of Subject Advisors executing their roles in helping teachers to teach Business Studies effectively (4) lack of training programmes and workshops on how to teach Business Studies in the classroom. Thus, there were variances in schools under study especially with relations to funding, availability of teaching material, support offered by School Heads and the Department of Education. As a result, emphasis was that the Department of Education had to come up with ways of continuously training the teachers and offering support in terms of teaching materials. Most of the participants from the school under study did not bother to plan their lessons when they were going to teach this subject. In sum, this study attempted to highlight the challenges that the participants encounter as they try to implement the Business Studies in their schools taking into the considering the educational history of their country. Hence some of the participants expressed why there is a need to create, cultivate and have a conducive and supportive working environment. The study recommends that the Department of Education provide teachers with special training on how to select relevant learning and teaching support material. Moreover, there is a greater need for Business Studies teachers to strike a balance between theory and practice in the deliverance of their lessons in Business Studies. Additionally, the District Officials must organise on-going training in Business Studies as this would help to rectify the problems that are currently being encountered in implementing Business Studies in schools.

Changes in Education usually brings along with it problems of curriculum implementation, such as assessment, evaluation and curriculum design. One of the major problems is how learners are going to be assessed for progression and how the teachers are going to adapt to these new approaches. In this research the focus was on the following problems: Are the new assessment criteria met by the facilitator? Can the opinions/ideas and attitudes of facilitators be transformed? Do facilitators understand the new assessment criteria and how to use them? To find out how knowledgeable the educators are on assessment criteria and what the educators average attitudes are towards the new assessment criteria. In the empirical research data was gleaned by means of questionnaires. Thereafter, correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between variables and the t-test and chi-square test were used to test the null hypothesis. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This article seeks to understand what South African universities are doing by making use of language as a tool or as an enabling voice towards Africanisation and transformation with particular reference to Rhodes University, which serves as a case study. Although many universities now have language policies in place and are part of an enabling policy environment, when it comes to using language as part of transformation and asserting an African voice, there are still policy implementation challenges. It is argued in this article that implementation of policy, including university language policies, is now a key indicator for two levels of transformation; namely the more superficially visible or visual representation transformation, as well as deeper curriculum transformation through appropriate language usage. It is the latter form of transformation that largely eludes the contemporary South African university, whether these are historically black universities (HBUs) or historically white universities (HWUs). With the exception of a few best practices that are highlighted in this article, it is argued that transformation of the curriculum remains a long-term process, in the same way that language policy implementation is an ongoing process and requires commitment at all levels of university managerial and academic culture. The African voice in higher education remains an elusive one; though it is gaining ground, as evidenced by the recent removal of the Cecil John Rhodes Statue at the University of Cape Town. Furthermore, there is evidence of selected ongoing curriculum and pedagogic transformation, as presented in this article.

Post-apartheid education policy as enshrined in the South African School's Act no 84 of 1996 transformed the education system. The policy ensured the right of access to the school of one's choice and lead to the migration of learners from township schools to former Model C and independent schools. The study aimed to investigate the management of learner migration using a literature review and a qualitative inquiry. Data was gathered through interviews with principals, School Management Team members, parents and learners who had migrated. The findings indicated that learner migration as determined by parents' social and financial capacity is; steered by factors such as a school's sound culture of teaching and learning on account of good principalship, dedicated educators, motivated learners and good discipline. It was recommended that the culture of teaching and learning should be cultivated in all schools through capacity building workshops for educational managers and educators to curb excessive Ieamer migration. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Current socio-cultural and technological changes world-wide and their epistemological consequences in educational discourse form the study's backdrop. It is hypothesised that changes in our surroundings, globally and locally are inevitable. To make sense of evolving realities, our conceptual schemes should change. The latter problematic was investigated as part of analytic-philosophical research within the qualitative paradigm. This comprises an extensive literature study, disciplined subjectivity and consistent argumentation. A small scale document analysis of selected study material was conducted to ascertain the prevalent epistemology in the local context, the Faculty of Education, Unisa. Major findings emerged: In the field of Education, particularly in an Afrikaner research tradition, an essentialist and foundationalis! epistemology has prevailed. The latter assumptions of knowledge are typical of the Enlightenment paradigm and a Newtonian worldview. Furthermore these views were exacerbated by the academic isolation of the apartheid years and the limitations posed by distance education. Lecturers are often impoverished by their unfamiliarity with their students' life worlds, and a lack of exposure to the Other or 'difference'. A close link" between epistemology and the ability and willingness to participate in transformation processes exists. A transformed educational discourse is essential and should be reflected in a living educational theory, whereby assumptions of knowledge should exhibit integrity and wholeness. A relational ontology and a participatory worldview replace e substantialist ontology and a correspondence theory of tru!h. Assumptions of knowledge require ongoing contestation, whilst thinking modes and metaphors of an emerging paradigm can facilitate conceptual transformation in a postmodern, postindustrial world. Complexity theory yields alternative metaphors and modes of thinking conducive to a dynamic surrounding. Mechanistic metaphors should be replaced by an organic and dynamic discourse. A position, wherein humankind is regarded as 'opposite' of the world, is no longer useful. The metaphor of the hologram is appropriate. Emphasis is given to wholeness and ethical responsibility instead of prediction and control which led to the earth's exploitation. Scientific certainty gives way to nonlinearity and unpredictability within boundaries of patterns. Simultaneously this creates hope, because small inputs can eventually make a difference to an interconnected world. / Comparative Education / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The aim of this research is to establish the extent to which principals of schools in Gauteng are implementing co-operative school governance. The shift to co-operative governance is a result of new legislation, and in particular the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, which aims at redressing the inequalities of past legislation. To determine the extent, to which principals are engaged in co-operative governance, a questionnaire was designed to elicit essential information as to how co-operative governance has been practically implemented. The research attempted to evaluate the commitment and dedication of principals to the process of shared decision-making; decentralisation and accountability; to engendering healthy relations with governors; to ensure that legislation is complied with as regards the composition of governing bodies; and to encourage governors to attend training. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study is to examine the role played by the state in developing partnerships in school governance, to establish how school governance reform and restructuring can enhance powers and functions of school governing bodies and to identify the needs and problems of partners in school governance. A literature study was conducted to investigate the role of the state in partnerships in school governance and its implications for school governing bodies. Reference was made to studies conducted in countries experiencing educational reform. An empirical survey was conducted to establish the views of the state and school governors. For this purpose, a questionnaire was sent to members of governing bodies, while an interview was held with an official in the Department of Education. It was found that the implementation of reform influences relationships and functions of governing bodies and causes problems which the state should address. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

