A Five-pillar conceptual framework -good social environment, focused instruction, well-trained and regularly supervised teachers, family background and language of learning and teaching- is used in this dissertation as a theoretical construct through which to make sense of persistent learner performance disparities between former white and former black schools in the South African public education system. This is a largely qualitative research project which employs a case study approach within a study area comprised of four purposive sample schools. The study is exploratory in nature in that it seeks to investigate why former white schools continue to perform better than former black schools despite massive educational changes made since 1994. I argue in this dissertation that teaching and learning processes between former white and former black schools are still fraught with huge inequalities, hence learner performance disparities. In other words, despite the investment, inputs and strategies since 1994, the education system in historically black schools is not working largely because of issues of classroom practice. A multi-method approach for data collection purposes was used in this study: testing, interviews, observations, intensive literature review and documentary analysis. Learner focus groups, maths teachers, teacher union representatives and school principals formed the backbone of research respondents in this project. The results show immense and unrelenting prevalence of inequalities and variations between former white and former black schools in terms of almost all aspects of teaching and learning processes. The essence of the results is that for the South African education system to achieve equitable learner performance across all schools, it must first achieve equity in terms of teaching and learning processes and needs.

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This report examines the risk and protective factors that the students who live and attend school in a particularly vulnerable area have, according to the “school personnel”, that are linked to antisocial and norm-breaking behavior. A particular targeting has been made for the girl’s risk- and protective factors. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted at a school for children between 6-12 years old, which is presented and analyzed using a thematic analysis and literature. The report uses the ecological explanatory model as a theoretical background. The conditions are different for children living and attending school in a particularly vulnerable area, where the students risk factors significantly outnumber their protective factors, that increase the student’s risk of developing anti-social and/or norm-breaking behavior such as drug use, violence and criminality. School personnel are positive about their own work and the school's role as a protective factor but illustrate several challenges for their work. In the discussion, the student’s risk- and protective factors are problematized, and the Swedish language is presented to be the factor that has the greatest impact on the student’s future without antisocial and/or norm breaking behavior. / Denna rapport undersöker risk- och skyddsfaktorer, kopplade till antisocialt och normbrytande beteende, som skolpersonal identifierar hos sina elever, som bor och går i skolan i ett särskilt utsatt område. En särskild fördjupning görs gällande flickornas risk- och skyddsfaktorer. Detta görs genom semistrukturerade intervjuer på en låg- och mellanstadieskola, som redovisas och analyseras med hjälp av en tematisk analys och befintlig litteratur/forskning. Rapporten har den ekologiska förklaringsmodellen som teoretisk bakgrund. Förutsättningarna är annorlunda för de barn som bor och går i skolan i ett särskilt utsatt område. Dessa elever exponeras för betydligt fler riskfaktorer än skyddsfaktorer, vilket ökar risken för eleven att utveckla antisocialt och/eller normbrytande beteende såsom droganvändning, våld och kriminalitet. Skolpersonalen förhåller sig positiva till sitt eget arbete och skolans roll som skyddsfaktor men belyser även ett flertal utmaningar i sitt arbete. I diskussionen problematiserats elevens risk- och skyddsfaktorer och det svenska språket redovisas vara den faktor som har störst betydelse för elevens framtid utan ett antisocialt och/eller normbrytande beteende.

Previous research has reported that inequalities exist in uptake of NHS sight tests in relation to socio-economic status, and that community optometric services have potential to improve system efficiency. The current research found inequalities in sight test outcome related to socio-economic status and the type of practice that a patient visits (multiple, or independent). Patients attending multiples were more likely to receive a ‘new or changed prescription’ relative to ‘no prescription’ compared to patients that attended independent opticians (36-71% more likely). Those living in the least deprived areas were also less likely to receive a new prescription (1-12%) and those aged <16 years were less likely to be referred (9%). The study examining the need for a Minor Eye Condition Service in Leeds and Bradford found it would produce theoretical cost savings, whilst maintaining high patient satisfaction. Subsequently, a MECS was commissioned in Bradford. The study attempting to collect data from MECS across all areas of England found that data is not routinely collected, or shared. The limited data available typically showed that 73-83% of patients were retained in optometric practice with 12-18% receiving a hospital referral. A prospective evaluation of a COVID urgent eye care service found that teleconsultations frequently did not resolve patients’ eye problems (27%). These telephone consultations failed to detect some serious conditions such as scleritis, wet macular degeneration, retinal detachment. The results from the thesis support the view that the current method of delivering eye care in England is contrary to the public health interest.

