M.Ed. (Multiculturalism And Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Knowledge is often tacit and under researched in educational fields. In order for student access to knowledge and its related academic discourses to be facilitated, a deep understanding needs to be gained of the form that this knowledge takes. This study interrogates the ways in which knowledge is constituted in the first year of a Public Management Diploma and a Public Administration Degree at a comprehensive university in South Africa. The study takes a social realist approach that understands reality as fact but sees our knowledge thereof as a social phenomenon. The study was concerned with knowledge structures and knower structures as it argues that these have not been adequately accounted for in the sociology of education research. But this study comes to this concern from a strongly ideological view of student reading and writing. This study calls on a social practices approach that sees literacy as embedded within specific academic discourses, which vary from context to context. It uses this ideological understanding of literacy as the orienting framework for the study of knowledge. The study takes place in a Higher Education mileu that has begun to transform from its divisive past. The transformation brought about new institutional formations such as the comprehensive university, with its mix of vocational, professional and formative programmes and varied emphasis on contextual and conceptual curriculum coherence. Increasingly, the transformation agenda also shifts concern from simply providing physical access to a previously disenfranchised majority to ensuring full participation in the context of high attrition rates in first year and low retention rates. The data was analysed using the Specialisation Codes of Legitimation Code Theory to see what was being specialised in the Diploma and Degree curricula of the Public Management and Administration fields. These fields are characterised in the literature by ongoing tensions about focus, and perceptions of there being a theoretical vacuum and an inability to deal adequately with challenges in the South African public sector. Analysis of lecturer interviews and first-year curriculum documentation showed that both the Public Management Diploma and Public Administration Degree have stronger epistemic relations (ER), with an emphasis on claims to knowledge of the world. The data showed relatively weak social relations (SR), in that there was not the valuing of a particular lens on the world or a specific disposition required for legitimation within this field. The combination of ER+ and SR- indicates that these curricula are Knowledge Codes, where legitimation is through the acquisition of a set of skills and procedures. The programmes were characterised by fairly low-level procedural knowledge, which may point to a workplace-oriented direction that is dominant in the comprehensive university. In keeping with concerns raised in the literature about this field, there was little evidence of theoretical or propositional knowledge in the Public Management Diploma and while the Public Administration Degree had some evidence of this, it was arguably not to the extent expected of a degree as described in the National Qualifications Framework. This study was limited to the first-year of the Diploma and Degree and subsequent years could present different findings. Lecturers showed awareness of student challenges with literacy practices and made concerned attempts through various interventions to address this but they were found to value the surface features of writing practices over personal engagement with the knowledge. Though the expectations of student literacy practices in tests and assignments were aligned to the ways in which knowledge was constructed in the curriculum, there was little evidence of student induction into disciplinary discourses of the field as knowledge was presented as being neutral and student writing primarily took the form of retelling objective facts. The implications of these findings could include student exclusion from higher-level academic discourse, more powerful knowledge in the workplace and, finally, constrain them from becoming producers of knowledge.

Submitted to the Faculty of Education in fufilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department Foundations of Education at the University of Zululand, 2005. / This research has been conducted during the period when South Africa has undergone numerous changes as a result of social, political and economic developments in the country. The aim of the study was to find out the role that can be played by the educators in promoting the African indigenous culture in schools under Umgungundlovu region. Qualitative research in the form of ideograms, as well as unstructured interviews with educators was used to elicit educators1 views concerning how they perceive their roles in the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. Interviews conducted enabled the researcher to gain deeper understanding of an insight into the problem under investigation. Results revealed among other issues that; (i) there is a problem of time for African indigenous cultural activities in schools. (ii) not all educators engage themselves in the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. (iii) the South African curriculum is not doing enough to promote African indigenous culture in schools. (iv) not all parents and School Governing Bodies support the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. (v) there is a conflict between African indigenous culture and Western culture. (vi) there is a lack of experience in managing diversity in schools. (vii) cultural aspects accommodated in schools are not the same. (viii) sometimes people's right to culture is infringed. These findings presuppose that the South African education department needs to review its policy with regard to the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. Finally the research recommends that: (i) training of educators on African indigenous culture should be done.. (ii) there should be an improvement of the school curriculum. (iii) consultation to acquire knowledge should be done by educators. (iv) there is a need for an increased support by the SGB and parents. (v) there is a need for educators to be the role models of African indigenous culture. (vi) educators should organise cultural days in their schools. (vii) there is a need for maintenance and elaboration of cultural values. (viii) there should be a development of innovative and adaptive abilities of learners. (ix) there should be a promotion of educational tours to places of cultural importance. (x) promotion of indigenous languages should be done. (xi) there is a need for paradigm shift among Africans. (xii) educators should manage cultural diversity in schools. Promotion of African indigenous culture in schools will amongst other things help the learners to know their history i.e. where they come from and ultimately to regain their identity.

