Research on the causes of truancy from mainstream education suggest that a range of factors such as poverty, ethnicity, the quality of relationship between students and teachers, and the nature of the classroom environment impact on students’ attendance in schools. The majority of the studies on truancy have been carried out with students in alternative education in the U.S.A and Australia. In New Zealand, research has focused on the truancy of Maori students. This study investigates the causes of truancy for Pasifika students in alternative education in New Zealand. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected using questionnaires and three focus group interviews. The findings from this study suggest that a number of factors affected students’ motivation to study. The behaviour of teachers and the school environment were found to affect the Pasifika students’ approach to learning. Some students had negative views of their own ability and lacked perseverance. Other students believed that a lack of parental or family support impacted negatively on their attendance. Consistent with the findings in other studies on truancy, this study found that a range of influences such as a lack of support from community leaders, students’ perceptions of their performance, the nature of the classroom environment, family structure, lifestyle factors and cultural and church activities contributed to Pasifika students’ truanting behaviour. This study suggests that schools that employ teachers who understand and empathize with the cultural aspects of Pasifika students and who can empathize with their situation will be most effective in preventing truancy among these students. Similarly, schools have dedicated programmes that accommodate the academic requirements of Pasifika students foster a more positive learning environment. Finally, schools should look to put in place initiatives to enable Pasifika parents to become effective partners in their children’s education.

Research on the causes of truancy from mainstream education suggest that a range of factors such as poverty, ethnicity, the quality of relationship between students and teachers, and the nature of the classroom environment impact on students’ attendance in schools. The majority of the studies on truancy have been carried out with students in alternative education in the U.S.A and Australia. In New Zealand, research has focused on the truancy of Maori students. This study investigates the causes of truancy for Pasifika students in alternative education in New Zealand. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected using questionnaires and three focus group interviews. The findings from this study suggest that a number of factors affected students’ motivation to study. The behaviour of teachers and the school environment were found to affect the Pasifika students’ approach to learning. Some students had negative views of their own ability and lacked perseverance. Other students believed that a lack of parental or family support impacted negatively on their attendance. Consistent with the findings in other studies on truancy, this study found that a range of influences such as a lack of support from community leaders, students’ perceptions of their performance, the nature of the classroom environment, family structure, lifestyle factors and cultural and church activities contributed to Pasifika students’ truanting behaviour. This study suggests that schools that employ teachers who understand and empathize with the cultural aspects of Pasifika students and who can empathize with their situation will be most effective in preventing truancy among these students. Similarly, schools have dedicated programmes that accommodate the academic requirements of Pasifika students foster a more positive learning environment. Finally, schools should look to put in place initiatives to enable Pasifika parents to become effective partners in their children’s education.

Research on the causes of truancy from mainstream education suggest that a range of factors such as poverty, ethnicity, the quality of relationship between students and teachers, and the nature of the classroom environment impact on students’ attendance in schools. The majority of the studies on truancy have been carried out with students in alternative education in the U.S.A and Australia. In New Zealand, research has focused on the truancy of Maori students. This study investigates the causes of truancy for Pasifika students in alternative education in New Zealand. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected using questionnaires and three focus group interviews. The findings from this study suggest that a number of factors affected students’ motivation to study. The behaviour of teachers and the school environment were found to affect the Pasifika students’ approach to learning. Some students had negative views of their own ability and lacked perseverance. Other students believed that a lack of parental or family support impacted negatively on their attendance. Consistent with the findings in other studies on truancy, this study found that a range of influences such as a lack of support from community leaders, students’ perceptions of their performance, the nature of the classroom environment, family structure, lifestyle factors and cultural and church activities contributed to Pasifika students’ truanting behaviour. This study suggests that schools that employ teachers who understand and empathize with the cultural aspects of Pasifika students and who can empathize with their situation will be most effective in preventing truancy among these students. Similarly, schools have dedicated programmes that accommodate the academic requirements of Pasifika students foster a more positive learning environment. Finally, schools should look to put in place initiatives to enable Pasifika parents to become effective partners in their children’s education.

