Full Thesis / Thesis (Ph.D.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2006. / South Africa has a shortage of SMTs with well-honed management skills. SMTs are working under the most difficult conditions, especially during the transformation process in education. They are often not well-prepared for tasks they must perform and are neither given sufficient training. The focus of this research is to examine the role of HODs in the management of HRD. The EMD curriculum delivery nexus prompts the need to examine curriculum and education management and development, theories, practices and policies that support the implementation of the curriculum. HODs that are determined to build learning organisations should be able to create a culture of collaborative learning, where the acquisition of skills and knowledge is seen as an investment for the future. For transformation to take place in schools, educators should become major focal points for producing the momentum for change. Educational transformation and curriculum change development is taking place at a rapid pace. The whole transformation process is characterised by policy formulation rather than policy implementation. The concern is that the state of readiness of implementation at school level has not been investigated. The establishment of sound legal and regulatory framework to facilitate the transformation process can only become effective if schools are ready for the implementation of the new curriculum. A qualitative research methodology was employed for this study. The key objective of the research was to elicit the perceptions, by means of questionnaires and interviews, that educators and SMTs have of the role that HODs play on the management of HRD to support curriculum change, development and delivery, as well as the role of District Officials in this regard. The population of this study consisted of educators from primary schools in three education districts in the Free State province. The sample employed in this study consisted of sixty educators, including Heads of Department (HODs). Twenty educators per education district were randomly selected. It is evident that HODs require competencies such as staff provisioning, maintaining good human relations and providing an intensive HRD programme so that they manage educators effectively, which, in turn will result in their effective management of departments. The recommendations of this study are incorporated in a Human Resource Development (HRD) programme put forward by the researcher to add to the current body of knowledge in Human Resource Management in Education.

Thesis (D. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2009 / This research analyses the discourses of students without barriers on inclusive higher education. It is assumed that the discursive practices of students without barriers will affect their perception negatively on inclusive education. This leads to the students without barriers’ attitude. As a result the students without barriers believed that upbringing played a role in their discourses. Parental and societal stereotypes blinded them to discourses. Analysing the discourses of students without barriers indicates the need for support in order to go beyond their stereotypes. To confirm these findings, I used qualitative study to conduct my research. The literature is reviewed in Chapter Two to find out what various researchers in previous studies say with regard to the discourses of students without barriers. Six respondents were selected from two different universities, namely the Central University of Technology and the University of the Free State. This was done with the purpose of analysing the discourse of students without barriers to determine if they understood what it means to be supported. The Free Attitude Interview was used as the technique for gathering information from the respondents. The purpose was to find the discourses of students without barriers in an inclusive higher education. This research study used the textually orientated discourse analysis (TODA) as a technique for gathering data. A tape recorder was used as a supplement for information that might be forgotten. The audio recordings were transcribed, verbatim and later interpreted. The spoken word of the respondents was analysed with the aim of disclosing the ideology carried by the respondents. This study is able to conclude that students without barriers felt superior to physically disabled students, as they indicated in their dominant discourses. This implies that students without barriers are positioned with ideology and discourses in so far as their meaning construction of discourses are concerned. Based on the findings, the study recommends an inservice programme to help students without barriers to become aware of their discursive practices. The students without barriers should not allow negative stereotypes and misconception to prevent them from their discourses in inclusive higher education.

Thesis (M. Tech.(Environmental Health)) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2005 / As the concentration of dust has been shown to be proportional to seasonal change in the Free State Province of South Africa, one might expect the prevalence of associated microorganisms to follow the same pattern. The presence of dust is also associated with an aerosolised microbial population that gets blown into almost any unsealed environment including food storage facilities at schools. In addition, facility design and storage practices at these schools are under-developed and could subsequently lead to the contamination of stored food by dust, insects and rainwater. The foods in question include fortified biscuits that are intended for malnourished, and in several cases immunocompromised, children who are susceptible to opportunistic pathogens. Therefore this study aimed to determine the impact of facility design on the level and distribution of viable airborne microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) in the storage rooms and the outdoor environment at both rural (higher dust exposure) and urban schools. Besides the pathogenicity of these organisms, their ability to degrade the sugars (major fortifying agent) in the mentioned biscuits was also established. The results showed the presence of Escherichia coli, which signifies faecal contamination and could be attributed to the lack of toilet facilities in the schools, especially in rural areas. Although Staphylococcus sp. is normally related to poor personal hygiene practices, these organisms were also isolated from the air of the storerooms and school premises. The presence of moulds and airborne microorganisms was attributed to unfavourable environmental conditions as well as crowding in the classrooms. The microbial contamination originally present on the fortified biscuits or originating from the air further caused deterioration in the quality of the food. The fungi present in the air (identified species) cause respiratory problems when inhaled by children as they are opportunistic pathogens. It is further evident that a change of season corresponded to a general change in bioaerosol composition, such as the increased presence of dust during the winter months. It was further concluded that schools situated in different environments (urban/rural) should have storerooms that address the various environmental factors influencing bioaerosols. This would impact not only directly on the health of children in terms of their exposure to possible allergens, but also indirectly through the food that they consume as part of the feeding programme.

