The aim of this study was to explore burial alternatives, cemeteries crisis and perceptions of African urban communities around the issue of cremation as an alternative to burial. The researcher felt that it is important to do this research since there have been so many debates about cremation. The sample used, comprised of males and females from different townships around eThekwini Municipality. The researcher used both qualitative (focus group) and quantitative (self-administered questionnaires) methods. The researcher manually analysed the data that was 0 btained during t he study. The results of the study are presented in the form of quotes together with the discussion of the result by the researcher. The findings show that culture and religion play a very important role in the lives of African people. Although there are other burial alternatives, many African people still see traditional burial as the best way of decomposing the body. At the end of the study the researcher presented the conclusions and recommendations. The findings and recommendations made in the present study are of great help not only to the Department of Cemeteries and Crematoria within the eThekwini Municipality but also to other municipalities in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study explores the dynamics of employment and poverty in South Africa. Specifically, it is aimed at understanding, over time, the change in household well-being that occurs as a result of the employment types of household members. Secondly, the study explores the relationship between household worker combination and self employment activities, in other words, what are the odds of a household getting better as a result of income accrued from self-employment activities and how is this linked, if at all, to employment of other members of the household. This study will contribute to the debate on poverty and the labour market and that on the relationship between the formal and informal economies. The study relied on secondary data analysis from the KwaZulu-Natal Income Dynamics Survey. Instead of establishing a poverty line, the entire distribution was ranked on the basis of deciles. Decile transitions were then established with respect to household worker combinations and participation in self-employment activities. The analysis of the data revealed a range of worker types. The dominant household worker combinations have workers in regular employment, casual employment, selfemployment, and the unemployed. The number of people following the self-employment route is generally low despite the substantial number of people who remain unemployed. Seemingly, self-employment is not a desirable destination. The period 1993-1998 saw little variation with respect to household worker type. Though the number of regularly employed workers increased during the same period, there were an equally considerable number of unemployed people. The general trend shows few people assuming regular or formal work employment. This trend could not bring about a significant change in total income decile transition and hence a change in household wellbeing. With respect to self-employment, most activities are associated with households with at least a regularly employed member. In a majority of cases, there is a close association between self-employment and workers in the formal economy. The relationship suggests an intra-household transfer of resources to self-employment initiatives or the fact that households participate in self-employment activities in an effort to supplement income from regular employment that is inadequate to meet household needs. There was little variation in household rank order between the two years. It was therefore increasingly difficult for households to experience a change in income, at least, as expressed by their decile transitions. Households with regularly employed members had a greater chance of improving their decile transition. Income from labour earnings therefore played a substantial role in determining the change in household welfare. Though households engaged in a range of self-employment activities, income from these activities had little impact with respect to decile transitions. Income from selfemployment is therefore inadequate to bring about a meaningful change in total household income. In conclusion, the study notes that household welfare and its improvement is dependant upon the employment types of its members. It therefore calls into question the expectation that the unemployed and those in unstable employment should subsist on their own. Secondly, there is a close linkage between the informal economy (i.e. selfemployment) and the formal economy. In light of the links between the two economies, the analysis of the informal economy as a separate entity needs revision. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2004.

Governments in many developing countries have stepped up efforts to provide water and sanitation services sustainably to as many people as possible. In some instances, time frames for provision of services to all of their citizens have been set. While these are commendable efforts, the question whether these services are provided efficiently remains unanswered. In South Africa, although the government conducts consumer satisfaction surveys, seldom are citizens consulted for their views. While its efforts have been hailed as a success in the postapartheid era, there have been many obstacles in the supply process. The assumption has been that the government knows what the citizens want and gives it them, irrespective of their concerns. This study interrogated this assumption as its overall research objective, aiming to evaluate whether a supply-driven approach is effective in satisfying the demands of the consumers. As such the study sought to gain insight into the perceptions of Ohlange Township residents in Inanda, Durban, regarding water supply and sanitation services. The study found out that many of these residents could not afford to pay for basic services, although they are currently expected to pay for some of the costs of service provision. However, in a resource-constrained environment, the government can no longer sustainably provide these services without recovering costs. In this case, the government faces the challenge of balancing its constitutional mandate of providing all citizens with basic services and the demand by the poor for improved services they cannot afford. In this case, supply-led delivery system is severely limited in fully addressing consumer demands. This approach also results in poor service delivery due to inefficient resource management. It also disempowers communities because they are not involved in decision-making processes. Based on the study findings, the demand-led approach, one that is consumer-driven, is recommended. This approach puts the consumer at the centre of the delivery of basic services; allows consumers to participate in decision-making processes and encourages them to honour their obligations by paying for the services received. 11 / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

