Thesis (M. Ed.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / This study reports on factors influencing a decline of learner’s enrolment in commercial subjects: a case of Driekop circuit in Limpopo province. The study followed a qualitative research methodology underpinned by a case study design. The uncertainty reduction theory by Berger and Calabre (1983) guided the study. The aim of the study was to investigate the factors influencing learner enrolment in commercial subjects in Driekop Circuit and the sample of participants was comprised of eight teachers and twenty leaners from four secondary schools. Data were collected through interviews and document analysis. The finding of the study revealed a number of factors influencing learners enrolment in commercial subjects which includes; i). leaners’ ability in the subject, ii) peer pressure, iii) the influence of teachers and school managers, and iv) learners’ misconceptions about commercial subjects. The study makes a number of recommendations: Firstly, leaners should be advised, guided and supported in their decision making. Secondly, aptitude and interest tests should be taken, and thirdly appropriate interventions from professionals should be sought by schools.

The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influence the enrolment of dairy farmers to a Community Health Insurance scheme for better access to healthcare. Quantitative, descriptive, contextual, cross-sectional research was conducted and the Health Insurance for the Poor framework was used to describe these factors. Data collection was done using a structured interview guide. The sample consisted of 135 farmers who supplied milk to a dairy cooperation in western Kenya. Among the sample were respondents (n=17) who were enrolled to the Tanykina Community Healthcare Plan (TCHP). The findings revealed that lack of information and unfamiliarity with TCHP, lack of affordability and the distance from the TCHP centres might prevent farmers from registering for the Tanykina Community Healthcare Plan. Improved marketing strategies and establishing more health centres which are more accessible are among the recommendation made to increase the membership to the TCHP / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Gender is one of the central organizing principles around which social and corporate innovation revolves. The multinational Ghanaian mining is dominated by men and masculinity cultures. To gain an adequate understanding of this phenomenon, it is prudent to explore its gendered nature. This thesis reflects consciously upon the pre-entry, organizational and sociocultural barriers affecting the effective participation of women in mine jobs. And beyond the barriers, it examines what changes have occurred, occasioning a shift in gender dynamics, leading to an increasing number of women participation in the industry? The current thesis adopts a case study method, deploying a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches; administered questionnaires, conducted individual interviews, observations, archival documents, and focus group discussions with respondents in four mining companies and a mining and technology university in Ghana. The AMOS–based structural equation modeling approach was used to analyze the quantitative data, while thematic and discourse analysis was employed in analyzing the qualitative narratives of the respondents. Results of the thesis point to the social construction of gender in science, engineering and technology education as a pre-entry barrier. Also, a complex web of male-dominance, gender bias, role models and mentorship constraints, coupled with unfriendly family work policies were noted organizational barriers. In furtherance, common prejudices, perceptions and stereotyped notions of gender roles in the mines constituted noted sociocultural factors constraining effective participation of women in mine work. However beyond the pre-entry, organizational and sociocultural barriers, the current thesis intuits a phenomenon of a ‘women’s revolution’ in the mines, witnessing collective efforts from Women in Mining Ghana as well as the mine workers’ organizations and allied institutions adopting gender strategic measures, such as the ‘ore solidarity,’ gender mainstreaming in admission programmes as well as gender-driven mining initiatives aimed at re-engineering or striking a shift in gender dynamics in the mine jobs of Ghana. Consequently, the classic and continuous male-dominance in Ghanaian mines constitute a considerable concern for mine work organizational development, with practical implications for the mining industry, employment, and  labor relation practices as well as public policy in Ghana. Therefore, affirmative action is recommended for gender deconstruction and promotion of gender democracy. Indeed this move for inclusivity will engender poverty eradication work towards achieving organizational modernization, their global competitiveness and an assurance for gender-driven social innovative mining.

