This study explored the role of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in public schools in the Gert Sibande district of the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. It focused on executive members of the SGB of three institutions and their school principals, who play a key role in school governance. The study was conducted using three case studies with the pseudo names as: Lepogo, Nkwe and Tau schools. The executive members of the SGBs comprised the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Treasurer. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of their roles on the implementation of educational policies, including the South African Schools Act of 1996. The study used qualitative methodology in the form of conducting focus group interviews (see Annexure A), doing document analysis (see section 3.7.3) and making observations (see Annexure B) during the meetings with SGBs. The findings indicated that the SGB members who were interviewed had minimal knowledge of how their roles impacted on the schools that they governed. It was also clear from the interviews that the training they received on an ad hoc basis was insufficient. Furthermore, this training was also conducted by individuals who seemed to be unsure about how to interpret the school policies in SASA policy documents. With regard to sub-committees, such as the recently introduced Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) comprising all stakeholders in education; it was disappointing to find, based on the three schools which participated in the study, that this was ineffective, and no meetings were held after its formation. The study revealed that the school policies embodied in SASA documents and the Constitution of South Africa were not used effectively, in order to give proper guidance on how SGBs should execute their roles. Moreover, the study revealed that retired officials were given the task of training the trainers, who were then expected to train the members of the SGB, and this was ineffective. Finally, the study revealed that the principals were expected to represent their schools and simultaneously represent the Department of Education in an ex officio position. This was not working, since no person can serve two masters at the same time. Therefore, the study emphasised the need to appoint neutral people to deal with school governance and report directly to the HoD (see Figure 5.1). All stakeholders are important, but they need to respect boundaries. In conclusion, the recommendations and the proposed model were deliberately designed and structured to offer practical solutions to the problems discussed in the research findings. It is also important that the training should be accompanied by some kind of assessment, in order to determine whether or not the SGB members have understood what they were taught. Furthermore, there should be follow-ups to ascertain to what extent the SGB members have implemented what they were taught in their schools, which is not happening at present. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

M. Tech. Business Administration / Provision of grants by financial institutions, government units and state owned agencies is of paramount importance in the development of entrepreneurs to the level of self-sustainability. Grants should be given on merit and also according to the needs of entrepreneurs; this can be established by means of feasibility studies done by entrepreneurs and effective funding models. Gert Sibande District is a municipality within the Mpumalanga Province which can be categorised as one of the areas that has previously disadvantaged individuals and most of the areas are rural, semi-rural and declared poverty pocket areas by the Provincial Government. This study was undertaken to analyse the impact of grants on the effective development of entrepreneurs and their sustainability in Gert Sibande District of Mpumalanga Province. The capability of the entrepreneurs and the roles of the support structures in addressing this problem were explored.

The aim of the study was to explore the accessibility of antiretroviral treatment amongst people living with HIV and AIDS at Public Health Care Facilities in Gert-Sibande Region in Mpumalanga. The study was conducted at a selected Public Health Care facility in Gert Sibande Region at Msukaligwa Municipality in Mpumalanga. The study focused primarily on people attending wellness programmes that are living with HIV and AIDS, receiving antiretroviral treatment in Public Health Care facilities. Research design of the study was exploratory which fundamentally used to explore a new topic or to learn more about issues where little is known. The research approach was purely qualitative methodology which allowed the researcher to explore deeply the perceptions of people living with HIV and AIDS and the capabilities in the provision of antiretroviral treatment at public health care facilities in Msukaligwa municipality of Gert-Sibande Region in Mpumalanga. Qualitative interview is the method that has been used to gather data from 23 participants who took part in the study. Questions of the interview were semi-structured in-depth one-on-one interviews and were used to explore understanding in relation to the accessibility of antiretroviral treatment amongst people living with HIV and AIDS at Public Health Care Facilities in Gert- Sibande Region in Mpumalanga. The findings of the study revealed that, there is good accessibility of antiretroviral treatment at public health care facilities in Msukaligwa Municipality of Gert-Sibande Region in Mpumalanga. There is also an existence of negative staff attitude towards patients and a probable poor service delivery at the referral local clinics. It can be concluded that there is a need to re-look into the current Hospital’s reception filing system and the turnaround time at certain areas of the Hospital and the capacitation of staff at the wellness centre. There is also a need to intensify the established programmes and the encouragement of people on treatment to take their antiretroviral treatment consistently. / Health Studies / M.A. (Social behaviour Studies in HIV & AIDS)