This study identifies and describes the implications of new policy and legislation on non-formal adult education and training focusing on the KwaZulu-Natal Poultry Institute (KZNPI) Five Months Poultry Management Programme. This is a non-formal residential course during which the learners assume full responsibility of a small modern diversified school farm. Learners apply the theoretical and practical knowledge they acquire during the course in order to advance their practical skills. Poultry management forms an important component of the knowledge and skill pool within the poultry industry. The development and implementation of effective programmes that educate and train managers are therefore necessary and an absolute requirement. Effective management skills and knowledge of the poultry-related operations add significant value to productivity in the workplace. It is a valuable set of skills required in the industry and it needs ongoing revision in light of changing technology, new working operations and the generation of new knowledge. In 1997 the South African government declared new policy in education with the intention to transform education systems and to improve the quality of education provided to learners in a variety of settings. The most important policies and legislation include the Further Education and Training Policy, Skills Development Act, Skills Development Levies Act and the South African Qualifications Authority Act. Policy and legislation in Further Education have been implemented over the last three years. This study investigates the impact of policy on the KZNPI Management Course. The study suggests that the new legislation poses significant changes to non-formal education programmes as well as the way in which providers of non-formal programmes operate. The legislations have not only affected the course design, provision and delivery, but the funding of non-formal providers as well. This is a case study of a non-formal programme provided by a non-governmental organizations located in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. This case study included an in-depth examination of the key policies and legislation, related literature and the use of interviews as the key methods of investigation. Data analysis involved a comparison of policy and legislation requirements to practices by non-formal adult education and training programmes. South Africa has embarked on a particular process of systems transformation in education and training with emphasis being placed on programme design and delivery based on nationally recognised qualifications and standards. Systems of accreditation and quality assurance are unfolding based on standards and this has contributed to the formalisation of non-formal programmes. The study shows that non-formal programmes, such as the KZNPI management course, require significant re-development and design in order to meet the requirements set in policy and legislation. The KZNPI is expected to redevelop its courses and have them registered and accredited. The implications of new policy and legislation also pose profound challenges for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the KZNPI. Although the impact on the organizational requirements was not the focus of this study, it is intricately linked to policy reform and it is impossible to ignore them because they are directly linked to the organizational capacity and the way programmes are designed and delivered. This study therefore also describes briefly the implications of policy and legislation on the organization. Funding of non-formal education programmes is one of the key determinants and is intricately linked to the registration and accreditation of education and training programmes. It poses significant challenges to the future of non-formal education and training in the country. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, [2007]

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2010.

In this study the challenges faced by a rural Further Education and Training (FET) college to deliver education are investigated. The FET sector uses the same curricula for colleges in both rural and urban settings but conditions in rural areas are very different. For example, few industries are situated in these areas, resulting in unemployment and/or the migration of youth to the urban areas. Long distances between campuses and a lack of employment opportunities in the rural areas suggest that it is difficult to manage rural colleges in the same manner as urban colleges. The education and training sector in South Africa has experienced significant changes during the last 11 years. Since 1998, the FET sector has faced mergers, the introduction of new governance structures, curriculum changes, relationship changes with both communities and the business sector and the introduction of new funding formulae. The FET College studied is situated in the Northern Region of KwaZulu-Natal and covers a vast area served by 11 municipalities. The campuses of this College are spread over a wide geographical area. This particular FET College is historically a state-funded merged institution of former Technical Colleges and Skills Centres. The merger was intended to deliver a better service by avoiding duplication of programmes at the colleges. Data gained from interviews with relevant role players identified challenges such as lack of infrastructure, poverty, poorly resourced campuses, high turnover of staff, limited course offerings, lack of policies and lack of financial assistance for disadvantaged students as key challenges faced in the rural areas. Most of the challenges faced by staff at campuses are related to the centralisation of services. Poor management is blamed for most of the challenges experienced by central office staff. Challenges faced by students are poverty, lack of infrastructure, unemployment and transport. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations are made relating to the challenges faced by the various role players. / Thesis (M.Ed)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study is an interpretive one which investigates the value attached to teaching qualifications by educators and other stakeholders, viz. learners, management and council at a FET College. The research focuses on the value of teaching qualifications for Further Education and Training (FET) educators. It suggests the need for professional development of FET educators in light of the new FET Act 16 of 2006 and the implementation of the National Curriculum Vocational (NCV) introduced in 2007. The study is informed by Shulman’s (1986) principles of teacher knowledge and the hypotheses of Kennedy Ahn & Choi (2008) on the value added by teacher education. The data was gathered using a questionnaire comprising three parts; close-ended questions to capture background information, a rating scale to capture the values attached to teaching qualifications and open-ended questions to capture additional data. The study concludes that values are attached to teaching qualifications mainly for the teaching of NC(V) programs and that practical expertise is necessary for skills training programs. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