Thesis (Phd.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / This study investigates whether five former Model C schools in Bloemfontein are inclusive of diverse cultures found among their learner population. In apartheid South Africa segregation on the basis of racial and cultural difference was policy. Therefore, post apartheid legislation and policies, coupled with the fact that inclusion is not always understood or welcomed where people are used to segregated systems necessitated this investigation. The study was qualitative in nature and Buskens-Meulenberg’s Free Attitude Interview (FAI) was used as a main source of data collection. Principals of the five former Model C schools that formed part of this study and three university students who are former Model C schools learners were interviewed using open ended questions. It was important to employ the Free Attitude Interview because it meant the interviewees were free to talk about anything they felt like, as long as it was within the framework of the starting question. Secondly, it allowed for reflection on the dominant discourse and also gave a voice to the dominated discourse. To arrive at the findings data was analyzed and interpreted using Fairclough’s Textual Oriented Discourse Analysis (TODA). This method of analysis allowed the researcher to look not only at the text of the interviews but also at their discursive practices. The following findings emerged from the data analysis. The general finding from the data collected from both the principals and students was that these schools expected learners from diverse cultural backgrounds to adapt to the existing ‘school culture’ which is white middle class. The curriculum delivery, staff provisioning, and everything within the schools was found to reflect ‘white middle class culture’. The interviews from both the principals and students indicated that instead of being inclusive of all learners these schools go out of their way to assimilate children from other cultures especially black children. While this is the case it is also clear that the two groups of respondents view this differently. To the white school principals this is an accepted and normal way consciously encouraged and promoted. On the other hand this is a sore point to the black students which led them to feel that they did not belong in these schools and left them with feelings of alienation. I therefore argue that in spite of the rhetoric endorsing equity, redress, justice and respect for difference including cultural diversity, little has changed in terms of educational outcomes. Young black children who go to these former Model C schools still face exclusionary practices despite the fact that these schools have been open to all racial groups and they are physically there. While I have taken care not to generalize from the findings, – since this was never the intention of the study - I nevertheless drew the conclusion that these schools are actually not inclusive of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Adhering to the ‘ethos’ of the school and thereby maintaining the status quo seems to be the main objective of the schools (principals). In-fact black learners in these schools continue to experience exclusion and explicit racism. The study concludes that power structures in these schools – management and governance -, curriculum and the way it is delivered and all other activities within the school are used to reinforce domination of the learners from cultural backgrounds other than that of the school. From the findings the study recommend that for these schools to be truly inclusive of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds the Department of Education should take a leading role in ensuring that transformation takes place in these schools and they become inclusive of all learners. For this nation to be a true rainbow nation the Department of Education should not leave the transformation of these schools to the School Management Teams and Governing Bodies. Recommendations on what schools themselves can do to ensure that they accommodate, acknowledge and reflect cultural diversity and as such are inclusive of all learners are also given. Furthermore suggestions for relevant future research, based on the findings are made.

