The Foundation Phase in education is the most important learning years for the learners, since what happens during these years determines later academic success. The focus of this study is to obtain Grade 1 teachers' perspectives on the need for teaching assistants in the classroom. In South Africa, teaching assistants are normally reserved for preschools, institutes for learners with special needs, schools that practice inclusive education and some private schools. It is therefore needed to gain information from Grade 1 teachers on how they perceive and experience the presence or absence of a teaching assistant, and what effect it has on teaching and learning in their classrooms. It is also necessary to hear the statements of teaching assistants on how they experience this role in Grade 1 classrooms. Early Childhood Education (which includes the Foundation Phase) forms the basis of all other education; however, the South African education system is faced with numerous challenges which in various ways impede the teaching and learning of young children. These barriers include overcrowded classrooms, learner diversity and indiscipline which call for additional support in the classroom. By using a qualitative approach, this study attempts to collect and analyse the data obtained from teachers and teaching assistants, and interpret this information to gain insight into and explore various perspectives on the need for teaching assistants in a Grade 1 classroom. By making use of semi-structured interviews, data were collected from three groups of participants: teachers with teaching assistants, teachers without teaching assistants, and teaching assistants. These participants were selected from public, private and rural schools in order to allow for a broad spectrum of inputs. Findings indicate that all participants regard the presence of teaching assistants as non-negotiable in the Grade 1 classroom, as it allows the teacher to focus on teaching, whereas the administrative tasks may be channelled to the assistant. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Early Childhood Education / MEd / Unrestricted

Over the years, a net increase in enrolment rates in primary schools has been observed worldwide. Nevertheless, in West Africa, girls still lag behind in terms of basic education. Although many other African societies face educational challenges in terms of realising girls’ right to education, educational challenges are far greater for women and girls in West Africa. This region is considered to have the highest illiteracy level in the world, and the level of illiteracy is even higher for females. As a result, a gap persists between the number of boys and girls in primary schools. The reasons why this gap persist is because cultural limitations and poverty still undermine the realisation of girls’ right to basic education in this part of the world. Girls’ right to primary education is undermined through patriarchy; negative cultural perceptions associated with girls’ education, child labour or child marriages, to mention but a few. Not only are educational disparities visible in terms of gender, but educational disparities are also visible between urban and rural areas. By taking into account such differences, and in order to best achieve universal basic education in West Africa, the use of multiple strategies is advised. It requires primarily the enforcement of legal measures in order to improve girls’ enrolment and retention rates. Simultaneously, it requires economic solutions which can help the poor to send girls to school, with in addition strategies which focus on the role that institutions can play; whether these institutions are governments, traditional or religious institutions. Evidently, with these strategies, the role played by other actors such as citizens and non-governmental organisations, in ensuring girls’ right to basic education cannot be underestimated. / Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / gm2014 / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