The aim of the thesis is to analyse different instruments of defence against trade mark piracy. The thesis composes of seven chapters. Chapter One is introductory and defines basic terminology used in the thesis: trade mark, community trade mark, registration of the trade mark by the Industrial Property Office, etc. Chapter Two focuses on the term "trade mark piracy". It divides defence against it into two different means -- dispute proceedings by the Industrial Property Office and judicial instruments. Chapter Three concentrates on comments on the ineligibility for enrolment of the trade mark designation and reasons for taking these comments. The chapter Four analyzes different types of the proposal for the revocation of the trade mark -- nonusage and using the trade mark in conflict with the unfair competition regulation. The chapter Five looks at the declaration of already-registered trade marks as invalid. Different reasons for taking a proposal of declaration are examined there. The chapter Six describes different types of appeals against decisions of the Industrial Property Office. The last chapter summarizes results of the questionary about use of the instruments against trade mark piracy.

This thesis is concerned with the implications of the new South African education system based on the South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 for educational performance and learners' enrolment in public schools. Central to the argument are the unfavourable consequences of the charging of school fees at public schools for learners from poor families. This is analysed based on a survey conducted in the Durban Metropolitan area between September and November 1998. As a legacy of apartheid education, inequalities between population groups are still evident (Chapter 1). One of the aims of the Act is the redress of past inequalities and permission to charge fees at public schools is seen as a measure to supplement the resources provided by the State (Chapter 2). Implications of school fees for school finance and redress of past inequalities between ex-departments are often discussed. However, little attention has been given to the impact of charging fees on learners' enrolment, which is the main focus of this thesis. There is a contradiction between permitting the charging of fees at public schools and the insistence on compulsory attendance in the Act. Given the financial constraints of South African schools, most schools are likely to adopt school fees. There may be many learners who may not be able to afford fees. Although the Act provides measures to prevent poor learners from being refused admission, it is questionable whether the measures provided by the Act function properly in practice. There would be poor learners who are effectively excluded from advantaged schools which charge high school fees. Past inequalities would not necessarily be redressed under the new system. As a result ofthe implementation ofthe Act, a kind of semi-privatisation within the public school sector could be introduced (Chapter 3). Analysis based on the research in Durban supports these hypotheses to some degree (Chapter 4). Recent incidents regarding the refusal by some public schools to admit learners on the basis of the parents' inability to pay school fees indicate the importance of this issue. Equal access to a basic education cannot be guaranteed under the current situation. Chapter 5 presents an alternative to the current system. If the State provided all public schools with the minimum operation costs necessary to run daily activities, the school would be able to substitute voluntary contributions for school fees. One possible way to release resources for this purpose is a reduction in personnel expenditure, including an acceptance of much higher pupil/teacher ratios. Although this is a controversial issue, it is inevitable for any society to seek a more productive system if it faces financial constraints. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

In the thesis foreign direct investment in the Baltic countries using gravity model have been analysed. The first part of the thesis consists of foreign direct investment definition, the positive and negative influencing factors of foreign direct investment evaluation criteria analysis of the scientific literature and the authors different approaches to them. It is also made a critical evaluation of literature, authors usually distinguishing factors mentioned in different sources that affect foreign direct investment. Also in the first part of the paper theoretically gravity model and its application in practice of direct foreign investment assessment has been described. In the practical, analytical part the analysis of the chosen 7 most popular parameters from has been performed using the graphical methods. Also analyzed the market