The failure of the many township and rural schools to improve learner outcomes is not only recognised as a pervasive and insidious social problem affecting those communities, but also entrenches inequalities and militates social cohesion and unity. The study highlights the challenges experienced in the Ilembe District that hamper the effective delivery of a quality education. The study confronts these challenges from a constitutional and human rights perspective, and seeks to unravel whether or not educators grasp the critical nature of their role in facilitating the achievement, not only of the educational goals but of other Constitutional imperatives as well. Given the turbulent nature of the environment in which educators operate, the study also seeks to establish if educators can keep up with the new challenges of teaching in the twenty-first century. In this regard, the role of continuing professional teacher development and the new competencies required of educators were investigated to ascertain whether they lead to improved teaching and therefore more effective learning. The study further investigated the effectiveness of the Code of Professional Ethics in curbing unethical behaviour and thus ensuring the attainment of objectives. Furthermore, the study looked at the various interventions by the Government in an endeavour to facilitate the realisation of the Constitutional ideals. This involved looking at the legislative and policy framework put in place, as well as campaigns and other initiatives that demonstrate the government’s commitment to these ideals. A literature study added another dimension to it, in that it provided the theoretical basis for the study and another perspective on how these matters were dealt with elsewhere. The researcher used an eclectic approach in an effort to get a better understanding of the problem. The choice of methodology and design used in the study was, to a large extent, influenced by the nature and objectives of the study. The study was premised on the fact that the rurality of the Ilembe District should not be used to deprive the learners from this community of a quality education and that, the many policies that seem wonderful on paper are useless if they do not translate to effective implementation. / Thesis (MPA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Since 1994, South Africa has experienced a focus on transformation. The National Department of Education has refocused the vision and direction of the South African education system through a series of policy initiatives. As a result of new legislation in South Africa, considerably more authority and responsibility for decision-making has been devolved to the school level than was the previously the case (Lumby, Middlewood&Kaabwe, 2003). This study investigates teacher involvement in decision-making in finance and curriculum matters in 16 selected rural schools in Maphumulo circuit. . The study sought to investigate the extent to which teachers’ actual and desired involvement in decision-making in Finance matters and Curriculum. Through the interpretive paradigm of the situation quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to provide rich and picture. The study utilized a questionnaire and focus group interviews to investigate the finance area in eight issues: budgeting, purchasing, record keeping, financial reporting, fundraising, monitoring, auditing and accounting. The second area was curriculum with seven issues: selection of books, year plans, work schedules and lesson plans, assessment (tests and projects) time tabling, language policy and instructional methods. Findings show that in both decision-making areas teachers tend to experience less decisional involvement than they desire. However, teachers do not necessarily desire to be involved in every aspect of the selected areas. I therefore conclude that school leaders need to invest in understanding what teachers desire to be involved in and what they do not. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

The aim of this study was to investigate and examine the management and leadership skills that are needed for managing community and parent partnership in the Ilembe District of the KwaZulu-Natal province. The study sought to determine how ineffective management and leadership of parent partnership in rural schools can be detrimental to school, learners, parents and the community at large. The literature study investigated existing theories, programmes, management and leadershipof parental participation and partnership. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein’s theories of overlapping sphere and her typology of parentalinvolvement. These frameworks emerging from the review of literatureprovided an expressive perspective for the interpretation of data and recommendations in the final chapter of the study.The study used aqualitative methodologyapproach with a case studyresearch design. This was deemed appropriate as data wascollectedthrough the medium of semi-structured individual interviews andfield notes with 15 participants,and data were analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that in most schools, ineffective management and leadership of parental participation exist through relationship limitation between the schools and the parents and the community. The study established that ineffective leadership and management of parental, family and community participation revolve around issues like indifferentattitudes of parents, poor communication and a lack ofcordial relationship between parents and the schools. The study recommended that comprehensive knowledge concerning the phenomenon of parent, family and community partnership shouldbecompiled into a national policy on parent, family and community partnership,which is considered vital forrural schoolsin South Africa. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management and Leadership)

Abstract not available / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Abstract not available / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The research objectives were to describe the age and gender of adult HIV positive clients on ART who received IPT; the incidence of tuberculosis among clients that received IPT and the defaulter rate among those that were commenced on IPT. Quantitative non-experimental descriptive retrospective cohort study was undertaken to ascertain the incidence of tuberculosis among adult HIV positive clients who received IPT. 104 clinic records of HIV positive adult clients accessing care at Isithebe Clinic, iLembe-South Africa who were commenced on IPT between 01 July 2010 and 30 November 2011 were analysed. The study found that 66 of 104 (63.5%) study respondents completed the course of IPT and the majority of those that defaulted were due to poor quality of care. Gender was statistically found to have played a role on whether a patient completes IPT. None of the study respondents that completed IPT was diagnosed with TB disease. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