According to the Education for All 2000 Assessment, in South Africa a significant proportion (i.e. 16 percent) of children 6-14 years of age are out-of-school though they should be attending in terms of the countries education acts and policies. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that contributed to learners dropping out of three rural farm schools in Thornville, KwaZulu-Natal. The participants in this study were seven youth who dropped out of school, three parents of youth who dropped out of school, and two teachers who are teaching in Thornville farm school. The study took a form of a qualitative case study. The semi-structured interview was used as a tool of data collection. The findings show that there are a number of different factors that contribute to youth dropping out of school in the three rural farm schools. Factors such as low socioeconomic status, single parent household, mobility, low education attainment of parents and under resourced schools place learners at risk of dropping out of school. Poverty emerged as a major factor. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

This study explores the experiences of the master teacher in mentoring teachers. Education officials have acknowledged that capacity and skill gaps are impeding progress in education, especially at schools. Within the school context many teachers are either under-qualified or poorly qualified for their job description and this to a large extent has contributed to the schools being dysfunctional. Therefore a well-structured mentorship programme is integral in upgrading education. Within the new occupation specific dispensation (OSD) for educators in the public sector, the category of master teacher has been created to fulfill their roles as mentors in schools. The purpose of the study therefore attempts to critically examine and explore the experiences of the master teacher in a mentoring role. The rationale for choosing the study ("Master teacher experiences of mentoring teachers") is that I am presently a master teacher at Stanger South Secondary, a school 75 kilometres north of Durban, in the KwaDukuza area of KwaZulu-Natal. However the mentoring role by the master teacher, which has been in existence at schools for over two years, is in some cases non-existent or done in a very fragmented way. The phenomenon of the master teacher as a mentor is relatively new in the context of South African education. Hence very little or no research has be done in this domain. Moreover, most of the literature on mentoring focuses on the plethora of definitions of mentoring, the role of the mentor and the experiences of beginning teachers in the induction programmes at schools and very little research on experiences of mentors, especially within the context of education in South Africa. A qualitative methodology was used using the phenomenological approach. The study employed a purposive sampling technique, choosing 3 respondents from 3 different public schools in the Ilembe district of KwaDukuza area (viz. Cranbrook Secondary, Greyridge Secondary and Doesberg Secondary), who are each subjected to a semi-structured interview. The analysis of the data revealed that three master teacher mentors embraced the discourses of collaboration, collegiality and critical dialogue in their mentoring relationship with their mentees, which forms an important part of the radical humanistic approach to mentoring, which is a shift from the rigid functionalist approach to mentoring that emphasizes conformity and maintaining the status quo. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This small-scale study sought to investigate “The experiences of redeployed educators to a rural school in KwaZulu-Natal”. This qualitative study gathered data through the case study approach guided by the following key questions: 1. What are the understanding and experiences of these redeployed teachers regarding the redeployment process? 2. What are their perceptions and experiences regarding the new community and the environment in the new school? 3. What was the role of the education stakeholders (School Management Team, School Governing Body, Teacher Unions, Community leaders etc.) regarding the facilitation of the redeployment and adaptation of the teachers in their new environment? The study entailed interviewing and observation of educators, and analysing Posts Provision Norms certificate (PPN). The findings of the study revealed that the educators had different experiences of redeployment and had varied understandings of the Rationalisation and Redeployment Policy. It was also found that the policy-makers and the policy-implementers had not sufficiently explained to the educators involved how the policy would be of mutual benefit them. This was only a topdown process which did not involve all the people concerned (those who were to be affected by the policy). There was lack of a two-way communication. This study also showed that educators did not understand how this policy helped schools in the rural areas. It further revealed that the role of the school stakeholders was lacking in terms of assisting new educators to adapt to the new environment. In the light of the above challenges, I recommend that the policy of rationalisation and redeployment be revisited once more to ensure that everybody would see the need of its implementation. I also recommend that communication and explanation of how the policy works should be improved by involving all the stakeholders. The policy involves the human resources; therefore training of all the people involved on how the policy should be handled is very important. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.