BACKGROUND Good mental health makes integration and participation easier. Many refugees have a great deal of resilience and it is important to maintain it and where possible to strengthen it. How much psychological complaints and disorders occur is partly dependent on having (prospect of) work, education or other forms of participation in society, experiencing social support, and having a social network (with family and /or close friends). AIM The aim of this literature review is to explore evidence-based intervention methods that can support refugee children to integrate into the school environment of the resettlement country.  METHOD In this systematic literature review, information was collected on a database for empirical studies and analyzed so as to discover efficient interventions for refugee children who just arrived in a Nordic country to help them integrate in mainstream schools. RESULTS For children, cohesion and support within the family are of great concern. In addition, prevention, recognition and receiving good care are crucial. The review discusses educational progress and social inclusion and how these can be improved for refugee children at a mainstream school. CONCLUSION The school takes on a very important role in the life of the refugee child. It is a strong protective factor and therefore life changing for the child and his/her family. This systematic literature review shows what kind of information is already produced and collected by researchers around the world. It can give an insight into the life of a refugee child and how they experience inclusion.

The purpose of the study was to find out how special needs children are being included in theeducational settings in Cameroon and the challenges they face and to understand the perspectivesof both Social workers and teachers on an inclusive educational system.The theory used in this study was the ecological system theory. The theory explains how specialneeds children are being included in mainstream schools. This study used a qualitative descriptivedesign to describe teachers' and social workers’ perceptions and their role within inclusiveeducation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three teachers and three social workersvia Zoom (an online meeting platform). The results were analyzed using themes.The findings from this study indicated that teachers and social workers feel they have differentroles and responsibilities in the education of children with special needs. The study also revealedthat challenges with finance, lack of manpower, and government complacency in budgeting andimplementing policies were part of the impediments to inclusive education in Cameroon.From the research findings, there is a huge deficit in inclusive education in Cameroon; there is stillsystematic seclusion of physically challenged children from obtaining quality education due toenvironmental, financial, structural, and political deficiencies, concerted effort must be put in placeto ensure education for all is achieved.

The main aim of this study was to attempt to establish by the use of an environmental specific Personal Growth Programme, whether it is possible to assist students towards a more ‘holistic’ personal formation. It also aimed to investigate whether a move away from traditional education in the form of alternative or parallel programmes, would assist in bringing about an integrated individual, who is more capable of dealing with life as a whole (Krishnamurti 1953). The research was undertaken with adult students between the ages of 21 and 60, at the multi-cultural and extremely diverse residential theological College of the Transfiguration, in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province. An overview of Holistic and Mainstream education was explored in this study, which included also the challenges and influences which each type of education faces. The study then went on to investigate whether it is possible to bridge the gap that exists between holistic and mainstream education using various methods of alternative education. In the qualitative study, the Personal Growth Programme Annual Review Questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from the students to assess the usefulness of the Personal Growth Programme in their journey towards wholeness. This, together with the student’s responses from the in-depth interviews were used to ascertain the study’s limitations, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.

This research investigates the education of entrepreneurship to learners with learning difficulties. It is important to keep in mind the rights and possibilities of a learner with learning difficulties. Two entrepreneurship programmes were presented to two different groups of learners at Oom Paul School. Learners with learning disabilities can be categorised as poor performers, learners with behavioural and emotional problems, development problems (for example a language deficit), as well as learners with permanent disabilities- physically, intellectual and sensorial. An important part of this research will focus on the discussion on the causes of learning difficulties and problems of learners. One of the most important aims in education, especially in teaching learners with learning difficulties, is to guide learners to become a part of adulthood and the business world as a responsible and active member of society. Unfortunately, there are many learners who- after a successful school career seems to get "lost" along the way, because of society's discrimination. Several entrepreneurial programmes have been developed and have been implemented with great success at various schools, with reference in particular to the programmes "Business Ventures" and "Entrepreneurskap: jou eie besigheid". Above mentioned programmes are developed for main stream education and are not necessarily suitable for learners with learning difficulties. According to literary studies on education on entrepreneurship, this study field is relatively new in RSA and that no research regarding entrepreneurship education for learners with learning difficulties has been done. This research has pointed out that the teaching and education of entrepreneurship to learners with learning difficulties can be successful with a few adjustments. The new outcomes-based curriculum for general education and training for further education is Curriculum 2005. This curriculum is learner centred and is beneficiary for the learner with disabilities and difficulties. The principles of outcomes-based curriculum (Curriculum 2005) contribute to the accommodation of all learners in their diversity and needs. The society is looking forward to the implementation of this new curriculum, due to the fact that discrimination against learners with learning disabilities/difficulties will no longer be part of our education. Awareness of entrepreneurship and teaching of entrepreneurship is part of the eight learning areas and also one of the critical outcomes of Curriculum 2005. Entrepreneurial awareness can offer a meaningful contribution to solve an essential problem in the RSA. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

