D.Phil. (Career and Life Orientation) / The study focuses on how extended families are involved on the wellness of orphans at a primary school in Masvingo City in Zimbabwe. Through an ethnographic research design, the study aimed to establish the involvement of extended families and challenges they face in rendering support and care to orphans. This study draws an intensive ethnographic research interrogative approach through observations, interviews, researcher made test and document analysis in order to establish the challenges by orphans and extended families and how these challenges may impact on orphans wellness. By using an integrative lens the researcher was mainly trying to get a better perspective of looking at the four wellness dimensions of orphans in a much broader way. An integrative framework lens namely Ubuntu, Bronfenbrenner’s bio- ecological systems theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs were mainly used to try and get a broader/better perspective of how extended families are involved in caring for orphans. Five orphans, five extended family heads, one school guidance and counselling teacher, one Social Welfare officer and one Non-governmental officer where purposively selected. The main data gathering instruments were; two researcher-made Mathematics tests, a teacher made test, a questionnaire with open-ended questions, observations and interviews. Interviews with the school guidance and counselling teacher were also conducted to establish learners’ performance, class attendance as well as homework assistance rendered to learners by their parents or guardians. An analysis of attendance trends of learners using class teachers’ registers was done. Mathematics Test were also analysed to establish the intellectual wellness of orphans. Data was analysed manually through hand coding and categorizing of ideas, which eventually formed themes to this study. The findings revealed that extended families are encountering a lot of difficulties during their involvement in caring for orphans. Difficulties included provision of physical needs, accommodation, and assistance with academic work. Moreover, the caregivers were in their seventies and too old to provide quality care. Voices of extended family heads, wished that projects like Isheanopa (The Lord provides) initiated by one school to support orphans, be extended to other schools within the city in order to alleviate the burden experienced by extended family heads.

Parental involvement (PI) in school governance is an international acclaimed worldwide practice and is viewed as a major topic in current educational reforms. This study investigated the management of PI programmes in public schools within the jurisdiction of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province in Zimbabwe. The Total Quality Management (TQM) framework was employed as attempts were made to bring all stakeholders on board in the pursuit of quality education. To achieve this thrust, literature on the historical developments which obtained in the United States of America, China and South Africa on the phenomenon was reviewed. Further to that, the models of PI which influenced the adoption of what has obtained in Zimbabwean public schools were cited too. In the process the legal statutes which mandated PI programmes in operation were explored in detail. Data for this study was obtained by means of a quantitative approach involving questionnaires with precoded responses from a sample of 51 education managers and 47 school governors. The major findings of the empirical investigation was that PI is juridical and the bulk of the parents want to be engaged in both formal and informal academic issues of the school business as long as such engagement is well planned and organised. This collaboration of the minds and efforts does not only enhance the management style of the education manager but also the realisation of academic excellence in schools as both parties collectively embark on a quality conscious crusade. Generally, parents in this province were found to be less meddlesome when it comes to the professional governance of the school system, thus making the bulk of schools in this region “conflict free zones”. Disturbing though was the failure by parents to be engaged in the conception of the school vision and mission statement. Finally, the engagement of parents in the management of PI programmes has been recommended in this thesis as it has been found to be genuine, transparent, human resource oriented, dialogical and accountable if citizen participation in school governance is to be envisaged within a democratic framework. Orientation workshops and seminars can be manned for this purpose if home-brewed PI models meant to enhance ownership, commitment and motivation are to be realised. In that way, a customised educational menu may be approximated. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Parental involvement (PI) in school governance is an international acclaimed worldwide practice and is viewed as a major topic in current educational reforms. This study investigated the management of PI programmes in public schools within the jurisdiction of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province in Zimbabwe. The Total Quality Management (TQM) framework was employed as attempts were made to bring all stakeholders on board in the pursuit of quality education. To achieve this thrust, literature on the historical developments which obtained in the United States of America, China and South Africa on the phenomenon was reviewed. Further to that, the models of PI which influenced the adoption of what has obtained in Zimbabwean public schools were cited too. In the process the legal statutes which mandated PI programmes in operation were explored in detail. Data for this study was obtained by means of a quantitative approach involving questionnaires with precoded responses from a sample of 51 education managers and 47 school governors. The major findings of the empirical investigation was that PI is juridical and the bulk of the parents want to be engaged in both formal and informal academic issues of the school business as long as such engagement is well planned and organised. This collaboration of the minds and efforts does not only enhance the management style of the education manager but also the realisation of academic excellence in schools as both parties collectively embark on a quality conscious crusade. Generally, parents in this province were found to be less meddlesome when it comes to the professional governance of the school system, thus making the bulk of schools in this region “conflict free zones”. Disturbing though was the failure by parents to be engaged in the conception of the school vision and mission statement. Finally, the engagement of parents in the management of PI programmes has been recommended in this thesis as it has been found to be genuine, transparent, human resource oriented, dialogical and accountable if citizen participation in school governance is to be envisaged within a democratic framework. Orientation workshops and seminars can be manned for this purpose if home-brewed PI models meant to enhance ownership, commitment and motivation are to be realised. In that way, a customised educational menu may be approximated. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Behaviour problems are a problem in many secondary schools in Zimbabwe. This study attempts to investigate the causes and manifestations of behaviour problems of adolescent learners and to develop guidelines for teachers on how to assist learners with behaviour problems in the classroom. This is a qualitative study using focus group and semi-structured interviews. The main findings contributing to the causes of behaviour problems among adolescent learners are environmental factors, such as the family and the school and peer pressure. Behaviour problems are manifested by adolescents as disruptive behaviour, aggressive and antisocial behaviour, telling lies and theft. The findings highlight important guidelines, which teachers can use to assist and understand learners with behaviour problems in the classroom. The guidelines present an endeavour to solve problem behaviour in the classroom. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Special Needs Education)

Behaviour problems are a problem in many secondary schools in Zimbabwe. This study attempts to investigate the causes and manifestations of behaviour problems of adolescent learners and to develop guidelines for teachers on how to assist learners with behaviour problems in the classroom. This is a qualitative study using focus group and semi-structured interviews. The main findings contributing to the causes of behaviour problems among adolescent learners are environmental factors, such as the family and the school and peer pressure. Behaviour problems are manifested by adolescents as disruptive behaviour, aggressive and antisocial behaviour, telling lies and theft. The findings highlight important guidelines, which teachers can use to assist and understand learners with behaviour problems in the classroom. The guidelines present an endeavour to solve problem behaviour in the classroom. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Special Needs Education)