Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Okahandja has been identified as one of the ‘dirtiest towns’ in Namibia. The town’s location makes it an important node serving as a gateway to the leisure and tourism periphery in Namibia. However, environmental problems such as littering and the burning of household waste are threatening the local cultural and nature-based tourism industry and the aesthetic beauty of the town. These forms of pollution pose various health risks to people living in the area, to those who interact with the spaces as well as for grazing animals and the natural environment. The aim of the study was to explore the environmental reasoning of secondary-level schoolchildren of Okahandja and to establish the main determinants of their environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. The research objectives of the study were (1) to study the literature on and understand the concepts and models related to pro-environmental behaviour (PEB), environmental worldview, environmental concern and place attachment; (2) conduct transect walks through the communities to gain a contextual understanding; (3) question secondary-level schoolchildren at JG van der Wath Secondary School about their environmental knowledge and concern that influence their environmental reasoning; (4) investigate the influences (im)mobility (low access to transport) and place attachment to Okahandja have on the schoolchildren’s views and perceptions of the environment; (5) explore how the children view their local environment and how they want their living environment to change; and (6) examine whether children from different ethnic groups reason differently about the environment and whether these distinctions influence their interactions with their surroundings. The study followed a mixed-methods approach. A questionnaire survey among schoolchildren elicited information supplemented by observations made during transect walks, focus group discussions and participatory drawing exercises. Data was captured and analysed using STATISTICA, Excel and ArcGIS. The findings indicate that the children are aware of and relatively well-informed about the significance of a clean and protected environment. They were also well able to identify the importance of Okahandja within the Namibian landscape. Participants, especially female participants are concerned about protecting the natural environment. Greater emphasis was placed on environmental problems that are apparent and aesthetically unpleasing such as littering, than on other environmental issues such as the chopping down of trees and the burning of household waste. Participants only have a moderate sense of attachment to Okahandja so causing them to have a weak sense of responsibility and desire to behave pro-environmentally. Although community cohesion and social ties are strong within the communities, mistrust and miscommunication between residents and local authorities were identified as major stumbling blocks to PEB. Dissatisfaction with structural opportunities was displayed through a lack of concern and cooperation, leading to high levels of environmental degradation in and around Okahandja. The children seem to possess a ‘balanced’ environmental worldview as they believe that the natural environment should be protected yet used to sustain human life. The importance of positive role models such as parents and teachers was highlighted. It is recommended that environmental education (EE) and awareness should be implemented on three levels, namely parental, school and community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:Okahandja staan bekend as een van die ‘vuilste dorpe’ in Namibië. Die ligging van die dorp maak dit ’n belangrike nodus wat dien as ’n poort na die ontspannings- en toerisme-periferie in Namibië. Maar omgewingskwessies soos rommelstrooiing en die verbranding van huishoudelike afval bedreig die plaaslike toerismebedryf en estetiese skoonheid van die dorp wat gegrondves is op sy kultuur en die natuur. Hierdie vorme van besoedeling hou gesondheidsrisiko’s in vir bewoners in die gebied, vir diegene wat beweeg in die ruimte, vir diere wat wei en die natuurlike omgewing. Die doel van die studie was om sekondêre skoolleerlinge van Okahandja se redenering oor die omgewing te ondersoek en die bepalende faktore van hul kennis van die omgewing en hul houding en gedrag teenoor die omgewing vas te stel. Die navorsingsdoelwitte van die studie was (1) om die literatuur oor pro-omgewingsgedrag (POG), die wêreldbeskouing oor die omgewing, besorgdheid oor die omgewing en verbondenheid aan ’n plek te bestudeer en die konsepte en modelle verwant daaraan te verstaan; (2) om deur die gemeenskappe te stap (of te deurkruis) om ’n kontekstuele begrip te verkry; (3) om sekondêre skoolleerlinge van JG van der Wath Sekondêre Skool te ondervra oor hul kennis en besorgtheid vir die omgewing en vas te stel hoe dit hul redenering oor die omgewing beïnvloed; (4) om die invloed wat (im)mobiliteit (beperkte toegang tot vervoer) en plekgehegtheid aan Okahandja het op die skoolleerlinge se omgewingsienings en –persepsies te ondersoek; (5) te ontdek hoe die kinders hul plaaslike omgewing sien en hoe hulle wil hê die omgewing waarin hul leef, moet verander; en (6) om vas te stel of kinders van verskillende etniese groepe verskillend redeneer oor die omgewing en of hierdie onderskeid hul interaksie met hul omgewing beïnvloed. Die studie maak van verskillende metodes gebruik. ’n Vraelys-opname het sekere inligting aan die lig gebring, dit is aangevul deur waarnemings tydens staptogte wat die studiegebied deurkruis het, fokusgroepbesprekings en deelnemende tekenoefeninge. Inligting is opgeteken en geanaliseer deur middel van STATISTICA, Excel en ArcGIS. Die bevindings toon dat die kinders bewus en relatief goed ingelig is oor die belangrikheid van ’n skoon en beskermde omgewing. Hulle was goed in staat om die belangrikheid van Okahandja binne die Namibiese landskap te identifiseer. Deelnemers, veral vroulike deelnemers, is besorg oor die beskerming van die natuurlike omgewing. Respondente het groter klem geplaas op omgewingsprobleme wat duidelik en esteties onaangenaam is soos rommelstrooiing, eerder as ander omgewingskwessies soos die afkap van bome en die verbranding van huishoudelike afval. Deelnemers het slegs ’n redelike sin van gehegtheid aan Okahandja wat veroorsaak dat hulle ’n swak sin van verantwoordelikheid en begeerte om pro-omgewing op te tree, het. Alhoewel gemeenskapsamehorigheid en sosiale bande sterk is binne die gemeenskappe, is wantroue en gebrekkige kommunikasie tussen inwoners en plaaslike owerhede geïdentifiseer as die hoofstruikelblokke van POG. Ontevredenheid met strukturele geleenthede is geopenbaar deur ’n gebrek aan besorgdheid en samewerking wat lei tot hoë vlakke van omgewingsdegradasie in en rondom Okahandja. Dit lyk of die kinders ’n ‘gebalanseerde’ wêreldbeskouing van die omgewing het, want hulle glo dat die natuurlike omgewing beskerm moet word, maar tog gebruik moet word om menselewens te onderhou. Die belangrikheid van positiewe rolmodelle soos ouers en onderwysers het uitgestaan. Daar word aanbeveel dat omgewingsopvoeding en –bewustheid op drie vlakke, naamlik ouer-, skool- en gemeenskapsvlak geïmplementeer moet word.