size, average wages, education levels, tax burden, economic openness index , GDP per capita and the average disposable income per household member on foreign direct investment in the Baltic countries, using multiple regression and correlation analysis and using a gravity model. The thesis ends with conclusions and recommendations. Structure: introduction, theoretical part, practical part, conclusions and suggestions, references. Thesis consist of: 77 p. text without appendixes, 19 pictures, 34 tables, 55 bibliographical entries. / Baigiamajame magistro darbe nagrinėjamos tiesioginės užsienio investicijos Baltijos šalyse taikant gravitacinį modelį. Pirmoje darbo dalyje pateikiama tiesioginių užsienio investicijų sąvokos, teigiamą ir neigiamą įtaką darančių veiksnių, tiesioginių užsienio investicijų vertinimo kriterijų analizė mokslinėje literatūroje bei skirtingas autorių požiūris į juos. Taip pat atliktas kritinis literatūros vertinimas, išskiriant dažniausiai autorių minimus veiksnius skirtinguose šaltiniuose, kurie daro įtaką tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms. Taip pat pirmoje darbo dalyje teoriniu požiūriu išanalizuotas gravitacinis modelis bei jo taikymas praktikoje tiesioginėse užsienio investicijoms įvertinti. Praktinėje, analitinėje darbo dalyje pagal pasirinktus 7 parametrus iš dažniausiai pasitaikančių literatūros apžvalgose išanalizuotas Baltijos šalių tiesioginių užsienio investicijų atvejis naudojant grafinę analizę. Taip pat nagrinėjamas rinkos dydžio, vidutinio darbo užmokesčio, išsilavinimo lygio, mokesčių naštos, ekonominio atvirumo indekso BVP vienam gyventojui bei vidutinių disponuojamų pajamų vienam namų ūkio nariui įtaka tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms Baltijos šalyse naudojant daugianarę koreliacinę regresinę analizę bei pritaikant gravitacinį modelį. Darbo pabaigoje pateikiamos išvados ir siūlymai. Darbą sudaro 2 dalys: įvadas, teorinė dalis, praktinė dalis išvados ir siūlymai, literatūros sąrašas. Darbo apimtis – 77 p. teksto be priedų, 19 iliustr., 34 lent., 55... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Dans le contexte actuel du Vietnam, la stabilisation de l’élan de développement, la recherche d’une meilleure qualité des ressources humaines pour un développement durable s’avèrent des éléments – clef. L’urgence est d’élever la qualité des formations en vue d’alimenter le processus de développement socio-économique du pays. C’est l’objectif poursuivi par la politique d’émulation du gouvernement vietnamien dans tous les niveaux d’enseignement. Cependant, ces dernières années, on voit apparaître deux phénomènes. Le premier, c’est l’indifférence de la majorité d’élèves qui ne s’intéressent plus à l’émulation et refusent de faire des efforts pour être membres des équipes d’élèves aux concours à tous les niveaux. Le deuxième, c’est le refus d’une partie des parents d’élèves de permettre à leurs enfants de participer aux équipes. Les objectifs fixés au départ commencent à être menacés. Le présent travail s’intéresse au système d’élite mis en place au Vietnam. Il tentera d’analyser les raisons de cette évolution et d’apporter des propositions à ce phénomène en choisissant comme angle d’attaque les quatre acteurs importants pour le succès du système d’émulation que sont les cadres éducatifs, les enseignants, les élèves et les parents d’élèves. Nous mettrons en place des enquêtes par questionnaire auprès de ces acteurs pour comprendre les répercussions psychologiques du système d’émulation actuellement en vigueur. / In the current context of Vietnam, the stabilization of the growing development, the research of a better quality in human resources for a sustainable development are key elements. The emergency is to rise up the quality of education to fuel the social and economic development process in the country. This is the objective pursued by the Vietnamese government's policy of emulation at each level of education. However, those last years, two phenomenons appeared. First of all, is the indifference coming from the majority of students who are no longer interested by the emulation and refuses to make efforts to be member of students’ competition teams at every level. Secondly, it is the refusal of a part of the student's parent to allow their kids to participate in the teams. Consequently, the objectives initially set up, start to be threatened. The current work is interested to the elite system established in Vietnam. It will try to analyze the reason of this evolution and introduce proposals to this phenomenon in targeting the four important actors for the emulation system success that are educational frameworks, teachers, students and their parents. We will establish surveys by questionnaires towards those factors to understand, to understand the psychological implications of the emulation system currently in force.