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The aim of this quantitative study was to determine whether there were significant relationships between cultural factors and academic achievement of secondary school female learners in the Chimanimani district of Manicaland in Zimbabwe. According to literature, home environment variables, school environment variables and learner variables influence academic achievement of learners. The home environment includes family's expectations, the family's socio-economic status, exposure to role models and child-rearing practices. The school environment includes teacher's attitudes and the curriculum. Learner variables encompass self-concept, gender role concepts as well as the learner's attitude and aspirations. The empirical research found significant correlations between all cultural factors and academic achievement, particularly in English and at times in mathematics. These correlations were low but positive. The investigation also revealed that diverse age groups did not differ significantly in academic achievement in mathematics or in English. However, females from diverse socio-economic backgrounds differed significantly in their academic achievements. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

There is compelling evidence that parental involvement positively influences children’s academic achievement. Its benefits occur across all socio-economic classes. In spite of its significance, parental involvement has received scant attention in Zimbabwe. This qualitative study sought to establish how parents in a materially poor rural district of Zimbabwe were involved in their children’s education. Barriers to their involvement were investigated with the view to overcoming or mitigating them for the benefit of the affected primary school pupils. The attribution theory was used not only to substantially explain the status of parental involvement in Zaka District, but also to generate strategies to promote parents’ participation in their children’s school education. Observation, semi-structured interviews (for school heads), focus group interviews (for parents) and the open-ended questionnaire (for teachers) were used in this qualitative study covering ten primary schools. Respondents were selected through the use of chain reference sampling and sampling by case. A total of one hundred and forty (140) participants were selected. It emerged from the research that parents, teachers and school heads/principals had very limited understanding of parental involvement. They generally thought that it was confined to activities done at school such as payment of school fees and levies, providing labour for the construction or renovation of school buildings and providing teaching/learning resources. Most teachers, school heads/principals and parents believed that parents were too poor and too lowly educated to meaningfully be involved in their children’s education. However, there were a few parents who believed that their socio-economic status did not prevent them from participating in their children’s education. They actually indicated useful ways in which they could be involved. The research also revealed that parents, school teachers and school heads/principals made wrong attributions about themselves and each other in connection with limited parental involvement in their schools. Both school staff and parents, after identifying barriers to involvement, were willing to learn about how they could overcome or mitigate the barriers. They believed that the challenges they were facing regarding parental involvement were capable of resolution. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The study investigated the factors that are responsible for student dropout rates at Gert Sibande FET College. A random sampling method was used to select participants for this study. A quantitative approach was used in this study. Accordingly, data were collected using a questionnaire designed in a Likert scale format. The study was limited to students at Gert Sibande FET College’s two campuses, namely, Evander and Sibanesetfu. Subsequently, the findings revealed that socio-economic factors, institutional policies and funding strongly explain the prevalent dropout rates at these two campuses. It is recommended that, adoption of student centred funding model, cultivation of relationships between lecturers and students as well as restructuring learning schedules be factored in during policy development. The findings confirmed that these recommendations would help reverse continuous dropouts currently experienced at Gert Sibande FET College. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

A literature and an empirical study were undertaken to investigate home factors affecting the academic performance of a group of learners in three primary schools in the Brits district. From the literature it became evident that the early years of an individual's life are critical for development, especially cognitive development. Parents, as a child's primary educators have an important role to play in their child's cognitive development. By establishing a challenging and stimulating environment in which the child is exposed to a variety of experiences, the parents can enhance their child's cognitive development and by implication his/her later academic performance. Various other factors such as parental involvement, expectations, parenting style and home background were found to affect a child's academic performance. In the empirical study a group of academic achievers and underachievers were compared with regards to early cognitive stimulation received, degree of parental involvement and the quality of their homes. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Health related absenteeism was identified as a problem in the schools in the Molopo region, needing a multi-disciplinary approach which included the parents. A conceptual framework on absenteeism was used as a guideline for the descriptive research design. Using a convenience sampling technique 426 absentees, 22 teachers and 2 school nurses filled in three separate questionnaires in ten schools selected to determine the extent of absenteeism due to health related and other problems, the control measures taken and the awareness of school personnel. Health problems were identified as the main reasons for absenteeism. Inadequate communication between the schools and parents as well as lack of guidelines on the control of absenteeism, were other problems identified. Recommendations made related to the provision of school health services that promote the health status of the pupils based on Primary Health Care principles, parental involvement in school health matters and the formulation of policies aimed at controlling absenteeism in schools. / Health Sciences / M.A. (Nursing Science)