In 1997 a policy of rationalization and educator redeployment was adopted in South Africa to ensure funding equity among the provinces. This research investigates policy implementation with particular reference to the Limpopo Province. A literature review provided an overview of the policy including the determination of excess educators and the establishment of bodies to facilitate redeployment. Problems of implementation and the role of the school principal in this process are discussed. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach explored the experiences of key stakeholders affected by educator redeployment: a government official, principals, educators who were transferred and educators awaiting redeployment. Participants were selected by judgement sampling and data gathered interviews. Findings illustrated the key role of the Department of Education, the educators' unions and principals; the effect on teachers' motivation; educator stress and the impact on receiving and sending schools. Based on the findings recommendations for practice are made. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The historically black and historically white universities in South Africa were shaped by apartheid policies. Within this socio-political context the project started when I, who was a lecturer at a historically black university (HBU), was confronted by violent interactions between lecturers and students, and a perceived passivity on the part of management when lecturers were threatened by students with violence in social and academic settings. Based on socio-historical factors and my personal experiences, I explored the experiences of lecturers at an HBU, i.e. their relationship with students and management, to form an understanding about how the lecturers’ experiences influenced the unconscious dynamic processes of the intergroup transactions between themselves and the students and management. A qualitative research method was chosen because it allowed for the in-depth analysis and interpretation of the lecturers’ experiences in a particular HBU. Hermeneutic phenomenology, using the systems psychodynamic perspective, allowed for the description and interpretation of the lecturers’ experiences. Data collection entailed hermeneutic conversations with the nine lecturers from an HBU. In the analysis, interpretation and reporting of the findings, the interpretive stance proposed by Shapiro and Carr (1991) was used. This analysis and interpretation entailed a collaborative dimension – the analysed data was sent to the lecturers to ascertain whether the analysis was a reflection of their experiences, as well as to experts in the systems psychodynamic perspective to ascertain whether the interpretations were plausible. The relationship between students, lecturers and management was contradictory, because it was marked by hope for an effective working relationship and by continuing conflict and violence – resulting in the (k)not of relationship based on the (k)not of achievement apparent in the lecturers’ relationship with students, and the (k)not of performance evident in their relationship with management. The intergroup transactions between students, lecturers and management were marked by a reign of terror as threats of violence, or actual physical violence, were directed at lecturers by students with little or no intervention by management. By integrating the findings with systems psychodynamic literature, several working hypotheses and two research hypotheses regarding the (k)not of relationship between the three stakeholders were generated. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

South African universities have embarked upon a wide range of initiatives to foster and acclimatise to new social development needs of the society. A significant area of change involved implementation of employment equity. This study investigated the manner in which universities manage employment equity.The composition of staff in higher education institutions fails to reflect the demographic realities of South Africa.As a result, black people and women are still severely under-represented, especially in senior academic management positions. Universities are slowly, but steadily redirecting their student bodies and staff to reflect the demographics of South African society applying fragmented effort and piecemeal approach. The “as is” statistical reports obtained from the Department of Labour were used to substantiate the progress being made in the selected universities. Quantitative research methods were employed to collect data. University of Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand, and Free State University were selected as the population and the academic managers (Heads of Departments, Directors of Schools, and Deans of Faculties) as the sample of the study. The study finds that white males still dominate in the universities and white females are adequately represented, particularly in the professional and academic categories. The academic managers responded less positively on retention strategies for academic staff, especially for the designated groups and the functionality of employment equity awareness campaigns. The study also outlined the success of employment equity factors that the academic managers indicated, such as their loyalties to the institutions, prospects of career development, and collegial relations. The study recommended proficient leadership to drive the employment equity process, development of employment equity strategy with reasonable goals, diversity management, retention strategy, and vigorous employment equity awareness. