The purpose of this study was to explore the causes of low Grade 12 pass rate in two Umlazi District Schools, KwaZulu-Natal. It is hoped that the study would contribute to the understanding of the causes and factors of low Grade 12 pass rate and provide solutions of improving learners’ performance. This is qualitative study conducted in the area of Umbumbulu focusing on exploring the causes of low Grade 12 pass rate in two Umlazi District Schools, KwaZulu-Natal. The methodology used was qualitative. A case study method was adopted. Data was gathered through focus group interviews with two principals, twelve Grade12 learners aged between 18 and 21, and six teachers between 15 and 22 years teaching experience in secondary schools. Drawing from the findings of the interviews conducted, the study highlights the factors that have negative impact to low Grade 12 pass rate, and it revealed the possible solutions to alleviate the trend of low performance. The data reveals that there are numerous factors that affect the performance of Grade 12 learners such as poverty, child headed families, sporadic absenteeism, questionable assessment methods, overcrowded classes, lack of discipline in schools, corporal punishment, violence in schools, teenage pregnancy, curriculum reforms, lack of parental involvement, and cultural background. In this study I argue that the trend of low Grade 12 pass rate is not only limited to Umbumbulu Circuit in Umlazi District, but is the overall trend in most rural schools in South Africa. Therefore, the study recommended that all stakeholders should play their roles to overcome the crises of low Grade 12 performance. Again, it was recommended that the introduction of an advanced integrative approach in training programmes of future teachers is needed in which attention to rural -FET band schools will be considered as an integral part of the training, whereby teachers will be trained to teach inclusive education. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The exploratory study investigated school related factors responsible for high matriculaion failure rates in physical science in public high schools of Alexandra Township in South Africa. The target population included all Further Education and Training (FET) science educators and learners in Alexandra Township. An extreme-case sampling method was used to select a sample of two schools. Data was collected through two different closed questionnaires, one for educators (n=10) and the other for learners (n=250). The results were analyzed using mainly descriptive tatistics. The results, according to the views and opinions of educators and learners showed that the main causes of high failure rates are poor educator qualifications, outdated teaching methods, massive workloads, high levels of absenteeism and acute deficiencies in aspects related to: resources, subject content, classroom management skills, proficiency in language of instruction and assessment, motivation and perseverance. Recommendations for practice and policy are suggested. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om die ekstrinsieke en intrinsieke oorsake van leermislukking met spesifieke verwysing na skole in die Windhoek stadsgebied te bepaal en om aanbevelings te doen hoe om leermislukking teen te werk. Leermislukking en druiping is onrusbarend hoog in skole in die Windhoek stadsgebied. Nadat die Ministerie van Onderwys die semi-outomatiese promoveringstelsel ingestel het, het druiping afgeneem maar leermislukking het toegeneem omdat leerders gepromoveer word sander dat hulle sukses in die vorige graad behaal het. Volgens die literatuurstudie lê die oorsake van leermislukking by die ouerhuis, die skool, die omgewing en in die leerder self. Die empiriese ondersoek toon ooreenkomste met die literatuurstudie wat betref die oorsake van leermislukking. Om die oorsake teen te werk • moet onderwysers beter opgelei word • moet die ouers meer bewus gemaak word van hulle rot in die leersukses van hulle kinders. • is meer skoolgeboue en onderwysers nodig om kleiner klasse te bewerkstellig. / The purpose of this research is to establish the extrinsic and intrinsic causes of learning failure with specific reference to schools in the Windhoek municipal area and to make recommendations to counteract learning failure. Learning failure and grade failing are disconcertingly high in schools in the Windhoek municipal area. After the Ministry of Education implemented the semi-automatic promotion system, grade failing decreased, but learning failure increased because learners are promoted without achieving success in a prior grade. According to the literature study, the causes of learning failure are to be found in the home, the school, the environment, and the learner. Similarities regarding the causes of learning failure were found in the empirical investigation and the literature study. To counteract these causes • teachers should be better trained • parents should become more aware of their role in the learning success of their children • more school buildings and teachers are needed to limit class sizes. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Spesiale Behoeftes Onderwys)