Over the past ten years, South Africa has undergone substantial changes, following the advent of democracy. Key amongst these changes being the transformation of educational policy. These policy changes have introduced new structural frameworks within which we operate (including myself as a subject advisor) and new roles for educators. These policy changes affect all the levels of the education system, and have an impact at school level, where teachers are now responsible for learning programme development (including a focus on lesson planning). Lesson planning in an outcomes-based education framework is a challenging aspect of policy implementation. South Africa is faced with the challenges associated with policy change and implementation. The role of the subject advisors and facilitators who support the teachers to make sense of the curriculum is crucial, as they provide the interface between policy and practice. They are the people who work most with teachers, and have a responsibility for curriculum implementation. This study aimed to explore the strategies which are used by subject advisors and facilitators to support teachers develop lesson plans with an environmental learning focus. A qualitative case study was conducted in which I looked at how the support processes were provided by the subject advisors and facilitators in the Eastern Cape in particular the NEEP-GET cluster in the Makana district. The study employed a range of data producing techniques such as questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and observation. The data was analysed to report the findings. The research indicates that some strategies are used to provide curriculum and pedagogical support and guidance, but that these are superficially treated and others have not been attempted at all. This therefore shows that further growth in this area is possible amongst the subject advisors. Recommendations relevant to both the subject advisors and the Department of Education so as to enhance the support processes and professional development of subject advisors have been made.

D.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Education Management) / In the South African teaching profession, a trend is qradually developinq in which a greater emphasis is beinq placed on the recoqnition of the professional authority of every qualified teacher. This trend, however, stands in sharp contrast to the traditional notion and practice of hierarchical authority. As a result of this contrast, conflict between these two opposites is unavoidable. In this short dissertation it has been determined that hierarchical authority can in fact be regarded as contrary to the nature and principles of a profession. This conclusion emanates from the fact that hierarchical authority is not qenerally recognised or accepted as one of the ordinary characteristics of a profession. The most common and acceptable type of authority prevalent in professions, is the professional authority attributed to every qualified and capable professional person because of his or her extensive knowledge and training in a particular field. Since teachinq can indeed be classified as a profession, it would therefore appear that hierarchical authority in the South African teaching profession, is actually a contradiction. Notwithstanding this assertion, it does appear that hierarchical authority is the traditional and established form of authority within the South Atrican educational system. On all three levels of educational management (macro-, meso- and micro-) in the Departments of Education and Culture in the House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, as well as the Department of Education and Training, hierarchical structures of authority are embedded. The central principle of hierarchical authority is the tact that all decisions, rules, regulations and procedures decided upon in the upper levels of the hierarchy, can be enforced on every level lower down in the hierarchy without any consultation of those at the lower level(s) of the hierarchy. lt would, however, also appear that a qreater plea for the recognition of the teacher's professional authority, is steadily gaining qround in all three above mentioned education departments. Some of the main contributing factors to this development are a qeneral improvement in teacher qualifications, increased specialisation and a number of teacher grievances.