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Thesis (MEd. (Adult Education)) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / This mini-dissertation is about educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult prisoners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. It is a study of grade twelve (12) learners. The aim of the study is to get an insight into educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult learners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. This study has attempted to contribute towards solutions to educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult learners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. The management of Kutama-Sinthumule and the Department of Correctional Services were made aware of the problems that young adult prisoners face while doing grade twelve (12) in that prison. In order to achieve the aims outlined above, I formulated the following main research question: What are the educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult Prisoners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre? I tried to answer the question outlined above by undertaking an explorative study which has elements of needs assessment and case study. I have decided to undertake an explorative study because very little is known about educational challenges facing prisoners prior to this research. Since the study has elements of needs assessment, the situation of grade twelve (12) young adult prisoners and values of an education system with desired outcomes was looked against. The needs are stated by grade twelve (12) learners; their educators; their facilitators; and the coordinator of the programme in relation to the system. I have decided to select grade twelve (12) learners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre as my case. There are other educational programmes at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre, but I have decided to concentrate on a grade twelve programme. I have decided to undertake a case study because a case study promotes a better understanding of a practice or issue and facilitates informed decision making. Chapter two outlines the theoretical framework of the study. I began chapter two by defining important concepts. The concepts such as Prisoner; Prison; and Young Adult are defined thoroughly. I formulated assumptions about what could be educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult learners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. I read documents and conducted exploratory interviews with grade twelve learners, educators and other role players at Kutama-Sinthumule, hence I identified the following educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) learners at the Correctional Centre: lack of access to the internet; lack of resources; lack of motivation; communicating in the medium of instruction; shortage of better trained staff; overcrowded classrooms; insufficient study time; duration of the programme; shortage of staff; and insufficient time allocated to lessons. In chapter three, I describe the design of the study. The main focus of this chapter was to discuss the two routes of data collection. The first route had to do with reviewing relevant documents from the Department of Correctional Services and operational policies and procedures at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. The second route has to do with the data that has been collected in the field using different data collection instruments. How data has been analyzed using a data matrix is also shown in this chapter. The chapter concludes by presenting ethical considerations. Chapter four begins by highlighting the setting of the study. It goes on to describe the town of Louis Trichardt where Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre is situated. It further gives a brief history of the town. The Climate, Geography, Demography, Population, Key Statistics, Name change, and Economy are outlined in this chapter. This chapter also presents the findings of the study. I have also outlined in detail the views of the interviewees in relation to the critical factors of this study. A description of subjects offered for this grade twelve programme is done in this chapter. The chapter concludes by discussing the findings of this study. Chapter five presents the final recommendations, conclusion, and reflections of this study. This chapter harmonizes information from all the previous chapters in discussing educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult prisoners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. The chapter also suggests possible solutions to these educational challenges facing grade twelve (12) young adult learners at Kutama-Sinthumule Correctional Centre. The chapter concludes by making recommendations for furtherstudy, as education and its related challenges in the prisons seems to be under-researched, particularly for grade twelve (12) young adult learners.

Durant les premières années de leur vie, plus de la moitié des enfants de zéro à cinq ans en France sont pris en charge par d'autres personnes que leurs parents. La demande en structures d'accueil pour les enfants d'âge préscolaire s'est intensifiée. Malgré les disparités régionales et les carences en équipements dans certaines communes, un dispositif a été mis en place sur le territoire national qui consiste à mettre à la disposition des enseignants des écoles maternelles, des personnels devant les seconder auprès des jeunes enfants. De nombreux professionnels de la petite enfance et différents responsables sont conscients que les premières années de scolarisation de l'enfant sont importantes. Il est donc indispensable de l'entourer d'un personnel disponible et qualifié. Des études montrent que l'existence du phénomène de la scolarisation des enfants de deux ans pose entre autre problème celui de l'identification de certaines professions liées à la petite enfance. Ainsi, nous consacrons essentiellement notre recherche au travail d'assistance à l'enseignant proposé par l'agent territorial spécialisé des écoles maternelles (Atsem) sous le titre «la professionnalisation du métier d’agent territorial spécialisé de l’école maternelle : évolution du statut professionnel et enjeux éducatifs». Le choix du sujet se justifie par rapport à l'importance de son rôle pédagogique dès les premières années de la scolarisation du jeune enfant. Aussi, cette thèse comble un vide, puisqu’elle traite de la question des enjeux éducatifs et sociaux d’un métier de la petite enfance peu connu dans une démarche de professionnalisation. En outre, nous mettons en relief trois périodes importantes de l’évolution du statut professionnel en lien avec la réalisation de l’activité professionnelle de manière à identifier les configurations distinctes qui traduisent les modalités différentes de professionnalisation dans l’analyse des pratiques d’une part, et d’appréhender au-delà des enjeux de professionnalisation, les conditions d’accueil et de prise en charge du jeune enfant en maternelle d’autres part. Cette recherche aborde également un aspect du domaine sensible de la scolarisation de la petite enfance de 2/5 ans. Sans doute que les transformations structurelles et organisationnelles très profondes de l’école maternelle ont contribué largement à modifier les espaces d’apprentissage et les enjeux éducatifs du travail de l’ATSEM et des enseignants. / During the first years of their life, more half of the children from zero to five years in France are dealt with by other people that their parents. The request of reception facilities for the preschool Childs intensified. In spite of regional disparities and the deficiencies out of equipment in certain communes, device was set up on the national territory which consists in putting at the disposal of teachers of the nursery schools, of staffs having to assist them near the young children. Many professionals of early childhood and different responsible are conscious that the first years of schooling of the child are important. It is thus essential to surround it by a staff available and qualified. Studies show that the existence of the phenomenon of the schooling of the two-year-old children amongst other things poses problem that of the identification of certain professions related to early childhood. Thus, we devote primarily our research to the work of assistance to the teacher proposed by the territorial agent specialized of the nursery schools (Atsem) under the title “the professionalisation of the trade of territorial agent specialized in the nursery school: evolution of the professional statute and educational challenges”. The choice of the subject is justified compared to the importance of its teaching role as of the first years of the schooling of the young child. Also, this thesis fills a vacuum, since it treats question of the educational and social challenges of a trade of early childhood little known in a approach of professionalisation. Moreover, we highlight three important periods of the evolution of the professional statute in bond with the realization of the occupation so as to identify the distinct configurations which translate the methods different of professionalisation in the analysis of the practices on the one hand, and to apprehend beyond the challenges of professionalisation, the conditions of reception and assumption of responsibility of the young child in nursery school of other share. This research also approaches an aspect of the significant field of the schooling of the 2/5 years early childhood. Undoubtedly that the transformations structural and organisational very major of the nursery school largely contributed to modify spaces of training and the educational challenges of the work of the Atsem and the teachers.

