The unofficial state of education in South Africa is announced annually by means of the Grade 12 results, also known as the National Senior Certificate. As a result, little attention is given to the more than half or at least 500 000 South African learners who drop out of the school system annually. Consequently, scholarly work dealing with topics relating to school dropout in South Africa is limited. This study moves the focus to a specific population group who are at risk of dropping out of school, namely male learners in poor communities. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken to determine what the main factors are that are influencing school dropout among males in the greater Cape Town area of South Africa. The participants in this study included 49 key informants, including male school dropouts, teachers, school principals, representatives of the Western Cape Education Department, and parents of male school dropouts. Using in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions, it was possible to establish that male school dropout is influenced by an array of factors of which some can immediately precede departure from high school while others could have happened years earlier in primary school or even before. The thesis established in this dissertation is that most of the influences on male school dropout are primarily institutional. In other words, the underlying narrative emphasising male school dropouts as the main contributors to this outcome is misleading. Indeed, most of these influences are amplified by practices within the institutional context, especially the school. A localised theoretical framework for male school dropout in South Africa is constructed with the support of Rumberger and Lim' s (2008) conceptual framework and can be understood within the school dropout models of both Finn (1989) and Tinto (1975). Furthermore, the total absence of school dropout records and statistics on a school and local district level keeps role players unaccountable for this action. As a result, teachers, school principals and Western Cape Education Department representatives are either ignorant of or paralysed by the complexities and extent of school dropout among males. Therefore, this study aims to lay the foundation for further research to inform and empower the aforementioned role players to address this problem.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-97). / This study investigated the challenges facing non-governmental organisations (NGOs) providing services to children in the Cape Metropolitan, South Africa in the post 1994 period. Of key concern to this study is how NGOs after the transition to democracy in 1994 are coping with the new structures, legislation and funding challenges. The challenges that these NGOs face concerning the new civil society-state relations are also alluded to. More specificaUy the focus is on NGOs that provide services to children. This exploratory, qualitative study was conducted in the Cape Town Metropolitan, South Africa. A purposeful sample of five NGOs providing services to children was selected. Within these organisations, fourteen participants, five from management and nine practitioners were interviewed. A key informant was also consulted. The in-depth interviews were carried out using an interview schedule as a guide. The main findings indicate that the five NGOs subscribe to the regulatory frameworks governing their sector.

Includes bibliographical references. / The study explored the risk factors associated with youth offending behaviour in Cape Town, in order to suggest, from a social development point of view, preventive measures that address the risk factors from an outset. The sample that was used consisted of twenty reforming youth offenders (fifteen males and five females) at REALISTIC, a youth restorative centre in Cape Town. The study adopted a qualitative, exploratory approach, using a semi-structured interview schedule for face to face interviews. The sample was purposive and based on the selection of the administrators of the organisation. The results of the interviews, compared with relevant literature and theoretical framework, led to the findings of the study. The findings revealed that substance abuse, academic failure, anti-social peers, low socio-economic status in families and disorganized communities influence offending behaviour among the youth. Additionally, the absence of primary care givers and institutional failures on basic services delivery also exacerbate youth offending behaviour.

The purpose of this research was to explore the employment prospects for Deaf individuals in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is known to have one of the highest numbers of educated people in Africa. However, this does not include the deaf people who are often informally employed because of the poor quality of education afforded to them. The research explored the employment prospects for Deaf individuals using a quality research design to understand their experiences in this context. Twenty participants were purposefully selected in two cities, namely Bulawayo and Gweru. They had completed their secondary level of education and sat for the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) ordinary level exams which are Zimbabwe's national exams, while others sat for Higher Education Examination Council (HEXCO). The findings revealed limitations and inconsistencies in the education process, which restricted their progress for further studies as well as future employment prospects. These limitations include that Deaf learners are required to write exams that are separate from other hearing learners in terms of content. Educators do not take into consideration the Deaf leaners' limited comprehension of the English language. There is a lack of knowledge of sign language by educators and limited exposure to training to get the knowledge. These factors affected their work prospects as they were more likely to end up working in the informal sector, where they also faced oppression and exclusion based on their unique mode of communication. They also experienced the latter when accessing public services like hospitals. The challenges they face leave them disempowered, excluded and incapable of personal and social development. The research offers knowledge on issues that need to be addressed in order to foster empowerment amongst the deaf individuals as social development is for the Deaf too.

