The purpose of this study was to develop an intervention health promotion programme to prevent circumcision related health problem such as sepsis, botched circumcision, dehydration, penile amputation and reduce the number of deaths. The intervention programme was aimed at promoting a safe male circumcision practice affecting boys aged 12-18 years at Libode rural communities in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This was achieved through a mixed method design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches utilizing sequential transformative strategy to allow for the convergence of multiple perspectives of the traditional male circumcision in Libode. The study was conducted in 22 schools of the rural communities of Libode because most of the participants are still attending school. Frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the quantitative data, utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A total of 1036 participants, AmaXhosa circumcised young men (abafana) and uncircumcised boys (amakhwenkwe) participated in the cross-sectional survey, quantitative phase of the study. Qualitative phase of this study was composed of 7 focus group discussions with a total of 84 circumcised and uncircumcised male participants and 10 key informants’ interviews were conducted. In analysis qualitative data, the researcher found the most descriptive words for each topic and turned them into categories or sub-themes. Topics that related to each other were then grouped in order to reduce the number of categories and to create themes. The similar categories of data were grouped and analysed using Tesch’s method. Findings indicated that traditional circumcision is performed during winter and summer holidays in order to cater for the boys who are attending schools. The circumcision age at Libode ranges from 12 and 18 years of age which is against the Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act (Act No. 6 of 2001). Although the participants were aware of the complications of male circumcision in Libode, there was a high preference for traditional circumcision (92.3% of participants) to hospital circumcision. The participants were of the view that the benefits of traditional circumcision outweigh the complications or challenges related to traditional circumcision. They wanted to be socially accepted and wanted to learn about manhood values in the traditional circumcision which are values that cannot be achieved through the hospital based circumcision. As male circumcision initiation is seasonal and the intervention programme needed to be approved by different stakeholders, the testing of intervention programme could not happen before the programme was approved by all the stakeholders.

In this research, I endeavoured to ascertain how the literacy levels of parents relate to parental involvement in the education of their children in Libode district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The methodology was qualitative and it included focus group and individual interviews. Specifically, there were four focus groups where each comprised of four parents. A total of thirteen individual interviews were conducted with eight learners and four Heads of Departments (HoD). The results indicated that the literacy level of parents can have a negative or positive impact in their children’s education. Recommendations were made and directions were given regarding the implementation of the programmes that would improve parents’ literacy and result in effective parental involvement, ensuring an improved learner performance. According literature, parental participation plays a role in the performance of children at school. Research shows that effective parental involvement programmes use personal contact, cultural sensitivity, accommodation and communication to reach parents and learners. The study revealed that parents with a higher level of literacy tend to participate in the school activities and support their children more than those parents with a low literacy level. The programmes that were put in place by the schools and other stakeholders improved the literacy levels of most parents that took part and enabled them to assist their children with homework. Parents’ level of literacy, according to the study,has an impact in the manner in which they get involved in their children’s education. Parents with low literacy levels seem to be willing to be involved in the education of their children but find it very difficult to do so. Parents with low literacy levels find it difficult to assist their children at home as they rely on siblings and neighbours for assistance. According to the study, parents only visit the school when they are invited. However, parents and schools seem to have a good relationship showing positive attitude towards their children’s education.Parents of low literacy levels attach a value to the education of their children even though they cannot assist them with homework. Recommendations were made and guidelines were given regarding the implementation of programmes that would improve the literacy in parents and result in effective parental involvement. Effective parental involvement would ensure an improved learner performance. Volunteer teachers should be used to assist schools in helping parents improve their literacy levels. Reluctant parents should be identified and provided with guidance and direction as to how they can be involved to assist their children. Teachers, through the schools, must make special efforts to keep regular contact with parents. Schools should be familiar with the learners’ backgrounds in order to respond effectively to any particular needs in assisting the learners and parents where necessary. Working parents should be accommodated in the school by holding school meetings during the weekends so that they can be in a better position to attend these meetings. Schools should ensure the maximization of parents’ participation in school activities. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