The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influence the enrolment of dairy farmers to a Community Health Insurance scheme for better access to healthcare. Quantitative, descriptive, contextual, cross-sectional research was conducted and the Health Insurance for the Poor framework was used to describe these factors. Data collection was done using a structured interview guide. The sample consisted of 135 farmers who supplied milk to a dairy cooperation in western Kenya. Among the sample were respondents (n=17) who were enrolled to the Tanykina Community Healthcare Plan (TCHP). The findings revealed that lack of information and unfamiliarity with TCHP, lack of affordability and the distance from the TCHP centres might prevent farmers from registering for the Tanykina Community Healthcare Plan. Improved marketing strategies and establishing more health centres which are more accessible are among the recommendation made to increase the membership to the TCHP / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study is about the author, a primary school teacher, who as a teacher-researcher wanted to improve the awareness of HIV/AIDS that has become a major challenge globally and has been on the increase over the past two-and-a-half decades, especially so, in sub-Saharan Africa. This is in spite of an "overflow" of HIV/AIDS information. The thesis documents two action research projects. Both of them are based on an emancipatory action research methodology. It has long been recognised that the HIV/AIDS pandemic requires more than medical attention and that the way in which teachers deal with HIV/AIDS education, especially at primary school level, becomes critical. A fundamental assumption of this study is that teachers play a critical role and are often the main adults, other than family members, with whom young people interact on a daily basis. Teachers can and must play a vital role in the development of valuable behavioural guidelines about reproductive health amongst the youth. This study views teachers, and more so primary school teachers, as important role players in the struggle to come to terms with HIV/AIDS. In reflecting about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, I realised that my classroom practice was characterised by a "culture of silence" when it came to discussing sex and matters concerning sexuality. The study sets out to enhance behavioural change in the way learners think about sex and sexuality and includes a continuous process of self reflection, self-awareness, planning and appropriate action. In Chapter One, I have tried to locate what I would regard as the problem in my teaching. I became increasingly convinced that my classroom practices might well be contributing to a lack of interweaving HIV/AIDS education into curriculum activity, while at the same time, promoting a "culture of silence" when it comes to issues of sex and sexuality. I arrived at this particular point as a result of reflectively looking at my own teaching career, as well as my own historical and schooling background which I felt has impacted on the way I teach. In this chapter I also give a brief historical background of the school where I teach and where I conducted my research. Towards the end of the chapter, I emphasise that teachers, including myself, need to redefine their role so as to empower students by creating the opportunity for their "voices" to be heard. I also explain concepts used in this written account such as "culture of silence" and "transformative intellectuals". In Chapter Two, I address the HIV and AIDS pandemic debate in more detail. I look at the impact of HIV/AIDS on education and how the implementation of an outcomes - based curriculum (C2005) takes up the HIV/AIDS challenge. In addition to this, I attempt to unpack the Western Cape Education Department's plans and policy concerning HIV/AIDS, after which I focus on breaking the HIV/AIDS "culture of silence". Before I conclude the chapter, I critically engage with the idea of the teacher as a researcher and critical change agent in an HIV/AIDS challenged society. In Chapter Three I provide a brief historical background of the development of action research. I point out how Lewin (1948) and Stenhouse's (1975) idea of action research was later taken up further and given a more critical perspective by writers such as Elliott (1985), Hopkins (1985), Walker (1985), Carr & Kemrnis (1986), Grundy (1987), Winter (1989), McKernan (2000), Meerkotter (2002) and McNiff & Whitehead (2006). I start with the defining (with due regard for the pitfalls of definitions) of action research and then focus on the nature and practices of an emancipatory action research approach. In this chapter I also elaborate on the reasons why I have decided on emancipatory action research as the main approach for this investigation. Chapter Four focuses on my first action research project where I set out to hear my students' "voice". And to contribute to the development of their voice to empower them with regard to sex and sexuality issues, a voice