INTRODUCTION All waste generated at health care facilities in the past was regarded as hazardous and needed to be incinerated first before it was disposed. The purpose of this study was to investigate health care waste (HCW) management practices employed in public health clinics in the iLembe District, with a view of developing a HCW management intervention strategy. METHODOLOGY The study design was observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional. Data was collected using a structured individual questionnaire, which was administered to key informants from 31 rural and urban government fixed public clinics in the iLembe District Municipality. RESULT Thirty public clinics in iLembe district participated in the study. A total of 210 kg/day (0.06 kg/patient/day) of HCW was estimated to be generated in public clinics, 69% was health care general waste (HCGW) and 31 % was health care risk waste (HCRW). The district's generation rate was 0.04 kg/patient/day and 0.018 kg/patient/day, for HCGW and HCRW, respectively. The study found that HCW was improperly managed in the district. DISCUSSION The findings are different when compared to World Health Organisation norms and this was attributed to improper segregation of waste categories other than sharp waste, which was given special treatment. Factors such as the number of patients, size of the clinic, types of health care services rendered, and socio-economics status of the patient played a pivotal role in the waste volume generated. It is evident that no proper HCW management plan was being implemented in the district public clinics. CONCLUSION The management of health care risk waste is of great concern. There is a need for development of a health care waste management intervention strategy that must be implemented consistently and universally in the district. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that a proper health care waste management intervention strategy be developed and implemented in the whole district. This strategy must incorporate training programmes and a waste management plan. / Thesis (MPH)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

The research objectives were to describe the age and gender of adult HIV positive clients on ART who received IPT; the incidence of tuberculosis among clients that received IPT and the defaulter rate among those that were commenced on IPT. Quantitative non-experimental descriptive retrospective cohort study was undertaken to ascertain the incidence of tuberculosis among adult HIV positive clients who received IPT. 104 clinic records of HIV positive adult clients accessing care at Isithebe Clinic, iLembe-South Africa who were commenced on IPT between 01 July 2010 and 30 November 2011 were analysed. The study found that 66 of 104 (63.5%) study respondents completed the course of IPT and the majority of those that defaulted were due to poor quality of care. Gender was statistically found to have played a role on whether a patient completes IPT. None of the study respondents that completed IPT was diagnosed with TB disease. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

This study focuses on the contribution of induction programmes to the teaching potential of beginner teachers at primary schools in the Ilembe District. Based on convenience in terms of accessibility and purposeful sampling, four primary schools were selected with eight novice teachers (two from each selected school) and four members of the school management team (one from each selected school) acting as participants. Using individual interviewing, beginner teachers and members of school management teams narrated their perceptions on the value of induction programmes for beginner teachers in order to improve beginner teachers’ teaching competency. Findings revealed that none of the sampled schools had a formalised induction programme offered to beginner teachers. Beginner teachers felt overwhelmed and challenged with real classroom situations whereas members of the school management teams acknowledged the need for beginner teachers to be capacitated with hands-on knowledge and skills to teach effectively within the specific classroom context. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Educational management and Leadership)

The aim of the study was to investigate the motivation and job satisfaction of teachers in the Ilembe District of KwaZulu-Natal. To this end, a literature study was undertaken on relevant theories and on the results of previous research on the issue. This was followed by an empirical investigation. The research design was a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. During the quantitative phase, a structured questionnaire was completed by 100 respondents from five secondary schools. The qualitative phase involved a phenomenological study in which 16 teachers from the same schools were interviewed. This research found that the teachers generally exhibited high self-efficacies. Teachers with positive self-efficacies were more satisfied with their physical environments and their school’s cultures than the others. However, teachers of different age groups, post levels and personality types were in agreement that the physical working conditions at rural schools were not conducive to effective teaching and learning. Parental involvement in school matters was restricted due to poverty and illiteracy. These factors served to lower teacher motivation and job satisfaction. In addition, teachers believed that school policies related to remuneration, safety and security, school governance, and assessments and evaluations needed to be revised if teacher motivation and job satisfaction were to be raised. Teachers were unhappy with their workloads and the multiple roles they played at school. With respect to interpersonal relations, their relations with their school principals, School Management Teams and parents were unconstructive. Many learners were also ill-disciplined and underachievers. Some significant differences in perceptions were found. Male teachers were more satisfied with policies, interpersonal relationships and school organisation. African teachers were happier than Indian teachers with policies and the nature of the work. Teachers with 26 and more years of experience were less negative about their physical environments. Qualifications also made a difference: teachers with certificates only were the least satisfied with their physical environments, school organisation and structure. Most importantly, teachers who were given the opportunity to demonstrate their potential to be successful, was significantly more satisfied with work-related issues. The study made recommendations to improve the motivation and job satisfaction of teachers. / Education Leadership and Management / D.Ed.(Education Management)