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For the past five years, Stellenbosch University (hereafter SU) has worked attentively to improve the diversity profiles of its staff and students, as well as the campus climate. In this regard, as at many other institutions, SU has worked in various ways to promote diversity. To this end, SU has not only invested in a variety of strategies and initiatives to address inequalities that exist in the education system, but has implemented their strategies and initiatives to assist with the diversification of the campus environment. Supplementary to these strategies and initiatives, staff, students, faculties and departments substantially support the institutional climate for diversity by supporting the various approaches and initiatives. In the twenty-first century, higher education institutions are obligated to make numerous changes in their recruitment, retention and study programmes to succeed in having a more diverse learning environment. This thesis discusses diversity at SU and how the institution, as a community, can work together to make the campus a more welcoming place for everyone. The purpose of the study was to determine the success of the diversity strategies and initiatives used by SU to promote their student diversity profile as it relates to students’ perceptions and experiences of the campus. The data confirms differences in opinions and perceptions in demographics such as race, culture, ethnicity and religion/beliefs. The researcher has also found a relationship between campus climate and the perceptions that students and staff may have. The findings presented in this study enhance the body of knowledge in the areas of student recruitment and retention strategies and initiatives, as well as student participation, student progress and campus climate. Even though the study is limited to one institution, this report provides institutions with a better understanding of student/staff involvement, their backgrounds and the campus climate as these aspects relate to the staff and students’ perceptions of the institutional commitment to diversity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) het vir die afgelope vyf jaar aandagtig gewerk aan die diversiteitsprofiel van beide studente en personeellede, sowel as aan die klimaat op kampus. In hierdie opsig het die US, soos ander hoëronderwysinstellings, op verskeie maniere gewerk om diversiteit te bevorder. Die US het nie net belê in ’n verskeidenheid strategieë en insiatiewe om die ongelykhede wat in die onderwyssisteem bestaan, aan te spreek nie, maar het ook hierdie strategieë en inisiatiewe geimplimenteer om diversifikasie van die kampusomgewing aan te moedig. Bykomend tot die strategieë en inisiatiewe het studente, personeellede, fakulteite en departemente ongelooflike bydraes gemaak tot die institusionele klimaat van diversiteit deur verskeie benaderings en insiatiewe te ondersteun. In die een-en-twintigste eeu het dit toenemend belangrik geword vir hoëronderwysinstellings om veranderinge te maak in werwing, behoud en studieprogramme ten einde `n meer diverse leeromgewing te bewerkstellig. Hierdie tesis bespreek diversiteit in die hoër onderwys en hoe die US as gemeenskap saam kan werk om die instelling `n meer verwelkomende kampus vir almal te maak. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die sukses van die diversiteitstrategieë en insiatiewe wat deur die US vir die bevordering van die studente diversiteitsprofiel gebruik is ten opsigte van studente se persepsies en ervarings van die kampus te assesseer. Die resultate bevestig verskillende opinies en persepsies oor demografiese aspekte soos ras, kultuur, etnitisiteit en godsdiens/geloof. Die navorser het ook `n verhouding bepaal tussen die kampusklimaat en die persepsies van studente en personeellede. Die bevindinge wat hierdie studie aanbied, dra by tot die geheel van kennis in die areas van strategieë en insiatiewe om studente te werf en te behou, sowel as studentedeelname, studentevordering en kampusklimaat. Hoewel die studie tot een instelling beperk is, voorsien hierdie verslag instellings van `n beter begrip oor studente/personeelbetrokkenheid, hulle agtergrond en die kampusklimaat in terme van hoe hierdie aspekte verband hou met die studente en personeel se waarnemings van die institusionele verbintenis tot diversiteit.