The aim of this study was to capture nurses’ experiences and reality of practice in order to understand their views on National Health Insurance (NHI) policy. A hermeneutic phenomenological research design was used to collect data from professional nurses working at Embuleni Hospital in the Gert Sibande District of Mpumalanga province. A sample of 10 professional nurses was included in the study and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data which was analysed following van Manen’s (1990) approach. The results revealed that professional nurses are of the view that the policy on management of hospitals is the source of health system problems which have caused inequalities and insufficient management of rural hospitals, thus affecting their efficiency in service delivery. However, the study revealed that professional nurses viewed the same policy in the light of national core-standards which they use as an objective tool for the purpose of monitoring their practice. The findings present an opportunity for policy makers to use evidence-based knowledge in realigning policy for relevance, bringing nurses on board in the policy process and understanding the key constituents of policy content. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Background: Literature has shown that negative attitudes and unwillingness to care for HIV-infected patients are prevailing among healthcare workers. This study aimed to assess the attitudes and willingness of student nurses towards caring for HIV-infected patients in some public hospitals in Gert Sibande district, Mpumalanga. Method: A contextual exploratory quantitative descriptive survey was conducted among student nurses enrolled for a four-year nursing qualification in a nursing college at Mpumalanga province. Self-administered questionnaires were completed after obtaining an informed consent. Results: A total of 122 (70.9%) students participated in this survey. Findings showed that most participants had positive attitudes 66 (52.7%) and were willing 121 (99.1%) to care for HIV-infected patients. Significant associations were revealed between participants’ previous HIV testing (p=0.012), age group (p=0.009), and their willingness to provide care to HIV-infected patients. Conclusion: Results showed a generally positive attitude and willingness by participants to care for HIV-infected patients. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The aim of this study was to capture nurses’ experiences and reality of practice in order to understand their views on National Health Insurance (NHI) policy. A hermeneutic phenomenological research design was used to collect data from professional nurses working at Embuleni Hospital in the Gert Sibande District of Mpumalanga province. A sample of 10 professional nurses was included in the study and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data which was analysed following van Manen’s (1990) approach. The results revealed that professional nurses are of the view that the policy on management of hospitals is the source of health system problems which have caused inequalities and insufficient management of rural hospitals, thus affecting their efficiency in service delivery. However, the study revealed that professional nurses viewed the same policy in the light of national core-standards which they use as an objective tool for the purpose of monitoring their practice. The findings present an opportunity for policy makers to use evidence-based knowledge in realigning policy for relevance, bringing nurses on board in the policy process and understanding the key constituents of policy content. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)

Background: Literature has shown that negative attitudes and unwillingness to care for HIV-infected patients are prevailing among healthcare workers. This study aimed to assess the attitudes and willingness of student nurses towards caring for HIV-infected patients in some public hospitals in Gert Sibande district, Mpumalanga. Method: A contextual exploratory quantitative descriptive survey was conducted among student nurses enrolled for a four-year nursing qualification in a nursing college at Mpumalanga province. Self-administered questionnaires were completed after obtaining an informed consent. Results: A total of 122 (70.9%) students participated in this survey. Findings showed that most participants had positive attitudes 66 (52.7%) and were willing 121 (99.1%) to care for HIV-infected patients. Significant associations were revealed between participants’ previous HIV testing (p=0.012), age group (p=0.009), and their willingness to provide care to HIV-infected patients. Conclusion: Results showed a generally positive attitude and willingness by participants to care for HIV-infected patients. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The study attempted to determine the causes of poor performance among Grade 12 learners in tasks involving calculus, especially in cubic graphs and the application of differential calculus. The study was conducted in three schools of the Msukaligwa 1 Circuit in the Gert Sibande District, Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. Differential calculus is a branch of mathematics that is concerned mainly with the study of the rate of change of functions with respect to their variables especially through the use derivatives and differentials. Students have difficulties in learning and mastering this section of calculus as is revealed by examiners’ and moderators’ reports year after year. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible reasons for the poor performance by Grade 12 learners in calculus-based tasks, especially in cubic graphs and the application in optimisation. The study sought to investigate the causes of the poor performance by Grade 12 learners in tasks based on these two subtopics of calculus. Three schools were selected by means of purposive sampling: one former model C, one Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy (MSTA) and one other school that does not fall in either of these two categories. This enabled the study to have participants from diverse backgrounds. A qualitative research design was used. Data was collected using learners’ scripts for the three formal tasks: May common test, June (midyear) and Trial (preparatory) examinations. Only the questions involving cubic graphs and the application of calculus were part of the study. Analysis was done in order to determine learners’ challenges, common mistakes, and misconceptions, but also of good responses given by learners. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)

