The study serves to explore teachers’ enactment of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in selected Free State Province schools. The data was collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews. The respondents were grade 11 teachers whose schools were chosen by the researcher because all the respondents had undergone a week long CAPS training. The study adopted a qualitative approach therefore a purposive non-probability sampling strategy was used to select the sample. The collected data from the respondents was analysed qualitatively and recommendations based on the research findings were made. In a nutshell, the teachers’ enactment of CAPS still remains a tall order for the South African teacher but with sufficient support and encouragement to the teacher from all stakeholders it can become a success story. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Improving Grade 12 learner performance is a critical issue because only a few learners are able to go to university. Grade 8 learners lack the required subject content knowledge to be in secondary school. The aim of this study was to identify key generic curriculum factors affecting Grade 12 learner performance. The aim was addressed by conducting the relevant literature study and an empirical investigation. In various studies, the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) has been associated with tremendous challenges, including content congestion, workload, too much paperwork, too much assessment and limited time. There are ongoing expressions of uncertainty about the type of learners the CAPS is producing. Many of these learners do not understand English, cannot read or write, do not care about their education, are not doing their homework and are ill-disciplined. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, this study offers a critical reflection of key curriculum factors affecting learners’ performance. This multiple case study was undertaken using semi-structured individual interviews with 12 Heads of Departments, which were conducted to explore their perceptions and experiences regarding the CAPS. Six focus group interviews with teachers were also conducted to provide an in-depth understanding of their views. The findings of the study offer a deeper understanding of the key generic curriculum factors affecting learner performance which require a special intervention at foundation phase to ensure that primary school learners are prepared for Grade 12. It is envisaged that the research findings will assist the Department of Basic Education with decisions relating to improving learners’ performance. The study recommends that involving as many experienced teachers as possible in the curriculum design will have a positive impact on learner performance. It is recommended that the Department of Basic Education should reduce the number of subjects at secondary school level; align time allocated to complete the syllabus with the Annual Teaching Plan; replace School-Based Assessments with tests; conduct an exit examination at the end of every phase; identify one prescribed textbook for each subject; encourage top performing students to become teachers; and make teaching a high-status profession. Experienced teachers should be given an opportunity to design the curriculum because they understand the challenges facing the education system. The Department of Basic Education should minimise changes to the curriculum because the teachers work better with what they know. iv The study concluded that the first 30 minutes of each day should be an English period to enhance reading skills; learners should be given an opportunity to choose subjects from Grade 8 not from Grade 10; the pass rate should be raised to 50% for all the subjects; Life Orientation should be done only up to Grade 7; more Further Education and Training colleges should be opened so that learners can be directed accordingly if they cannot cope in a mainstream school; progression and adjustment of marks should be stopped; more teacher training colleges should be opened; more and better resources at all under-resourced schools must be provided; each school should have a full-time psychologist on staff; and learners should be motivated regularly by educated or successful community members. / Dit is noodsaaklik om die prestasie van Graad 12-leerlinge te verbeter aangesien weinig van hulle aan ʼn universiteit verder kan studeer. Graad 8-leerders beskik nie oor die vakkennis wat op hoërskool van hulle verwag word nie. Die oogmerk van hierdie studie was om vas te stel watter betekenisvolle generiese kurrikulumfaktore die prestasie van Graad 12-leerders bepaal. ʼn Literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek is met die oog hierop gedoen. Volgens verskeie studies bring die implementering van die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV) geweldige uitdagings mee waaronder die vertering van lesinhoud, ʼn groot werklas, te veel papierwerk, te veel assessering en te min tyd. Bedenkinge word gereeld uitgespreek oor die soort leerder wat die KABV tot gevolg het. Talle leerders verstaan