In this research, I endeavoured to ascertain how the literacy levels of parents relate to parental involvement in the education of their children in Libode district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The methodology was qualitative and it included focus group and individual interviews. Specifically, there were four focus groups where each comprised of four parents. A total of thirteen individual interviews were conducted with eight learners and four Heads of Departments (HoD). The results indicated that the literacy level of parents can have a negative or positive impact in their children’s education. Recommendations were made and directions were given regarding the implementation of the programmes that would improve parents’ literacy and result in effective parental involvement, ensuring an improved learner performance. According literature, parental participation plays a role in the performance of children at school. Research shows that effective parental involvement programmes use personal contact, cultural sensitivity, accommodation and communication to reach parents and learners. The study revealed that parents with a higher level of literacy tend to participate in the school activities and support their children more than those parents with a low literacy level. The programmes that were put in place by the schools and other stakeholders improved the literacy levels of most parents that took part and enabled them to assist their children with homework. Parents’ level of literacy, according to the study,has an impact in the manner in which they get involved in their children’s education. Parents with low literacy levels seem to be willing to be involved in the education of their children but find it very difficult to do so. Parents with low literacy levels find it difficult to assist their children at home as they rely on siblings and neighbours for assistance. According to the study, parents only visit the school when they are invited. However, parents and schools seem to have a good relationship showing positive attitude towards their children’s education.Parents of low literacy levels attach a value to the education of their children even though they cannot assist them with homework. Recommendations were made and guidelines were given regarding the implementation of programmes that would improve the literacy in parents and result in effective parental involvement. Effective parental involvement would ensure an improved learner performance. Volunteer teachers should be used to assist schools in helping parents improve their literacy levels. Reluctant parents should be identified and provided with guidance and direction as to how they can be involved to assist their children. Teachers, through the schools, must make special efforts to keep regular contact with parents. Schools should be familiar with the learners’ backgrounds in order to respond effectively to any particular needs in assisting the learners and parents where necessary. Working parents should be accommodated in the school by holding school meetings during the weekends so that they can be in a better position to attend these meetings. Schools should ensure the maximization of parents’ participation in school activities. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of Whole School Evaluation (WSE) policy in the Libode District, Eastern Cape Province (ECP). The ECP consists of 23 districts with different learner performance levels. Libode is one of the districts in ECP with poor learner performance. The qualitative case study was used to examine the role of the stakeholders in implementing WSE policy. The empirical research was done through the semi-structured interviews with district and provincial education officials, open-ended interviews with School Management Teams (SMTs) and documents from sampled schools were analysed. The findings suggested that there was a concern in the implementation of WSE in secondary schools; they are not implementing the School Self-Evaluation (SSE). This suggested that there was a need for training schools on how to conduct SSE. The stakeholders were not conversant about the policy and inevitably not performing their roles as stipulated in the policy. This suggested clarity and redefining of roles of the stakeholders and capacity building. There were systemic barriers in the implementation of WSE policy. That implied provision of human and financial resources and accountability of the role players in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the policy. In conclusion, the findings and recommendations in this study will provide valuable contribution to the implementation of WSE in Libode secondary schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of the study was to investigate the factors associated with high school learners’ poor performance in physical science in the Libode District in the Eastern Cape. The research also meant to answer the following research objectives on factors associated with high school learners’ poor performance in physical science. The first research objective was based on determining the school related factors that cause poor performance in physical science in the Libode District, while the second research objective was based on determining the home related factors that caused poor performance in physical science in the Libode district. The third research objective was based on ascertaining the skills and competencies of both physical science educators and physical science learners to improve performance while the fourth objective was based on suggesting strategies that could improve performance of both the physical science learners and educators. Research objectives three and four were addressed as recommendation. The study employed a qualitative as well as a quantitative approach. Six public high schools in the Libode District participated in this study. The identities of all the respondents were protected accordingly. Upon analysis of the results, several school related and home related factors respectively were identified as causing poor performance in physical science. No single factor was accountable for the poor performance in physical science. Recommendations for improvement in the areas identified were provided as well as areas for further research. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

The purpose of this study was to examine the role played by Development Support Groups (DSGs) in implementing the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in the secondary schools of Circuit 03 of Libode district of Eastern Cape Province. The scope of research was restricted to three secondary schools in circuit 03. The research methodology was qualitative in which multiple case study strategy was employed. The sampling strategy was purposive sampling and it included principals, educators serving in DSG and educators who have been evaluated in the previous years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews to get information from principals. Questionnaires with open ended questions were used to obtain information from educators serving in DSGs and educators who have been evaluated in the previous years. The findings of this study were that; the DSGs did not receive training that specifically explained their role. Timing is a problem in evaluation of educators as it is performed in the fourth term when educators are busy preparing for final examinations and planning for the next coming year. The infrastructure condition cripples the performance of DSGs. The interpretation of evaluation instruments for educators poses a challenge to DSGs. The awarding of scores by DSGs tends to be more subjective. DSGs mainly have to use their discretion in awarding scores. Analysis of information received from participants indicated that the role of DSGs in implementing IQMS could be improved with intensive training of DSGs on IQMS. Summative evaluation of educators has to be conducted in the third term as many activities take place in the fourth term. Learner performance has also to be a deciding factor in awarding educator scores. Subject advisors should form part of DSGs. This research is likely to benefit school principals, policy makers, educators and IQMS coordinators as it provides clarity on the role of DSGs in implementing IQMS. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)

The purpose of this study was to examine the role played by Development Support Groups (DSGs) in implementing the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in the secondary schools of Circuit 03 of Libode district of Eastern Cape Province. The scope of research was restricted to three secondary schools in circuit 03. The research methodology was qualitative in which multiple case study strategy was employed. The sampling strategy was purposive sampling and it included principals, educators serving in DSG and educators who have been evaluated in the previous years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews to get information from principals. Questionnaires with open ended questions were used to obtain information from educators serving in DSGs and educators who have been evaluated in the previous years. The findings of this study were that; the DSGs did not receive training that specifically explained their role. Timing is a problem in evaluation of educators as it is performed in the fourth term when educators are busy preparing for final examinations and planning for the next coming year. The infrastructure condition cripples the performance of DSGs. The interpretation of evaluation instruments for educators poses a challenge to DSGs. The awarding of scores by DSGs tends to be more subjective. DSGs mainly have to use their discretion in awarding scores. Analysis of information received from participants indicated that the role of DSGs in implementing IQMS could be improved with intensive training of DSGs on IQMS. Summative evaluation of educators has to be conducted in the third term as many activities take place in the fourth term. Learner performance has also to be a deciding factor in awarding educator scores. Subject advisors should form part of DSGs. This research is likely to benefit school principals, policy makers, educators and IQMS coordinators as it provides clarity on the role of DSGs in implementing IQMS. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)