The decentralisation of governance in South African schools as embodied in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 has placed considerable responsibility in the hands of parents for the governance of schools through the School Governing Bodies. In the light thereof, research was conducted in 5 secondary schools in the Breyten Circuit, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. A phenomenological qualitative approach was used to gather data from a purposeful sample of members of School Governing Bodies from selected secondary schools in the Breyten Circuit. The purpose was to explore the impact of parental involvement on effective secondary school governance in the Breyten Circuit. The findings revealed that many parents did not take their role seriously due to poor educational levels and the lack of training and familiarity with the legislation embodied in the Act. This compromised their ability to govern schools. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for improvement of practice. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Text in Afrikaans / Die studie poog om die doeltreffendheid van beginneronderwysers se aanpassing en ervaring van werksbevrediging in werksomstandighede te hersien. Enige organisasie kan nuwe mense aanstel maar kan nie verwag dat hierdie "aanstelling" hul beste werk lewer en doelwitte bereik voordat die persoon aangepas is in sy werk, omgewing en by sy kollegas nie (Steyn & Van Niekerk 2008:205, Steyn 2004:82, Whitaker 2001:7, Arends & Phurutse 2009:7). Beginneronderwysers moet leiding en ondersteuning ontvang om so gou as moontlik effektief by die skool in te skakel sodat hulle 'n produktiewe bydrae kan lewer ten opsigte van opvoeding en onderrig vir leerders en die onderwys in Suid-Afrika. Met hierdie navorsing wil die navorser dus ondersoek in stel om te bepaal of beginneronderwysers goed genoeg toegerus word om aan te pas en in te skakel by werksomstandighede en of hulle werksbevrediging ervaar. Die navorsingstudie is gedoen deur agt beginneronderwysers in vier laerskole in die Gert Sibande-streek van Mpumalanga te betrek. In hierdie studie maak die navorser gebruik van die kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is die geskikste metode om die ervarings van beginneronderwysers te beskryf. Individuele onderhoudvoering is dat data insamelingstegnieke gebruik om vas te stel wat die aard, omvang en moontlike oplossings is vir die navorsingsprobleem. Die navorsingstudie het bevind dat die beginneronderwyser begeleiding en ondersteuning benodig tydens inskakeling. Positiewe strategieë sluit in inskakelingsprogramme, handleidings asook ervare toegewysde mentors. Uit die bevindinge van die navorsing is daar ongetwyfel 'n sterk behoefte aan leiding en ondersteuning vir beginneronderwysers om effektief in te skakel by die skool. Beginneronderwysers moet bemagtig word om optimaal te kan ontwikkel, hulself te bevorder en te kan handhaaf in die onderwys in Suid-Afrika. / The study aims to review the effectiveness of novice teachers' adaptation and experience of job satisfaction in working conditions. Any organisation can appoint new people but cannot expect that this "appointment" to do their best work and reach goals before the person has been adapted in his work environment and to his colleagues (Steyn & Van Niekerk 2008: 205, Steyn 2004: 82, Whitaker 2001: 7 Arends & Phurutse 2009: 7). Beginner teachers should receive guidance and support quickly and effectively as soon as possible at school so they have a productive contribution to education and training for students and education in South Africa. This research would therefore examine to determine whether novice teachers are well equipped enough to adapt and to participate in working conditions and whether they experience job satisfaction. The research study was conducted by involving eight novice teachers in four primary schools in the Gert Sibande region of Mpumalanga. In this study, the researcher used a qualitative approach. The qualitative research method is the most appropriate way to describe the experiences of novice teachers. The data collection techniques that were used included individual interviews to determine the nature, extent and possible solutions to the research problem. The research study found that the new teacher needed guidance and support during integration. Positive strategies for guidance include induction programs, manuals and experienced dedicated mentors. From the findings of the research, there is a strong need for guidance and support for beginning teachers to be involved in the school. Beginner teachers should be empowered to develop their potential, to promote themselves and to maintain in education in South Africa. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)