Bibliography: leaves 108-113. / The study investigates the problem of recidivism amongst male trial-awaiting youth detained at Bosasa's Dyambu Youth Centre (DYC), to determine whether their experiences with the variables under investigation have in any way influenced them to consider changes in their attitudes towards criminal behaviour. The research design in this study followed both quantitative and qualitative methodological orientations .An interview schedule was constructed in advance and applied in a standardised manner and was administered by the researcher, face to face with each respondent. Data were analysed and presented both quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings in this study revealed that financial gain, drug addiction and peer pressure were the major driving forces and motivating factors that influenced the respondents to become repeatedly involved in criminal behaviour. Lack of a stable source of income, denial of re-admission at school, rejection by family and friends and lack of stable home and accommodation were some of the major factors that made reintegration into the community difficult for the respondents during the period after their previous release. The findings in this study point to inadequacy of services with regard to prevention of crime and recidivism amongst juvenile offenders. Re-integration and after-care services were identified as an area that is grossly neglected in the field of probation and in social work services generally. Nearly all the respondents reported that they would like to abandon their criminal lifestyle but the situations that they face and various other factors highlighted in the study drive them to crime. The predominant factors identified by the respondents as influential in encouraging abandonment of criminal activities include: a fear of heavy criminal record, disgracing the family, the acquisition of various skills and knowledge from DYC workshops and classes; and their own individual thinking.

Menstruation is an issue of great importance. Today, despite menstruation being a natural process, it affects the education of girls. A qualitative study was conducted in Gugulethu, where face to face interviews were conducted with nineteen girls from Fezeka High school. The purpose of the study was to explore menstruation hygiene management among high school learners. Specifically, the study explored the experience of menstruation hygiene, the challenges faced during menstruation, coping mechanisms during menstruation and the support system available for menstruating girls. The study adopted a qualitative design because such an approach helps in examining a phenomenon from the subject's perspective. The findings established that girls knew about menstruation before the first onset. A mother or grandmother was a commonly mentioned source of information on menstruation. The study further showed that most girls use sanitary materials supplied by a mother or guardian, during menstruation. It showed that challenges that girls experienced include: emotional changes; physical discomfort (stomach cramps, tiredness, and loss of appetite); public shame; changes in social interactions and inadequate sanitation hygiene facilities. Additionally, the study showed that most girls still attend school during menstruation. The girls coped by wearing many clothes to prevent leaks; constantly checking their skirts; sitting differently on the chairs and taking medication to relieve menstrual pain. Friends were also found to help in alleviating the challenges faced by the girls; they were the main social support system for girls during menstruation. However, while school attendance was maintained, class participation was shown to be affected because of discomfort and menstrual pains. Based on the research findings, the study concluded that there is inadequate sanitation and hygiene for girls to comfortably change sanitary materials and there is a lack of communication on menstrual hygiene management between the girls and their teachers. As such, integrating menstruation hygiene management in the curriculum and providing for appropriate facilities to ensure privacy is recommended.

The plight of refugees has become a global social problem due to continuous political unrest, war and natural disasters worldwide. People are forced to migrate to other countries for safety and better living conditions in the hope that their basic human rights will be upheld. However, many destinations chosen by refugees face social problems of their own and are failing to provide basic services to citizens leaving the onus of service provision on charitable or Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs). South Africa is no exception as it has become a popular destination for refugees from other African countries and Asia but is not able to adequately provide for their needs. In this situation, NPOs have taken a central role in ensuring refugees are integrated into the South Africa society. This exploratory research examined the experiences of refugees accessing services from NPOs in Cape Town. A qualitative design and purposeful sampling are used to delve deeper into the experiences of refugees to amplify their voices about service provision. Refugees from six different NPOs in Cape Town namely: Adonis Musati Project, Triangle Project, PASSOP, MRASA, VIDEFI and Kwesu Women's organisation were interviewed about their experiences of accessing services. Participants had to be recipients of one or more of the services from any of the NPOs chosen for the research study. Their experiences related to the benefits and challenges faced when accessing services from NPOs and negotiating and navigating the challenges faced in accessing services from NPOs. The study revealed that refugees benefit from services offered to them although the challenges outweigh the benefits due to lack of funding and failure to provide adequate resources. The refugees mainly needed services to help them secure employment, documentation, and access to healthcare and basic education. They needed referrals to access these services from other NPOs or government institutions otherwise it was difficult to obtain. The refugees shared their experiences and on this basis recommendations on improving the services needed to ensure basic human rights are included in this study.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references. / An exploratory study was conducted to establish factors affecting a job skills training project offered by Cape Town Child Welfare (CTCW) in Phumlani Village, an informal settlement in Cape Town. The study answered the following main research questions: what factors affected the job skills training project in Phumlani Village? What were the project participants' perceptions about the job skills training project? and what views and experiences do the CTCW LOP unit managers have about the job skills training project as a poverty alleviation strategy?

