Given the historically poor performances in mathematics and science by learners, as well as the large number of under- and unqualified mathematics and science teachers, the newly elected post-1994 government, in consultation with numerous stakeholders, initiated a project of educational redress. The project: Students and Youth into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, was given the acronym SYSTEM. The vision of SYSTEM was to address the historical imbalances within the education and training system in South Africa. The project provided a vehicle whereby historically disadvantaged mathematics and science learners could access programmes (like the Recovery programme of SYSTEM Phase I) so as to gain entry into programmes at institutions of higher education (like the teacher-training programme of SYSTEM Phase 11). The success of SYSTEM ultimately resided in the performances and achievements of the students in the SYSTEM programmes. Within this contextual framework the study made special reference to Study orientation in mathematics, including Mathematics anxiety and Attitude towards mathematics, as possible causative factors that could inhibit/enhance performance and achievement in mathematics. An internship period linked to a mentorship programme was structured within the teacher-training programme, and interviews were conducted with the mentor teachers and a selected group of SYSTEM students so as to elicit their perceptions towards aspects of the mentoring process. The SYSTEM students' study population (from the Northern Cape) was differentiated into dichotomous groups, each group having different entry levels into Phase 11. Examinations of group perceptions towards the study variables were done within the constructs of learning (institute-based) and teaching (field-based). Both qualitative and quantitative analyses and reporting of the results were done. The results showed that the differences between the perceptions of the two sampled groups were not of practical significance. Phase I had no influential role in preparing its group of students for teacher-training. The relevance of mentorship to SYSTEM was measured by the perceptions of the respondents (SYSTEM students and mentor teachers). The interviews attested to an acknowledgement of the relative success of SYSTEM in the Northern. Cape, notwithstanding the functional and structural problems associated with the project both at national and provincial levels. To sustain the momentum of transformation of our education and training system, lessons learnt from SYSTEM should serve as a benchmark for the envisaged reform and transformation of the FET and Higher Education sectors. In particular, educational transformation should not only be cognitively contextual, since this study has indirectly shown that the affective domain should receive more attention in curriculum development, teacher education and research on teaching and learning. By embarking on these initiatives, the current state of learners and students' performances and achievements in mathematics and science may be ameliorated. A further spin-off could possibly be an increase in the number of suitably qualified mathematics and science teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Given the historically poor performances in mathematics and science by learners, as well as the large number of under- and unqualified mathematics and science teachers, the newly elected post-1994 government, in consultation with numerous stakeholders, initiated a project of educational redress. The project: Students and Youth into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, was given the acronym SYSTEM. The vision of SYSTEM was to address the historical imbalances within the education and training system in South Africa. The project provided a vehicle whereby historically disadvantaged mathematics and science learners could access programmes (like the Recovery programme of SYSTEM Phase I) so as to gain entry into programmes at institutions of higher education (like the teacher-training programme of SYSTEM Phase 11). The success of SYSTEM ultimately resided in the performances and achievements of the students in the SYSTEM programmes. Within this contextual framework the study made special reference to Study orientation in mathematics, including Mathematics anxiety and Attitude towards mathematics, as possible causative factors that could inhibit/enhance performance and achievement in mathematics. An internship period linked to a mentorship programme was structured within the teacher-training programme, and interviews were conducted with the mentor teachers and a selected group of SYSTEM students so as to elicit their perceptions towards aspects of the mentoring process. The SYSTEM students' study population (from the Northern Cape) was differentiated into dichotomous groups, each group having different entry levels into Phase 11. Examinations of group perceptions towards the study variables were done within the constructs of learning (institute-based) and teaching (field-based). Both qualitative and quantitative analyses and reporting of the results were done. The results showed that the differences between the perceptions of the two sampled groups were not of practical significance. Phase I had no influential role in preparing its group of students for teacher-training. The relevance of mentorship to SYSTEM was measured by the perceptions of the respondents (SYSTEM students and mentor teachers). The interviews attested to an acknowledgement of the relative success of SYSTEM in the Northern. Cape, notwithstanding the functional and structural problems associated with the project both at national and provincial levels. To sustain the momentum of transformation of our education and training system, lessons learnt from SYSTEM should serve as a benchmark for the envisaged reform and transformation of the FET and Higher Education sectors. In particular, educational transformation should not only be cognitively