Thesis (M. Tech. (Communication)) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2015 / The central role of language in governance need not be argued; it is self-evident. Effective communication between the political leadership and the state administration, between individual government bodies and institutions, within these bodies and institutions, and between the government and its citizens, which is a prerequisite for good government, occurs mainly through language.

No description available.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Introduction: Despite ongoing training provided to healthcare workers (HCWs) on tuberculosis infection prevention and control (TB IPC), at the health institution and implementation of TB IPC precautions, nosocomial TB infection within the hospital persist. The facility’s 2017 Occupational Infection & Needle Prick Report showed the proportions of new nosocomial TB infection cases among HCWs rose steadily from (5.6%) n=2 in 2013/14, (7.8%) n= 4 2015/16 and (9%) n=7, to (11%) n=11 cases in 2017/18. Study findings confirmed high new nosocomial TB infections among HCWs and a likelihood that these cases were usually under- reported meaning the problem of nosocomial TB infection among HCWs was actually bigger than understood at the hospital. In fact during the period of the mini-thesis study (July 2018) alone, three (3) cases of nosocomial TB infections were reported among HCWs (a porter and 2 nurses). Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the factors which are perceived to be contributing to nosocomial TB infection amongst doctors and nurses in a Level 2 referral hospital in the Free State Province of South Africa.

A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Wfitwatersvand, Johannesburg for the Degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 1977,

This study explores the aims of psychological assessment and evaluation of learners by Free State child guidance clinics so as to realise the goals of Inclusive Education. A systematic and scientific study examined the psychological assessment practices used by the Free State child guidance clinics. The study agitates for the eco-systemic theory as its theoretical framework to psychological assessment and evaluation of learners as opposed to the medical positivistic approach. The advent of democracy in 1994 led to the transformation of the South African education system. Education changes included the review of the use of psychological assessment and evaluation of learners in schools. Such changes in psychological evaluation were necessitated by the fact that traditional psychological evaluation methods were used to perpetuate apartheid policies. Psychological tools and techniques used were biased towards certain learners. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used to complement each other as part of triangulation. Five child guidance clinics were targeted as the research population for this study. These were: Child Guidance Clinic1, Child Guidance Clinic 2, Child Guidance Clinic 3, Child Guidance Clinic 4 and Child Guidance Clinic 5. Participants for the study were selected from all these clinics as they had all the characteristics needed to be part of the study. Purposive sampling then became the appropriate sampling style for the study. Not all members of the child guidance clinics were reached to be participants in the research study. Ultimately, 33 members of the child guidance clinics formed the research sample. Data production techniques used were structured questionnaires, clinical interviews and file analysis. A total number of 12 interviews were conducted, 25 questionnaires administered and 50 files audited. The literature survey provided a theoretical base to look at previous studies conducted on this topic and to provide a theoretical lens through which this study was conducted. Data produced were presented and qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. It became evident in this study that psychological assessment and evaluation of learners was culturally biased against certain learners. Many psychological tests used to assess learners had a content bias and were not standardised for the culturally diverse South African society. The general picture that emerged from the study about the assessment of learners was that many learners who were referred to child guidance clinics for psychological intervention were eventually placed in the special education programme. A majority of the assessors were white and speak Afrikaans. This created problems as they assess black Southern Sotho or Xhosa speaking learners because they are not conversant with learners’ language. They then had to use interpreters to help them. Tools and techniques that they used were influenced by the medical model as its theoretical base. In this study, it is argued that the medical model needs to be revisited as it does not help learners to realise their full potential. Instead, the eco-systemic model is foregrounded as the assessment model which is compatible with the principles of inclusive education. It then became evident that the aims of psychological assessment and evaluation of learners especially in an inclusive education context must be revisited. On the basis of the findings of this study, it is concluded that; • The total number of specialists working at the Free State child guidance clinics is too limited; • Most of the therapists, especially psychologists, still maintain that psychometric tests can play a role in inclusive education; • The aims of psychological evaluation should aim at the learner’s needs and for support; • Placement of learners in special settings should be discouraged and those who need moderate to high levels of support should be assisted at the full service school or resource centre. It was not the intention of this study to discuss psychological assessment and evaluation in depth as this is a very wide concept. Time constraints could not allow that. Further research is required on other aspects of psychological evaluation. Recommendations relating to how assessment in an inclusive education setting should be conducted and suggestions for future relevant research on psychological assessment and evaluation of learners are made. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This thesis concerns the role that the church can play in alleviating poverty in Black rural communities in South Africa, through a case study ofthe Thaba'Nchu community in the Free State Province. The thesis argues that the policies of racial segregation of the apartheid era impacted very strongly on the Black communities in our country. Blacks were dispossessed, marginalized and suffered greatly. It is further argued that the New Dispensation after 1994 did very little to ensure that the poor in places like Thaha'Nchu enjoyed a meaningful standard of life. Poverty has continued to be a large factor in the lives of the rural Black South Africans. This situation obliges the church according to its calling to make a difference in the lives of the rural poor communities such as in Thaba'Nchu. It is argued that the Church does have a contribution to make in development. When poverty and unemployment have entrenched themselves in the community, the Church locally and ecumenically have the capacity and the potential to wage war against the scourge. To combat poverty, a clearly drawn programme of action needs to be formulated. This research proposes a two-pronged strategy where first, hunger gets addressed and second, sustainable income generating projects are initiated to empower the poor. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