This study 'Quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres: an exploratory study of stakeholder views' was carried out with a sample of fifteen principals of effective ECD centres in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative, exploratory approach using a semi-structured interview schedule for face-to-face interviews with the participants. A purposive sample was used and the selected sample were geographically spread across the Western Cape Metropolitan area.The findings revealed the following: Effective ECD centres that provide quality care and education is of critical importance and should be prioritised in South Africa. Governing bodies play critical roles in the effectiveness of ECD centres; these roles include: governance and accountability, ensuring financial sustainability, decision-making and administration, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, and conflict resolution. ECD forums are also a valuable asset for ECD centres. Structure and routine, indoor learning materials and the arrangement of the classroom are important components of quality learning programmes. Qualified ECD teachers provide quality learning programmes for children and outdoor play is important for children's holistic development. Parental involvement improves learning outcomes for children and relationships with stakeholder's assists centres in providing a holistic programme. Principals play a crucial role in ensuring a quality service is provided.

The education system is a source of language discrimination and exclusion for many young people in South Africa. In South Africa, African languages are spoken by more than 70% of the population, while the colonial languages English and Afrikaans represent less than 25%. However, most South African schools use English or Afrikaans as the main language of instruction. Learners' transitioning to using and learning in a colonial language, and the role languages plays in youth education and development are the root cause of many challenges, including poor academic performance, unequal access to opportunity, social exclusion, and challenging identity formation. This qualitative study aimed to explore the intersection between language, educational opportunities, and identity from an isiXhosa speaking youth perspective in Cape Town, Western Cape. In depth individual interviews were conducted with 12 black African Xhosa youth, between the ages of 18 and 29. The researcher sought to examine the effects of the language challenges faced by isiXhosa speaking youth during their education journey and to gauge the perspective of isiXhosa speaking youth regarding the role of language in their academic performance, opportunities, and social identity. The researcher adopted the following three concepts as a framework for analysis: Sen's capability approach (1999), social identity theory by Tajfel and Turner (1979), and Soudien's work on language in post-apartheid education (2012). This study was important in order The findings revealed that participants faced various challenges in relation to language use in education, specifically transitioning to English as the main medium of instruction. The participants' experiences differed depending on the age at which they transitioned to using English in the education system, but the outcomes of this transition were similar. Their academic performance was negatively impacted by needing to learn in a different language. They had unequal opportunities throughout their education compared with native English speakers, putting them at higher risk of social exclusion and impacting negatively their access to higher education and employment. The participants' advocated for the need to decolonise education, specifically in regard to perceptions and use of languages, because of the prejudices and judgments based on their ability to speak English rather than their actual skills and capabilities. Participants tended to compare languages and look down on isiXhosa, then facing identity crises when returning to their Xhosa families. They had to navigate multiple identities depending on the language and context in which they found themselves. This study recommended reducing inequities by implementing inclusive language policies and measures to accommodate learners with non-colonial first languages, provide support through their transition to a new language, and not weighting incorrect English against them in non-English class. The recommendations also included the need to adapt national exams and grading systems to ensure all learners' have the opportunity to perform to their best ability. The government must also increase its investment in South African languages to promote their use in professional and public spaces. Finally, institutions must be encouraged to use multiple languages in schools, universities, and workplaces.