nie Engels nie, kan nie lees of skryf nie, is nie oor hulle eie opvoeding besorg nie, doen nie hulle huiswerk nie, en is ongehoorsaam. Hierdie studie besin krities oor die betekenisvolle kurrikulumfaktore wat leerders se prestasie beïnvloed. In hierdie meervoudige gevallestudie is halfgestruktureerde onderhoude met 12 departementshoofde gevoer. Hulle perspepsie en ervaring van die KABV is in die onderhoude verken. Ses fokusgroeponderhoude is met onderwysers gevoer om hulle siening daarvan te verkry. Die bevindings van die studie bied ʼn grondige insig in die betekenisvolle generiese kurrikulumfaktore wat leerderprestasie beïnvloed. Dit vereis ingryping in die grondslagfase om laerskoolleerders vir hoërskool en uiteindelik Graad 12 gereed te kry. Op grond van hierdie bevindings kan die Departement van Basiese Onderwys veranderings aanbring wat die prestasie van leerders kan verbeter. Die studie beveel aan dat soveel ervare onderwysers as moontlik by die kurrikulumontwerp betrek word. Dit sal leerdersprestasie verbeter. Daar word voorts aanbeveel dat die Departement van Basiese Onderwys die aantal hoërskoolvakke verminder; die tydperk waarin die sillabus afgehandel word, met die jaarlikse onderrigplan in ooreenstemming bring; vii skoolassessering met toetse vervang; leerders aan die einde van elke fase ʼn uitgangseksamen laat skryf; een handboek vir elke vak voorskryf; skrander studente aanmoedig om onderwysers te word; en die aansien van die onderwysberoep verhoog. Ervare onderwysers moet aan die opstel van die kurrikulum meewerk omdat hulle die struikelblokke in die onderwysstelsel die beste begryp. Die Departement van Basiese Onderwys moet minder aan die kurrikulum torring aangesien onderwysers beter werk met dinge wat hulle ken. Die slotsom waartoe in hierdie studie gekom word, is dat die eerste 30 minute van elke skooldag ʼn Engelse periode moet wees waarin leerders hulle leesvaardighede verbeter. Leerders moet reeds in Graad 8 vakke kan kies, nie eers in Graad 10 nie. Die slaagpunt moet in alle vakke 50% wees. Lewensoriëntering moet slegs tot Graad 7 aangebied word. Leerders wat nie in ʼn hoofstroomskool die mas opkom nie, moet aan kolleges vir verdere onderwys en opleiding verder kan leer. Punte moenie opgeskuif word nie. Meer onderwyseropleidingskolleges moet geopen word. Skole met beperkte hulpbronne moet van meer en beter hulpmiddels voorsien word. ʼn Voltydse sielkundige moet by elke skool aangestel word, en suksesvolle en opgevoede gemeenskapslede moet leerders gereeld motiveer. / Kaonafatšo ya mašomelo a Kreite ya 12 ke ntlha ya bohlokwa ka ge baithuti ba mmalwa ba kgona go ya yunibesithi. Baithuti ba Kreiti ya 8 ba hloka tsebo ya diteng tša thuto yeo e nyakwaga ke baithuti ba dikolo tše di phagamego. Nepo ya thuto ye ke go hlaola dintlhakakaretšo tša kharikhulamo ya go ama mašomelo a moithuti wa Kreite ya 12. Maikemišetšo a a rarollotšwe ka go dira thuto ya dingwalwa le dinyakišišo tša thuto. Ka go dithuto tša go fapana, phethagatšo ya Setatamente sa Pholisi ya Kharikhulamo le Tekolo (CAPS) e amana le mathata a magolo,a go akaretša pitlagano, tšhomišo ye ntši ya pampiri, tekolo ye ntši, le nako ye nnyane. Go na le ditšweletšo tše dintši tša go se kgotsofale ka ga mohuta wa baithuti bao CAPS e ba tšweletšago. Bontši bja baithuti ba ga ba kwešiše Seisemane; ga ba kgone go bala goba go ngwala; ga ba na taba le thuto ya bona; ba ba dire mošomo wa bona wa gae; ga ba na mekgwa ye mebotse. Ke ka lebaka la tšweletšo ye ya go se be le nnete, thuto ye e tšweletša taetšo ya bohlokwa ka ga dintlha tša bohlokwa tša kharikhulamo tšeo di amago mašomelo a baithuti. Thutophatišišo ye e swanetše go dirwa go šomišwa ditherišano tša go hlangwa gannyane le Dihlogo tše 12 tša Dikgoro. Dipoledišano tše tša mošomo di dirilwe go lemoga mmono wa bona le boitemogelo bja CAPS. Dipoledišano le dihlopha tše tshela tša barutiši di dirilwe go hwetša kwešišo ya go tsenelela ya mmono wa bona. Dipoelo tša thuto di fana ka kwešišo ya go tsenelela ya dintlha tša motheo tša kharikhulamo tšeo di amago mašomelo a baithuti le go nyaka thušo ya go ikgetha ka go thuto ya motheo go netefatša go re baithuti ba thuto ya phoraemari a loketše sekolo se se phagamego le Kreite ya 12. Go lebeletšwe gore dipoelo tša diphatišišo di tla thuša Kgoro ya Thuto ya Motheo go dira diphetho tša go tliša kaonafalo ka go mašomelo a baithuti. Thuto e hlohleletša go re ka ge barutiši ba bantši ba maitemogelo ba tšee karolo ka go tlhamo ya kharikhulamo ka ge se se tla ba le seabe sa maleba go mašomelo a baithuti. Go dirwa tšhišinyo ya go re Kgoro ya Thuto ya Motheo e swanetše go fokotša palo ya dithutwana x maemong a sekolo se se phagamego; lekanyetša nako yeo e filwego go phetha dithuto go ya ka leano la go ruta la ngwaga; go tlošwe ditekolo tšeo di dirwago sekolong go dirwe melekwana; go dirwe hlahlobo ya go tšwa mafelelong a sekgao se sengwe le se sengwe; go hlaolwe puku ye tee yeo e kgwethilwego go thuto ye nngwe le ye nngwe; go hlohleletša baithuti bao ba šomago gabotse go re ba be barutiši; le go dira gore barutiši e be mošomo wa maemo a godimo. Barutiši ba maitemogelo ba swanetše go fiwa sebaka sa go