The taxonomic status, distribution and ecology of the herpetofauna of the Orange Free State are discussed, based on the examination of 10 096 specimens housed in various southern African museums. The majority of specimens were collected during the years 1972 - 1978 and 1983 - 1992, and are housed at the National Museum, Bloemfontein. A total of 25 amphibian and 95 reptilian (one translocated species) forms have been determined as occurring in the Orange Free State, 12 (three amphibians, nine reptiles) of which are new (or recently published) records for the province. An additional 10 amphibian and 28 reptilian forms have been determined as occurring nearby but extralimitally to the O.F.S., and several of these forms are expected to occur in the province. New distributional records have resulted in the amendment of the ranges of several species. Detailed taxonomic data on new material, including rare species, have been given. Some problem areas in the taxonomy of O.F.S. taxa have been higlighted. An analysis of habit utilization indicated that 84,0% of amphibians and 61,1% of reptiles are terricolous, whereas up to 21,5% of reptiles are rupicolous. The majority of snakes (72,2%) are terrestrial in habits, but 13,9% are fossorial. More than half of all lizards (52,8%) are terrestrial, although 34,6% are rupicolous. A total of six amphibian and 27 reptile forms utilize inactive termitaria as a microhabitat, including several basically terrestrial forms. Snake forms were particularly well represented in termitaria, 60,6% of all forms known from the O.F.S. having been recorded from inactive termitaria. General features of the ecology of O.F.S. amphibians and reptiles have also been discussed. The biogeographical analysis indicated that O.F.S. amphibian forms can be classified into one of nine range clusters (common patterns of distribution), and reptiles into 13 such cluster groups. By testing these classifications by means of a transect through the northern O.F.S. (from eastern to western borders), it was determined that a fairly distinct east-west subtraction of amphibian and reptilian species and subspecies occurs in the O.F.S. Clustering of range boundaries and high species and subspecies diversity at the western and eastern ends of the transect zone suggest dynamic biogeographical situations occurring in those areas - the western group being associated with the transition from grassland to bushveld, and the eastern group associated with the transition from Highveld Grassland to Drakensberg Mountains. The general eastern and western groupings of taxa appear to be associated with the cooler, wetter and mountainous east vs the warmer, drier and lower-lying west, respectively. Despite a great deal of collecting having been conducted in the O.F.S. from 1972 to 1992, an analysis of the number of taxa collected in each quarter-degree unit in the O.F.S. indicated that additional collecting would be required in order to conduct effectively a mathematically-based biogeographical analysis. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1992.