This research investigates the education of entrepreneurship to learners with learning difficulties. It is important to keep in mind the rights and possibilities of a learner with learning difficulties. Two entrepreneurship programmes were presented to two different groups of learners at Oom Paul School. Learners with learning disabilities can be categorised as poor performers, learners with behavioural and emotional problems, development problems (for example a language deficit), as well as learners with permanent disabilities- physically, intellectual and sensorial. An important part of this research will focus on the discussion on the causes of learning difficulties and problems of learners. One of the most important aims in education, especially in teaching learners with learning difficulties, is to guide learners to become a part of adulthood and the business world as a responsible and active member of society. Unfortunately, there are many learners who- after a successful school career seems to get "lost" along the way, because of society's discrimination. Several entrepreneurial programmes have been developed and have been implemented with great success at various schools, with reference in particular to the programmes "Business Ventures" and "Entrepreneurskap: jou eie besigheid". Above mentioned programmes are developed for main stream education and are not necessarily suitable for learners with learning difficulties. According to literary studies on education on entrepreneurship, this study field is relatively new in RSA and that no research regarding entrepreneurship education for learners with learning difficulties has been done. This research has pointed out that the teaching and education of entrepreneurship to learners with learning difficulties can be successful with a few adjustments. The new outcomes-based curriculum for general education and training for further education is Curriculum 2005. This curriculum is learner centred and is beneficiary for the learner with disabilities and difficulties. The principles of outcomes-based curriculum (Curriculum 2005) contribute to the accommodation of all learners in their diversity and needs. The society is looking forward to the implementation of this new curriculum, due to the fact that discrimination against learners with learning disabilities/difficulties will no longer be part of our education. Awareness of entrepreneurship and teaching of entrepreneurship is part of the eight learning areas and also one of the critical outcomes of Curriculum 2005. Entrepreneurial awareness can offer a meaningful contribution to solve an essential problem in the RSA. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

The main aim of this study was to attempt to establish by the use of an environmental specific Personal Growth Programme, whether it is possible to assist students towards a more ‘holistic’ personal formation. It also aimed to investigate whether a move away from traditional education in the form of alternative or parallel programmes, would assist in bringing about an integrated individual, who is more capable of dealing with life as a whole (Krishnamurti 1953). The research was undertaken with adult students between the ages of 21 and 60, at the multi-cultural and extremely diverse residential theological College of the Transfiguration, in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province. An overview of Holistic and Mainstream education was explored in this study, which included also the challenges and influences which each type of education faces. The study then went on to investigate whether it is possible to bridge the gap that exists between holistic and mainstream education using various methods of alternative education. In the qualitative study, the Personal Growth Programme Annual Review Questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from the students to assess the usefulness of the Personal Growth Programme in their journey towards wholeness. This, together with the student’s responses from the in-depth interviews were used to ascertain the study’s limitations, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.

The advent of democrary in South Africa in the early 1990's led, due to choice or circumstances, to the influx of numerous learners whose home language is an indigenous language, into school environments where the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) is English. These learners are confronted with the challenge of mastering the curriculum content while simultaneously learning English in which it is couched and instructed. When the LoLT differs from learners’ home language, this difference can be an educational barrier, which if not addressed timeously and effectively, may become a major challenge to a fully inclusive education system. The main aim of this research was to investigate whether Grade 4 English second language learners who experienced barriers to English as LoLT were supported in all subjects. The research also probed how effectively these learning support strategies were being implemented under the guidance of SBSTs at mainstream schools. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)