hlama kharikhulamo ka gobane ba kwešiša mathata a tshepedišo ya thuto. Kgoro ya thuto ya Motheo e swanetše go fokotša diphetogo ka go kharikhulamo ka gobane barutiši ba šoma gabotse ka tšeo ba di tsebago. Thuto ye e rumile ka go re metsotso ye 30 ya mathomo ya letšatši le lengwe le lelengwe e swanetše go ba thuto ya Seisemane go kgontšha bokgoni bja go bala; baithuti a swanetše go fiwa sebaka sa go kgetha dithuto go tloga ka go Kreite ya 8 e sego ka go Kreite ya 10; kelo ya katlego e swanetše go phagamišwa go ya go diperesente tše 50 go dithuto ka moka; Life Orientation e swanetše go rutwa fela go fihla go Kreiti ya 7; go swanetše go bulwe dikholetšhe tša tlaleletšo tša thuto le tlhahlo go baithuti bao ba sa kgonego go kgotlelela go sekolo sa setlwaedi; tšwelopele le tlaleletšo ya meputso e swanetše go emišwa; go swanetše go bulwe dikholetšhe tše dingwe tša barutiši; methopo ye mentši ya kaone go dikolo ka moka tšeo di se nago methopo ya go lekana e swanetš go fiwa; sekolo se sengwe le se sengwe se swanetše go ba le rasaekholotši wa sa ruri gare ga bašomi; le baithuti ba swanetše go hlohleletšwa kgafetšakgafetša ke maloko a setšhaba ao a rutegilego goba go atlega. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Education (Curriculum Studies))

The study explored the effects of curriculum change on foundation phase teachers of Sikhulile Circuit of Mpumalanga in post-apartheid South Africa. Curriculum 2005 (C2005) was introduced in the post-apartheid South Africa followed by the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) and Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS), then Foundation for Learning (FFL) and lastly Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). All these curriculum changes had various implications on teaching particularly with reference to foundation phase teachers of South Africa in line with the purposes of this study. Four research questions guided the study. A qualitative interpretive research design was adopted in order to gain insight into the views of the teachers of Grade 1 to Grade 3 on curriculum changes they faced in their classrooms. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews and semi-structured questionnaires. The views expressed by the study participants were carefully analysed to find common patterns of the challenges faced by the foundation phase teachers in South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select the schools and study participants. The research findings indicate that many foundation phase teachers found these curriculum changes to be too frequent, confusing and demoralising. This scenario was exacerbated by the fact that teachers were not trained at all or minimally trained for the curriculum changes. Many showed lack of knowledge and skills on the constitution’s expectation of education as a lifelong experience. Teachers were teaching in overcrowded classrooms with limited resources thus they did not know what to teach and how to assess. In light of these extended classroom challenges, it is recommended that the grassroots model or the Social Interaction Model could be used to disseminate innovation from the focal point to the periphery as it allows consultation and communication between stakeholders, curriculum innovators and implementers, to effectively implement new curriculum initiatives. There needs to be extensive and effective piloting of new curriculum innovations before their implementation. Training of teachers on CAPS and other curricula introduced should be on going. Adequate dialogue between policy makers and teachers at ground level addresses challenges as encountered. Further studies of this nature should be carried out in other circuits, districts and provinces in order to identify common challenges and develop possible solutions to overcome these challenges on a broader national scale. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Using the “four-selves” Mission Strategy of self-governance, self-support, self-propagation and self-theologizing as an analytical tool, this study assesses the theological training of church leaders (clergy and laity) in the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) with regard to context, relevance and viability. Though the ACK has been in Kenya since 1844, and has been involved in vigorous evangelization, it has not grown to be fully self-governing, self-supporting, self-propagating and self-theologizing. This is evidenced mainly by its flawed theological training system which is neither relevant nor viable. The study is in ten Chapters. The first Chapter contains the introductory material, while the second Chapter gives the general overview of the ACK focusing on its growth and training needs. The ACK is a rapidly growing Church experiencing a growth of about 6.7 per cent per annum, yet she is not necessarily happy as she is not able to produce sufficient and well-trained personnel to match this growth. The third Chapter traces the history of pastoral training in the ACK, while Chapter four assesses the curriculum used to prepare church leaders in the ACK. This curriculum is uncontextualised