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa has made a remarkable transformation from an openly racist to a tolerant and democratic nation. The transformation process removed the legal barriers between subgroups that formerly postulated separate development for the various racial groups and restricted the contact between individuals to a major extent. In present day society, one can observe the transformation process in that South African citizens from different backgrounds have to develop new patterns of communication and interaction. This process was mirrored in the student culture of Stellenbosch. The first objective of this study was to research how individual students experienced their social and academic environment. Since student relations do not always conform to the University norm of mutual respect for human diversity, the University felt the need to facilitate an intervention for valuing human diversity. The second objective of this study was to evaluate the process of the intervention, focusing on the programme context, the programme activities and the program theory. In addition, the impressions of workshop participants were studied. In order to conceptualise the research objectives, the theoretical principles of valuing diversity were discussed in the form of a purposive literature review on the social psychology and sociology of stereotyping and related processes, which were examined as barriers to valuing diversity. The Value Diversity Intervention was implemented in August 2001. The intervention aimed to heighten students' awareness of the diversity of the student body and to improve the interaction among the various student subgroups. The intervention was designed as a workshop and included 50 students from various backgrounds who were living in the University residences. Two evaluation types were utilised in this study, i.e. the evaluation of perceived needs and the evaluation of the intervention process. The research questions were clarified and the specific methods for gathering and analysing the data were specified. In addition, the aspect of validity and the quality of the obtained data were reviewed. The evaluation of perceived needs showed that individual students perceived the student population to be divided into minority ('coloured', 'black') and majority ('white') groups. Even though group membership did not affect specific instances of intergroup relations (e.g. individual friendships), it had implications for the social atmosphere on campus, which was characterised by a lack of intergroup contact and a domination by the majority group. Accordingly, minority group members interpreted the social atmosphere more negatively than majority group members. Hence, minority group members perceived a need to improve intergroup interaction. This analysis indicates that a value diversity intervention may be beneficial. This corresponded to the view of the Department of Student Affairs, which arranged the Value Diversity Intervention. The evaluation of the intervention highlighted both negative and positive aspects. Firstly, the intervention design did not include the promotion of the intervention itself, which might have been essential making students interested in the diversity topic and in motivating students to participate. Secondly, the intervention did not address the specific diversity challenges as experienced by students of the University of Stellenbosch. Students expressed concerns regarding the applicability of the provided information in their daily life. Thirdly, the workshop focused mainly on stereotypes. Yet, the possible effects of stereotypes were not sufficiently discussed. In addition, a large number of stereotypes were listed, but these were often biased due to the lack of participants from diverse groups. Further, no workshop technique which questioned the presented lists of biased stereotypes was applied or generated. Besides these technical considerations, it should be noted that stereotypes in general perpetuate the division between subgroups. Thus, the workshop focused to a large extent on past and present aspects, which divide the student population, instead of focusing on uniting issues. The described negative aspects might have been balanced by one of the four observed workshops. This specific workshop was characterised by a small amount of participants and a positive presentation of one of the main facilitators. This resulted in a productive discussion, where the participants used the possibility to reflect on the current situation out of their perspective and reflected upon the contributions of the facilitator. Students might have been motivated to take positive impulses of this workshop in their daily life. Based upon this research, recommendations can be determined. Firstly, the promotion of the intervention should emphasize the desirability of diversity values and highlight the personal potential benefits to participants. Secondly, it might be useful to acknowledge differences between students, but to place a greater emphasis on similarities, i.e. on aspects that connect