reflecting their increasing understanding of the seriousness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and most of all a "critical voice" as purported by Freire (1972; 1980), Giroux (1988; 1991) and McLaren (1991; 2006). My second action research project "Checkmating HIV/AIDS", which is described in detail in Chapter Five, is a continuation of the first action research project where I tried to break down the "culture of silence" concerning HIV/AIDS and sex and sexuality in my classroom. On reflecting about the first project, I realized that awareness alone was not going to be enough to take up the HIV/AIDS prevention challenge. Infusing awareness with action was my next step, and sport, being a rallying point on our country's Transformation and Nation Building agenda became the ideal educational tool for this process. For successful prevention, individuals must be able to make decisions to protect themselves. In the second project I focus specifically on one code of sport, namely chess. In this second project, I set out to discuss the potential of using this code of sport to take up the HIV/AIDS challenge. Chapter Six is the concluding chapter. The question posed is: Can we ever win the battle against HIV/AIDS? Is it possible to change the way we think about sex and matters concerning sexuality? Thereafter the concept of change is interrogated and "clarified" in the context of my study. This is followed by looking at the two projects, and I specifically focus on whether these projects had been liberatory or transformative. I then address the issue concerning teachers as "transformative intellectuals" and teacher researchers and conclude by proposing emancipatory action research as a "vehicle" for change. Too often the response to the pandemic produces plans that list endless interventions. I strongly recommend that further research relating to the role of sport in education, with specific reference to HIV/AIDS, be prioritised. The argument being that sport, recreation and play are increasingly elements of development programmes around the world, contributing to the well-being, health and education of children and young people. If chess can contribute to checkmating HIV/AIDS and basketball to dunking HIV/AIDS then a big code such as soccer can definitely contribute to "dribbling" and "tackling" the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Especially, in view of the fact, that South Africa is hosting and showcasing the soccer world cup of 2010.

Cette thèse se propose d’étudier les choix d’éducation en adoptant une approche originale intégrant la notion de qualité de l’enseignement. Cette étude se concentre sur deux pays : l’Indonésie et le Pakistan. Dans un premier temps, nous montrons que la scolarisation obligatoire a eu des effets sur les taux de scolarisation qui se sont répercutés sur les comportements de fécondité. Ces effets ne sont cependant pas automatiques et peuvent cacher une grande hétérogénéité. Nous nous intéressons ensuite au concept de qualité de l’éducation, une notion qui a de multiples facettes. Si on l’appréhende par le prisme des résultats scolaires, les enseignants semblent jouer un rôle majeur. Cependant, cette définition n’est pas entièrement satisfaisante quand on s’intéresse aux choix de scolarisation. En effet, les performances académiques des écoles ne reflètent qu’une partie de l’opinion des parents. Les parents semblent également rationaliser leurs choix a posteriori et considèrent que les écoles privées sont meilleures. Une approche qui considère la qualité subjective de l’éducation (perçue par les parents) permet de mieux comprendre leurs choix en termes d’éducation. Les parents non satisfaits par l’enseignement public ont tendance à s’orienter vers le privé, ce qui peut expliquer l'expansion de ce secteur dans de nombreux pays en développement. Le développement des écoles privées pourrait néanmoins accroître les inégalités car certaines franges de la population n’y ont pas accès. / This thesis aims at better understanding the multiple aspects of education in developing countries with a focus on Indonesia and Pakistan. First, we show that compulsory education could positively impact educational attainment and change fertility behaviours, even though these effects can be heterogeneous. Then, we consider the multifaceted notion of quality of education. If we consider that the quality of education encompasses only learning outcomes, teachers play a central role in knowledge acquisition. However, this measure is unsatisfactory when trying to understand schooling behaviours. Indeed, student achievement only partly explains parents' opinions. Parents also tend to be subject to an ex-post rationalization bias and to value private schools more. The subjective dimension of the quality of education helps to understand school choice. Parents' dissatisfaction with public schools partly explains why they send their children to private establishments. Nevertheless, the expansion of the private education sector could increase gender and socio-economic inequalities.