This research was conducted to confirm and identify possible and intrinsic factors which may influence the academic achievement of senior secondary pupils in the rural Eastem Cape. The literature study indicates that factors such as parental involvement, motivation, the role of teachers and peers as well as learners' attribution of meaning, involvement, and experience have a direct influence on academic achievement. To confmn the influence of the above factors, the researcher conducted a structured interview with ten respondents, consisting of four pupils, their parents and two teachers. Questions to parents investigated their relationship with theii·children in terms of discipline, motivation as well as involvement in their education. Questions to pupils investigated their relationship with their parents, teachers, peers and self. Learners' level of self-actualization in terms of attribution of meaning, involvement, experience and self-concept was also examined. The research revealed that most of the parents are not adequately involved in their children s education, and the fmdings confirmed this as an extrinsic factor that influenced the learners achievement. The findings also indicated that teachers have somewhat lost sight of their role in promoting learners' potential, contributing to the high failure rate in the Eastern Cape rural schools. The fmdings further confirmed that the learners level of self­ actualization, in terms of attribution of meaning, involvement and experience influences academic achievement. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to improve the situation of education in the rural Eastern Cape. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Managing teaching and learning in multi-graded classrooms in Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District, Free State is a study undertaken to determine how teachers manage teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms. A qualitative research design has been used. Literature review explored the origins of multi-grade teaching, its advantages and disadvantages, teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms, the use of resources, difficulties faced by teachers teaching in multi-grade classrooms and overcoming these difficulties. Data revealed that teachers struggle to manage teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms because they use curriculum policy documents which are meant for mono-grade classrooms. Teachers are overloaded with work. Peer tutoring, self-directed learning and cooperative learning help teachers to manage teaching and learning. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the teachers, PED and DBE. The findings and recommendations will help the teachers in managing teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Managing teaching and learning in multi-graded classrooms in Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District, Free State is a study undertaken to determine how teachers manage teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms. A qualitative research design has been used. Literature review explored the origins of multi-grade teaching, its advantages and disadvantages, teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms, the use of resources, difficulties faced by teachers teaching in multi-grade classrooms and overcoming these difficulties. Data revealed that teachers struggle to manage teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms because they use curriculum policy documents which are meant for mono-grade classrooms. Teachers are overloaded with work. Peer tutoring, self-directed learning and cooperative learning help teachers to manage teaching and learning. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the teachers, PED and DBE. The findings and recommendations will help the teachers in managing teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Abstract is in English, Xhosa and Afrikaans / By means of a qualitative multiple case study, I investigated the compliance of the administrations of three rural secondary schools in the Chris Hani West District, Eastern Cape Province with the constitutional democratic principles of cooperation, accountability and transparency. I consulted legal sources to identify provisions dealing with the implementation of these principles and to create a framework for data analysis and interpretation. Fieldwork commenced with a document analysis of relevant school documents, followed by focus groups with members of representative councils of learners, school management teams and school governing bodies. I concluded with semi-structured interviews with principals. I discovered a general lack of compliance with the identified principles, possibly attributable to the exclusion of learners from decision-making processes, unhealthy relationships among educators, autocratic leadership style, lack of communication, and lack of knowledge of the legal prescripts on the part of learners and the parent component of the school governing body. / Ngokwenza uphando olusebenzisa imizekelo yeemeko ezininzi, ndiphande indlela eziyithobela ngayo imigaqo yolawulo izikolo ezithathu kwisithili sakuKomani eMpuma Koloni ngokumalunga neenqobo zedemokhrasi zentsebenziswano, ukwamkela uxanduva nokusebenza ngokungafihlisiyo. Ndithethe namaziko omthetho ngenjongo yokuchonga izibonelelo eziphathelene nokusetyenziswa kwezi nqobo, ndifuna nokuqulunqa uphahla lokwakha isakhelo sokuhlalutya nokutolika iinkcukacha zolwazi eziqokelelweyo. Umsebenzi wasentsimini (ukutyelela amaziko achaphazelekayo) uqale ngokuphengulula imibhalo yesikolo ebalulekileyo, kwalandela amaqela angundoqo namalungu eekomiti ezimele abafundi, abalawuli besikolo nabameli babazali abakwiikomiti ezilawula isikolo. Kugqityelwe ngodliwano ndlebe oluphantse lwaqingqwa neenqununu zezo zikolo. Ndifumanise ukungathotyelwa jikelele kweenqobo ezichongiweyo, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokungabandakanywa kwabafundi kwiinkqubo zokuthatha izigqibo, ukungavisisani kwabafundisi ntsapho, ukuphatha ngegqudu, ukungabonisani, nokungabi nalwazi lomthetho kwabafundi nabazali abangabameli bekomiti elawula isikolo. / Die navorser het ’n kwalitatiewe veelvoudige gevallestudie gebruik om die administrasies van drie landelike sekondêre skole in die Chris Hani West-distrik, Oos-Kaap, se nakoming van die grondwetlik demokratiese beginsels van samewerking, aanspreeklikheid en deursigtigheid te ondersoek. Die navorser het regsbronne geraadpleeg om bepalings rakende die implementering van hierdie beginsels te identifiseer en ’n raamwerk vir die ontleding en vertolking van data tot stand te bring. Die veldwerk het met ’n analise van tersaaklike skooldokumente begin, wat deur fokusgroepsessies met lede van verteenwoordigende leerlingrade, skoolbestuurspanne en skoolbeheerliggame opgevolg is. Die veldwerk is met semigestruktureerde onderhoude met skoolhoofde afgesluit. Die navorser het ’n algemene gebrek aan nakoming van die geïdentifiseerde beginsels gevind, wat moontlik aan die uitsluiting van leerders van besluitnemingsprosesse, ongesonde verhoudings onder opvoeders, ’n outokratiese leierskapstyl, ’n gebrek aan kommunikasie en ’n gebrek aan kennis van die tersaaklike regsvoorskrifte onder leerders en die ouerkomponent van die skoolbeheerliggame toegeskryf kan word. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)