This is a qualitative study which investigates the attitudes of school principals towards school guidance in the historically disadvantaged secondary schools in the township of Madadeni. The sample consists of five secondary school principals recruited from Madadeni schools. Structured interviews were used to collect data. A set of questions were drawn up by the researcher and aimed at collecting such information as the opinions of the principals on the importance of school guidance, what school guidance should provide, adherence to school guidance periods, the role of a guidance teacher, and the expected position of school guidance in the Curriculum 2005. The results indicated that although the school principals see the need for school guidance in secondary school, there seem to be problems emanating from lack of resources and insufficient personnel. There were also indications that school guidance will have an important role in the Curriculum 2005 in the form of Life Orientation learning area. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

This study was conducted to investigate what the perceptions of Career Guidance Counselors were toward young girls and High Status Subjects. The study was underpinned by the work done by a number of researchers in other countries. These researchers all proved that the subjects Mathematics and Physical Science were not gender biased and girls could do as well as boys. The subject packages girls chose at the end of their grade 9 year would have an impact on possible career choices they could make after the completion of grade 12. The study also seeks to explore reasons why girls were not choosing these subjects and if the Career Guidance Counselors were actively encouraging the girls to take these subjects. The study was a qualitative one using interviews based on questionnaires. The answers were carefully recorded and decoded. The Career Guidance Counselors were interviewed at their schools in the central Durban area. The schools selected were those fortunate enough to have counselors on their staff. Many schools do not have Career Guidance Counselors as they are unable to accommodate them with their limited resources. The study found that at many schools there was little if any encouragement from the Guidance Counselors to enter these subjects in grade 10. The two schools that did encourage their female learners to select these subjects found that their learners achieved very well. This study will show that urgent intervention needs to be made if our young girls are to take their rightful place in our society in a number of high status occupations. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

A formative and summative evaluation of a peer counselling training programme at a college of education. The study investigates the appropriateness and feasibility of implementing a peer counselling support structure for students at an under-resourced college of education in a rural area. Existing peer counselling training programmes were explored in order to identify appropriate principles for implementation at the particular college. The exploration focused on six dimensions: peer counsellor roles and functions, - selection, -training, - support and - supervision, ethical and cultural considerations and programme evaluations. The investigation covered three phases: a survey and needs analysis, assessment of the appropriateness for, and impact of the training programme, on the 23 volunteers and an assessment of the service use and performance of these peer counsellors. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to evaluate all three phases. Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that students perceived peer counselling as a physically, socially and emotionally accessible support structure. Peer counsellors were seen to be a functional support alternative to the academic lecturers available for counselling, specifically in providing assistance with interpersonal dilemmas and in areas of mutual concern. Peer counsellor trainees assessed the training content and procedures as adequate, functional, applicable to the particular context and instrumental to certain personal developmental gains. The data were used to inform the implementation and management of future peer counselling training programmes at the college and to indicate inconclusive areas for future research. The study shows that peer counselling is a potentially effective, functional and complementary strategy to provide pastoral care at under-resourced institutions, provided that the peer counselling programme is customized for the contextual, challenges, needs and concerns of the particular institution. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.