The academic challenges faced by pregnant and nursing students in Zimbabwe do not seem to attract the attention of scholars. This study focused on the educational challenges faced by pregnant and nursing adult learners at Morgenster Teachers‟ College, a tertiary education institution. Participants‟ perceptions of the academic challenges they faced were established through the use of a qualitative methodology in which the semi-structured interview was the dominant data collection method. Non-participant observation and document analysis were employed to complement the dominant method. The findings indicated that the academic challenges faced by mothering adult learners are related to physical problems, social relationships, inadequate financial resources and administrative problems. The study revealed that such students develop strategies to alleviate some of the educational challenges they face. In view of the findings, recommendations are made to improve the learning environment of mothering students and for further research to address the problem. / M. Ed. (Adult Education) / Educational Studies

This research paper explores the educational challenges faced by unaccompanied refugee youths in Stockholm. It focuses on the ongoing educational challenges that stem after separating from their families or other representatives in struggling to find a safe place; and adjust to a foreign country with minimal support. The research also examines what educational services that have been made available to these unaccompanied refugee youths.  Furthermore, how successful they have been in adjusting into the Swedish educational system and achieving their educational goals.   We have conducted a qualitative research method using semi-structured interviews to provide insightful findings into this research topic. The sample included ten unaccompanied refugee youths and three professionals that are experts in the area of unaccompanied refugee youths.  The findings underscore that most of the unaccompanied refugee youths´ dropout from school before they are able to achieve their post- secondary education due to different challenges that influence their educational pursuit.    Key words: challenges, support, imbalance, education, and unaccompanied Refugee youths.

The academic challenges faced by pregnant and nursing students in Zimbabwe do not seem to attract the attention of scholars. This study focused on the educational challenges faced by pregnant and nursing adult learners at Morgenster Teachers‟ College, a tertiary education institution. Participants‟ perceptions of the academic challenges they faced were established through the use of a qualitative methodology in which the semi-structured interview was the dominant data collection method. Non-participant observation and document analysis were employed to complement the dominant method. The findings indicated that the academic challenges faced by mothering adult learners are related to physical problems, social relationships, inadequate financial resources and administrative problems. The study revealed that such students develop strategies to alleviate some of the educational challenges they face. In view of the findings, recommendations are made to improve the learning environment of mothering students and for further research to address the problem. / M. Ed. (Adult Education) / Educational Studies