hence irrelevant to the current Kenyan society. Chapter five evaluates the six ACK Provincial Theological Colleges. These colleges are inadequate and economically under-utilized hence not viable. The sixth Chapter underscores the importance of training Lay Church Leaders in the ACK through Theological Education by Extension (TEE), an effective training model which has failed because the ACK leadership has failed to prioritize it. The seventh Chapter discusses the main challenges encountered by the ACK in her leadership training and shows that these challenges are vital measures for improving theological training in the ACK. Chapter Eight examines the relationship between Christian Mission and Theological Training and it comes out clearly that Mission and Theology are inseparable entities. In the ninth Chapter, the author basing his arguments on the various findings in this study suggests some possible ways through which the ACK can improve her training systems. Chapter Ten concludes that if the ACK has to succeed in her mission she has to prioritize the training of her leaders. / Church Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The study serves to explore teachers’ enactment of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in selected Free State Province schools. The data was collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews. The respondents were grade 11 teachers whose schools were chosen by the researcher because all the respondents had undergone a week long CAPS training. The study adopted a qualitative approach therefore a purposive non-probability sampling strategy was used to select the sample. The collected data from the respondents was analysed qualitatively and recommendations based on the research findings were made. In a nutshell, the teachers’ enactment of CAPS still remains a tall order for the South African teacher but with sufficient support and encouragement to the teacher from all stakeholders it can become a success story. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

MEd / Department of Curriculum Studies and Education Management

South African educators have experienced problems understanding and implementing various previous curriculum policies such as Curriculum 2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement. These problems have made it necessary for the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to introduce the national Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in 2012. CAPS was intended to improve teaching and learning, but as with the implementation of any new curriculum it implies the following: The need for educator training; Need for new resources; Change in policy; An increased workload. This qualitative study which was conducted at a primary school in the Imfolozi Circuit aimed to determine how CAPS is implemented and its implications on teaching and learning. Data collected from focus group interviews and document analysis revealed that while educators welcomed the introduction of CAPS for its clarity, structure, clear guidelines and time frames however they experienced challenges related to the quality and the amount of training, inadequate resources, increased workload and the impact of rapid pace of the curriculum on teaching and learning. Based on these results recommendations are made for the improvement of the implementation of CAPS. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

South African learners’ poor performance in general, and in the national matriculation examinations, has necessitated the introduction of various curriculum implementation improvement programmes in the country. The Jika iMfundo Programme (JiP) is a campaign of the Programme to Improve Learning Outcomes (PILO) that was piloted, on scale, in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, in 2014, to improve the learning outcomes in the province by supporting educators and school managers to improve curriculum coverage and implementation. This study employs a constructivist worldview to explore the experiences of educators and school managers in the King Cetshwayo District of KZN with the implementation of the JiP. The study addresses the issues of the preparation of stakeholders for curriculum change, the challenges experienced in implementing the programme and the adequacy of resources and support that are required to implement the JiP. A qualitative approach, and a multi-case study design involving nine educators, three department heads and three principals, to investigate the key research questions within three primary schools in the King Cetshwayo District were adopted. The educators were all teachers of mathematics from grades 1-7 and were purposively selected as respondents. Data were elicited through semistructured, one-on-one interviews, document analysis and observations. Since the data represented the perspective of individuals, data analysis was descriptive and interpretive in nature and was reported under pre-set and emergent themes. The main finding from the study is that, although the majority of educators and managers have a positive attitude towards