The study aimed to investigate the educationally-related challenges faced by teenage mothers in coming back to school in two senior schools in the Kavango Education Region. This small-scale study focused on the challenges that influence or affect the academic progress and development of these learners. The study looked at how teenage pregnancy is perceived as a social problem in many countries as well as in Namibia and examined its impact on the educational aspirations of the young mothers. Namibia has a policy in place to cater for the continued education of learners returning to school after the birth of their babies. This policy was analysed and its implementation in the selected schools formed part of the study, The findings revealed that the educational challenges faced by these young women range from social exclusion to the need to manage the dual responsibilities of motherhood and study. The way in which the learners who participated in this study are viewed by their peers and their teachers was found to be influenced by the cultural connotations ascribed to women as soon as they become mothers, a factor that adds to the challenges these learners face when returning to schools. Cultural connotations which perceived a mother as an adult in the society was attached to the change of the behaviours and attitudes of school young mothers. The findings also showed that while these learners tended to be withdrawn in class and were generally unable to participate in extra-mural activities, they none the less were able to compete with their peers in terms of their academic performance. The study revealed that there is no shared understanding of the policy among the participants and that it is not effectively implemented in the schools, nor is it uniformly applied.

One of the goals for Namibia’s Vision 2030, through ETSIP (2005‐2015), is to establish a preprimary year in primary schools for all children aged 5‐6 to be developed first in schools serving the poorest population and OVCs. ECD is widely recognised as having a significant impact on the subsequent learning of children. The high failure and dropout rate in grade 1 made this process an important one. In 2008 the integration of ECD became a reality in five schools in the Khomas region of Namibia. At present there are 29 pilot schools in the Khomas region 29 schools, and 504 in the whole of Namibia. According to the MoE all primary schools should have a preprimary class as ECD has been recognized as a key contributor to positive outcomes in schools. This study sought to investigate various stakeholders’ experiences and views of the integration of pre‐primary into mainstream pre‐primary schooling. The goal was to investigate the management and leadership implications of this integration. The study is an interpretive case study of three pilot primary schools. The research design made provision for data collection through semi‐structured interviews, focus groups and document analysis. The main finding was that, despite numerous challenges, principals are positive about the integration of pre‐primary. There is a sense of appreciation of the importance of pre‐primary. Principals adopt participative and collegial management approaches in leading their schools towards becoming learning organisations. The study also uncovered several significant challenges, such as the need for more training and the provision of infrastructure to make the process more effective.