students. Thirdly, the curriculum of the intervention should be modified to cater especially for student needs. Fourthly, the selected workshop components should achieve an equal balance between lecture parts and interactive elements. Participants should have the possibility to take an active part in the intervention if they are interested in doing so. The final recommendation entails that future interventions should be based on a comprehensive, sustained strategy with long-term goals. These strategies should be integrated in the already existing infrastructure of an institution. This intervention has to be understood as a contribution to the transformation process that South Africa is currently undergoing. Based on the recent discussion at the University of Stellenbosch about the adoption of a comprehensive diversity strategy, it is hoped that this singular intervention will be linked to further contributions in this transformation process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid Afrika het 'n merkwaardige transformasie vanaf 'n openlik rassistiese tot 'n tolerante en demokratiese nasie ondergaan. Voorheen het die wetlike skeiding tussen subgroepe aparte ontwikkeling en, vir verskeie rassegroepe, minimale kontak met individue in verskillende rassegroepe beteken. Die transformasieproses in Suid-Afrika het hierdie omstandighede verander en in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing is die proses waardeur mense van verskillende agtergronde nuwe patrone van kommunikasie en interaksie moet ontwikkel, merkbaar. Die transformasieproses kan ook in die studentekultuur van Stellenbosch gesien word. Die eerste doel van die tesis was om ondersoek in te stel na hoe individuele studente hulle sosiale en akademiese omgewing ervaar. Aangesien studenteverhoudinge nie altyd tot die Universiteit se norm van wedersydse respek vir menslike diversiteit konformeer nie, het die Universiteit gevoel dat daar 'n behoefte is om 'n intervensie te fasiliteer om waardering vir menslike diversiteit skep. Die tweede doel van die tesis was om die proses van die intervensie te evalueer deur te fokus op die konteks van die program, die programaktiwiteite en die programteorie. Verder is die indrukke van die deelnemers aan die werkswinkelook bestudeer. Die teoretiese beginsels onderliggend aan die waardering van diversiteit is bespreek ten einde die navorsingsdoelwitte te konseptualiseer. Dit is verwesenlik deur 'n "doelgerigte" literatuurstudie oor die sosiale sielkunde en sosiologie van stereotipering en verwante prosesse wat gesien word as struikelblokke in die evaluering van diversiteit. Die intervensie vir die waardering van diversiteit is in Augustus 2001 deur die Universiteit van Stellenbosch geimplimenteer. Die intervensie het as doel gehad om studente 'n verhoogde gewaarwording van die diversiteit van die studenteliggaam te bied en ook om interaksie tussen die verskeie studente-subgroepe te bevorder. Die intervensie is ontwerp as 'n werkswinkel vir 50 studente van verskillende agtergronde wat van Universiteitsbehuising gebruik maak. Die tesis verduidelik hoe die navorsingsdoelwitte korrespondeer met die evalueringstipes wat gebruik is, nl. die evaluasie van waargenome behoeftes en die evaluasie van die proses. Die navorsingsvrae is duidelik gestel en die wetenskaplike metodes vir dataversameling en dataanalise word gespesifiseer. Verder word die aspek van die geldigheid en kwaliteit van die data ook bespreek. Die evaluering van waargenome behoeftes het gewys dat individuele studente die studentepopulasie sien as verdeel In 'n minderheidsgroep ('bruin' en 'swart') en 'n meerderheidsgroep ('wit'). Alhoewel lidmaatskap tot n betrokke groep rue intergroepverhoudings affekteer nie (bv. individuele vriendskappe), het dit tog implikasies vir die sosiale atmosfeer op kampus wat deur 'n tekort aan intergroepkontak en dominasie deur die meerderheidsgroep gekarakteriseer kan word. Vervolgens interpreteer minderheidsgroepe die sosiale atmosfeer meer negatief as lede van die meerderheidsgroep. Dit kan dan ook as die rede aangevoer word waarom lede van minderheidsgroepe 'n waargenome behoefte het om intergroepinteraksie te bevorder. Die persepsies van die respondente wat 'n onderhoud toegestaan het, het aangedui dat 'n intervensie vir die waardering van diversiteit voordelig sal wees en dit het ooreengestem met die siening van die Departement van Studentesake, wat die intervensie gereël het. Die evalusie van die intervensie beklemtoon albei die negatiewe en positiewe aspekte. Eerstens, het die intervensie intervensie-ontwerp, nie die promosie van die intervensie self behels nie, wat noodsaaklik sou gewees het om student geinteresseerd te maak in die diversiteit van die onderwerp en om die studente te motiveer om mee te doen. Tweedens, het die intervensie nie die spesifieke uitdagings soos deur die studente van die Universiteit van Stellnbosch ondervind is, aangespreek nie. Studente het hulle bekommernis uitgespreek oor die toepassing van die informasie in hulle daaglikse lewe. Derdens