contextual, since this study has indirectly shown that the affective domain should receive more attention in curriculum development, teacher education and research on teaching and learning. By embarking on these initiatives, the current state of learners and students' performances and achievements in mathematics and science may be ameliorated. A further spin-off could possibly be an increase in the number of suitably qualified mathematics and science teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main goal of this thesis was to better understand the role and function of the focus schools project in the Western Cape, to explore the reasons for their emergence in 2006, and to locate the policy initiative within historical and policy developments around vocationalism in the province. The study focused in particular on how one focus school experienced the roll-out of this policy decision, what the impressions of the learners and educators at a case study school were, and also how officials attached to the Western Cape Education Department described the emergence and implementation of the policy. Further goals of the study were to contextualize the policy process that led to this form of provision, and to conceptualise how this fitted in with educational development issues in the province. A brief backdrop of historical developments and its role in the education of communities in the Western Cape, particularly the coloured community, was provided to contextualize the policy initiative. The main contribution of the thesis is its description and analysis of policy documents and the viewpoints of a range of people connected to a new provincial initiative, focus schools, with regard to what a focus school is meant to achieve and how it is experienced. Data was collected by studying a range of unpublished policy documents, and to link these to interviews conducted with departmental and district officials, educators, learners, and one principal in relation to one case study school. The study showed that focus schools were regarded mainly as a form of vocational education provision to accommodate the desire of the Western Cape economy for intermediate skills in the mid-2000s. It illustrated how the focus school band has run its own unique course within educational structures since 2006, and highlighted how they have fulfilled their goal of getting more learners from historically disadvantaged communities into further study or into positions that better serve the needs of the local economy. The thesis suggested that the policy focus of getting learners into higher education seemed misguided and contrary to the goals of vocational education provision. This policy confusion was further highlighted by learners interviewed in the study who noted that they would have preferred to follow a more academically-based path. Few believed they could either get to university (as claimed by policy officials) or into a viable employment poisition by following a vocational route at school. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van die tesis was om ´n beter begrip van die rol en funksie van die fokusskool-projek in die Wes-Kaap te verkry, die redes vir die ontstaan van hierdie skole in die jaar, 2006 te ondersoek, asook om die beleids-inisiatief binne die historiese en beleidsontwikkeling rondom beroepsonderwys (vocationalism) in die provinsie na te speur. Die navorsing konsentreer hoofsaaklik op hoe een fokusskool die implementering van die beleidsbesluit ervaar, en in hoe ´n mate die leerders en die opvoeders verbonde aan die gevallestudie-skool die onderwysvoorsiening beleef. ´n Gedeelte van die ondersoek gee ook die sieninge van sleutelpersone in die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement weer. Verdere doelwitte van die ondersoek was om die beleidsproses wat gelei het tot hierdie onderwysvoorsiening te kontekstualiseer, en om dit te konseptualiseer in hoe ´n mate dit inpas in die opvoedkundige ontwikkeling binne die provinsie. ´n Kort agtergrond skets van die historiese ontwikkeling en die rol wat onderwys in die gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap, spesifiek die van die bruin (kleurling) gemeenskap was aangebied om die beleids-inisiatief te konseptualiseer. Die belangrikste bydrae van die tesis is die beskrywing en analise van beleidsdokumente en die standpunte van 'n verskeidenheid van mense wat betrokke is by die nuwe provinsiale inisiatief, fokusskole, met betrekking tot wat fokusskole beoog om te bereik en hoe dit beleef word. Inligting was versamel deur die bestudering van 'n reeks van ongepubliseerde beleidsdokumente, en dit verbind met onderhoude wat gevoer was met departementele- en distriks-amptenare. Opvoeders, leerders, en 'n skoolhoof verbonde aan een gevallestudie skool was ook ondervra. Die navorsing het getoon dat fokusskole ´n vorm van beroepsonderwys is om die strewe van die Wes-Kaapse ekonomie vir intermediêre vaardigheidsvlakke te verhoog. Die planne was gedurende die middel 2000´s in werking gestel. Die navorsing het ook getoon dat die fokusskool-projek sy eie unieke verloop binne die onderwys strukture sedert 2006 gehad het. Die ondersoek het ook getoon dat die strewe om meer leerders uit die historiese benadeelde gemeenskappe sover te kry om verder te gaan studeer of posisies te vervul om die plaaslike ekonomie te bedien, nie so suksesvol is soos die beleid dit vooruitstel nie. Die tesis stel voor dat die beleidsfokus om leerders na hoër onderwys te lei, misleidend is en teenstrydig is met die doelwitte van beroepsonderwys. Die verwarring wat deur die beleid veroorsaak was, was verder belig deur die leerders wat onderhoude mee gevoer was. Die leerders se mening is dat hulle liefs verkies om die meer akademiese-gebaseerde weg te volg. Min van hulle het geglo dat hul weg oop is na hoër onderwys soos wat amptenare van die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement beweer of dat beroepsmoontlikhede daar is nadat hy beroepsonderwys in fokusskole gevolg het.