the programme and are utilising the knowledge and skills attained through the training, the resources and support provided to implement the programme, the following factors inhibit efficacious implementation: lack of consultation, inadequate training, lack of sufficient learner resources, inadequate support from schools and the district and the fast pace and organisation of the mathematics curriculum. School contextual factors also affect the implementation of revised curriculum. Other factors like inadequate or non-reflection by educators on their curriculum coverage and insufficient opportunities for conversation around curriculum coverage at schools were also identified by the researcher as areas needing attention. Consultation with educators on future educational changes, more frequent training sessions, the provision of adequate learner resources, reduction in class sizes, a review of the mathematics curriculum for the Foundation Phase are some of the recommendations made in the study. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The South African education system has been evolving since the country became democratic in 1994 and a number of curriculum reforms have been introduced within a short space of time. These reforms revolve around power and control and therefore, Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing form the conceptual framework for this study. This study attempts to give a picture of what is currently happening in schools pertaining to the implementation of the grade 10 Life Sciences (LS), Business Studies (BS), and Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The dual aim of this study was to find out educators’ understanding and interpretation of the CAPS that can be observed in their teaching practice and to establish how decisions on subject content (selection, sequencing and pacing) are made. Also of importance was to determine whether educators view and treat their subject as unique or as similar to other subjects. The study used a qualitative approach, using case study design. Observations were used as the main method for data construction. Four LS, BS and EGD educators from four different schools were observed teaching the same class for five consecutive lessons. Thereafter, these educators were interviewed. For triangulation purposes, learners and the subject advisor were participants in this thesis. For this purpose a group of ten randomly selected learners from observed classes per subject and school were requested to complete a questionnaire and the LS, BS and EGD subject advisors were interviewed. The subject advisors insisted that educators follow the CAPS so that learners would be able to write common assessment tasks at the end of each term. Although educators claimed that they were following the CAPS regarding content selection, sequencing and pacing, observations showed that educators were not following the CAPS document. The findings suggest that well coordinated interventions are required to support and monitor educators’ practice. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The South African education system has been evolving since the country became democratic in 1994 and a number of curriculum reforms have been introduced within a short space of time. These reforms revolve around power and control and therefore, Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing form the conceptual framework for this study. This study attempts to give a picture of what is currently happening in schools pertaining to the implementation of the grade 10 Life Sciences (LS), Business Studies (BS), and Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The dual aim of this study was to find out educators’ understanding and interpretation of the CAPS that can be observed in their teaching practice and to establish how decisions on subject content (selection, sequencing and pacing) are made. Also of importance was to determine whether educators view and treat their subject as unique or as similar to other subjects. The study used a qualitative approach, using case study design. Observations were used as the main method for data construction. Four LS, BS and EGD educators from four different schools were observed teaching the same class for five consecutive lessons. Thereafter, these educators were interviewed. For triangulation purposes, learners and the subject advisor were participants in this thesis. For this purpose a group of ten randomly selected learners from observed classes per subject and school were requested to complete a questionnaire and the LS, BS and EGD subject advisors were interviewed. The subject advisors insisted that educators follow the CAPS so that learners would be able to write common assessment tasks at the end of each term. Although educators claimed that they were following the CAPS regarding content selection, sequencing and pacing, observations showed that educators were not following the CAPS document. The findings suggest that well coordinated interventions are required to support and monitor educators’ practice. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)