het die werkswinkel hoofsaaklik gefokus op stereotipes. Nogtans was die effekte van die stereotipes nie deeglik bespreek nie. Boonop was daar te groot aantal stereotipes gelys, maar dit was bevooroordeeld as gevolg van die gebrek van deelnemer van diverse groepe. Daar was ook geen werkswinkel tegnieke van toepassing wat die aangebode lyste van die bevooroordeelde stereotipes bevraagteken het nie. Naas die tegniese oorwegings, moet daar gelet word dat stereotipes in die algemeen die verdeling tussen subgroepe in stand hou van stereotipes in die algemeen. Dus het die werkswinkel tot 'n groot mate gefokus op huidige en vorige aspekte wat die studente verdeel het in plaas daarvan om te fokus op sake van ooreenstemming. Gegrond op hierdie navorsing, kan aanbevelings gemaak word. Eerstens moet daar klem gelê word op die bevordering van die verskeie behoeftes en waardes van die intervensie en die potensiaal waarby deelnemers kan baat. Tweedens, kan dit waardevol wees om verskille tussen studente te erken maar groter klem te lê op eendersheid, d.i. aspekte wat die studente tot mekaar verbind. Derdens moet die leerplan van die intervensie gewysig word om in die behoeftes van die student te voorsien. Vierdens, moet daar 'n balans gehandhaaf word tussen die lesings en interaktiewe elemente. Daar moet 'n moontlikheid bestaan vir deelnemers om 'n aktiewe rol in die intervensie te speel indien hulle dit verlang. Ten slotte word aanbeveel dat toekomstige intervensie gebaseer word op begrypende en volgehoue strategie met lang termyn doelwitte. Die bogenoemde strategie moet in die alreeds bestaande infrastruktuur verweef word. Hierdie intervensie kan beskou word as 'n bydrae tot die transformasie proses wat Suid-Afrika huidiglik ondergaan. Gebaseer op die onlangse gesprek by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch oor die aanneming van'n omvattende diversiteitstrategie, word daar gehoop dat die enkelvoudige intervensie kan inskakel by verdere bydraes in die transformasie proses.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Twenty years after the end of apartheid, South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world. Socio-economic polarisation is entrenched by the lack of social capital and interactions across racial and economic divides, blocking pathways out of poverty. This dissertation examines social mobility and cohesion in post-apartheid South Africa by considering three related topics. Chapter 2 of the dissertation examines the impact of school quality on the academic performance of disadvantaged learners as one of the most important enforcing factors perpetuating the social and economic divides. Given the historic racial and economic stratification of the South African public school system, many black children are sent to historically white public schools as a way to escape poverty. Using longitudinal data, this chapter estimates the effect of attending a historically white school on the numeracy and literacy scores of black children. The main challenge is to address the selection bias in the estimates, for which a value-added approach is implemented in order to control for unobserved child-specific heterogeneity. In addition, various household covariates are used to control for household-level differences among children. The results indicate that the attendance of a former white school has a large and statistically significant impact on academic performance in both literacy and numeracy which translates into more than a year’s worth of learning. The main finding is robust to various robustness checks. In Chapter 3 the dissertation examines social cohesion by considering the concept of reference groups used in the evaluation of relative standing in utility functions. The chapter develops a model in which various parameters are allowed to enter the utility function without linearity constraints in order to determine the weight placed on the well-being of individuals in the same race group as the respondent versus all the other race groups living in one of three specified geographic areas. The findings suggest that reference groups have shifted away from a purely racial delineation to a more inclusive one subsequent to the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Although most of the weight is still placed on same-race relative standing, the estimates suggest that individuals from other race groups also enter the utility function. The chapter also examines the spatial variation of reference groups and finds evidence that the relative standing of close others (such as neighbours) enter the utility function positively while individuals who live further away (strangers) enter the utility function negatively. Finally, Chapter 4 provides a summary of the dynamics of income in South Africa, using longitudinal household data. Chapter 4 is aimed at separating structural trends in income from stochastic shocks and measurement error, and makes use of an asset-based approach. It first estimates the percentage of individuals who were in chronic poverty between 2010 and 2012 and then estimates the shape of structural income dynamics in order to test for the existence of one or more dynamic equilibrium points, which would be indicative of the existence of a poverty trap. The findings do not provide any evidence for the existence of a poverty trap. In addition, contrary to earlier findings, the results do not provide evidence for the existence of an asset-based threshold at which the structural income accumulation paths of households bifurcate. Instead, the results seem to indicate the existence of a threshold beyond which structural income remains persistent with very little upward mobility. The robustness of the results is confirmed by making use of control functions in order to correct for any measurement error which may exist in the data on assets. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Twintig jaar nadat apartheid beëindig is word Suid-Afrika steeds as een van die wêreld se mees ongelyke lande gekenmerk. Sosio-ekonomiese polarisasie word verskans deur die gebrek aan sosiale kapitaal en interaksies tussen rassegroepe en ekonomiese klasse, wat lei tot die versperring van roetes uit armoede. Hierdie proefskrif bestudeer sosiale mobiliteit en samehorigheid in post-apartheid Suid- Afrika deur middel van drie verwante onderwerpe. Hoofstuk 2 van hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die impak van skoolkwaliteit op die akademiese prestasie van benadeelde leerders as een van die belangrikste faktore wat huidige sosiale en ekonomiese skeidings afdwing. Gegewe die historiese verdeling van die openbare skoolstelsel volgens ras en ekonomiese status, word heelwat swart kinders na historiese blanke skole gestuur ten einde armoede te ontsnap. Deur gebruik te maak van paneeldata word die impak van skoolbywoning van ’n historiese blanke skool op die geletterheid van swart kinders - in beide wiskunde en Engels - beraam. Die grootste uitdaging is om enige sydigheid in die beramings aan te spreek, waarvoor daar van ’n waarde-toevoegings inslag gebruik gemaak word ten einde te kontroleer vir enige individuele heterogeniteit. ’n Verskeidenheid kontroles op die vlak van die huishouding word gebruik ten einde te kontroleer vir verskille tussen kinders uit verkillende huishoudings. Die resultate dui daarop dat bywoning van ’n historiese wit skool ’n groot en statisties beduidende impak op die akademiese prestasie van beide wiskundige asook litterêre geletterdheid het, wat omgeskakel kan word in meer as ’n jaar se leerwerk. ’n Verskeidenheid verifikasie toetse bevestig die geldigheid van die resultate. Hoofstuk 3 van die proefskrif bestudeer sosiale samehorigheid deur die samestelling van verwysingsgroepe in die evaluasie van relatiewe posisionering in nutsfunksies te oorweeg. Die hoofstuk ontwikkel ’n model waarin verskeie parameters sonder liniêre beperkings in die nutsfunksie toegelaat word ten einde die gewig te beraam wat geplaas word op die welstand van individue in dieselfde rasgroep as die respondent teenoor al die ander rasgroepe wat in een van drie gespesifiseerde geografiese areas woon. Die bevindings dui daarop dat, na die land se eerste demokratiese verkiesings in 1994, die definiering van verwysingsgroepe weggeskuif het van ’n verdeling volgens ras na ’n meer inklusiewe definisie. Alhoewel meeste van die gewig steeds geplaas word op relatiewe posisionering teenoor individue van dieselfde ras, dui die beramings daarop dat individue van ander rassegroepe ook ingesluit word in die nutsfunksie. Die hoofstuk beoordeel ook die ruimtelike variasie van verwysingsgroepe en bevind dat die relatiewe posisionering van nabye individue (soos byvoorbeeld bure) die nutsfunksie positief beïnvloed terwyl individue wat vêr weg woon (vreemdelinge) die nutsfunksie negatief beïnvloed. Hoofstuk 4 van die proefskrif sluit af met ’n opsomming van die inkomste dinamika in Suid-Afrika, deur gebruik te maak van paneelhuishoudingdata. Die laaste hoofstuk mik om die strukturele tendens in inkomste van enige stogastiese skokke en metingsfoute te isoleer en maak gebruik van ’n bate-gebasseerde inslag. Dit beraam eerstens die persentasie van individue wat in kroniese armoede verkeer het tussen 2010 en 2012 en beraam dan die vorm van die strukturele inkomste dinamika. Dit word gedoen ten einde vir die bestaan van een of meer dinamiese ekwilibrium punte te toets, wat aanduidend sou wees van die bestaan van ’n armoedestrik. Die bevindings bied nie enige bewyse vir die bestaan van ’n armoedestrik nie. Ook bied die resultate geen bewyse vir die bestaan van ’n bategebasseerde drempel waar die strukturele inkomste akkumulasieroetes van huishoudings vertak nie, in teenstelling met vorige resultate. In plaas daarvan, blyk die resultate te dui op die bestaan van ’n drempel waarna strukturele inkomste volhardend bly met baie min opwaardse mobiliteit. Die geldigheid van die resultate word bevestig deur gebruik te maak van kontrolefunksies ten einde te korrigeer vir enige metingsfoute wat moontlik in die data van bates mag bestaan.