The Namibian Ministry of Education introduced the School Clustering System (SCS) in 1996. The system entails the grouping of schools into clusters to facilitate the sharing of resources and expertise. One school in a group is selected to serve as the Cluster Centre and the principal of the centre is identified as the Cluster Centre Principal (CCP). This has created a new level of educational leadership which is still relatively under-researched and the primary purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of this new role since it is perceived to be pivotal to the effective functioning of the cluster. This study is an interpretive case study of Cluster Centres in the Komesho Circuit in the Ohangwena Educational Region. Three data collection instruments were used, namely document analysis, observation and interviews. The collected data provided insight into participants' views on the role of Cluster Centre Principals (CCPs), which shed light on the challenges faCing the roles of CCPs. The findings revealed that respondents welcomed the decentralisation of an education system that involves cluster members and parents in decision making. Furthermore, the perceived role of CCPs is perceived as delegation through participative leadership and management approaches. This involves groups in teamwork to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. The study has, however, also exposed tensions surrounding the role and function of CCPs. This is partly because the role has not been formalised and is perceived as existing in a legal vacuum. This study will benefit the Cluster Centre Principals, Inspectors of Education, Advisory Teachers, non-governmental Organisations, the community and the Ministry of Education by placing the role of Cluster Centre Principals in perspective.

This study examines the perceptions and experiences of school stakeholders about the practices of participative management in a Namibian Secondary School. Data was collected by using interviews, observation and document analysis. The study revealed that participative management has some benefits for the school such as it promotes democracy in school management, school as an open system, sharing of ideas and skills, teamwork and that ownership and commitment enhance the chances for organization change. Participatory decision making and shared leadership are the practices of PM that emerged from this study. However the school does experience challenges such as lack of knowledge on the practice and potential of PM in school management and leadership, illiteracy among parents that prevent them from participation in management and autocratic management practices from some members in formal leadership. The study suggests that trust, relationships and openness are good interpersonal skills that can help enhance the practices of PM in the school. Other strategies were to sensitize stakeholders on the practices of PM.

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into observed discrepancies between continuous assessment and final examination average marks in Grade 10 Mathematics in the Oshikoto region of Namibia. The study is framed as a case study and is grounded within the interpretive paradigm. A mixed methods approach was applied, eliciting both quantitative as well as qualitative data. The study took place in two phases. In Phase 1, continuous assessment and Grade 10 final examination average marks for 62 Junior Secondary Schools for the period 2008-2010 were gathered and analyzed. Schools were characterized in terms of the relationship between their continuous assessment and final examination average marks for each of the three years. Phase 2, which was informed by Phase 1, took the form of structured interviews with a sample of three Mathematics teachers and three principals along with a focus-group interview of twelve teachers in order to investigate more deeply the perceptions of teachers and principals toward assessment policy and practice. The study shows that Grade 10 assessment practice in Namibian schools is far from ideal. Many teachers are not fully conversant with the various continuous assessment components as outlined by policy, and teachers are not confident about setting appropriate continuous assessment tasks. There is a strong perception that continuous assessment marks can easily be inflated and those teachers who gave high continuous assessment marks to their learners were generally perceived as being either incompetent or dishonest. While continuous assessment was seen as an important component of teaching and learning, it is evident that teachers and principals would welcome greater clarity, along with standardization and moderation, with respect to continuous assessment practice.

The thesis focuses upon the final reintegration of Walvis Bay and its twelve Penguin/Off-Shore Islands into Namibia. As Namibia's only deep water port, it escaped reintegration in 1989 when the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 435 (1978) was implemented. Hence the study argues that the exclusion of Walvis Bay from the Settlement Plan falls outside the parameters of various UNSC and UN General Assembly Resolutions, viz 385 and 432 of 1976 respectively. Such an arrangement has to be looked at as Pretoria's non-compliance with the above resolutions. South Africa got away with such an arrangement with the blessing of the Western Contact Group of Nations, i.e the United States; Britain; (former West) Germany; France and Canada. The argument advances further to capture the sudden emergence of Walvis Bay as a dispute between the National Party regime and the African National Congress (ANC) in particular. The dispute came about when the National Party submitted a controversial constitutional proposal during South Africa's transition to democracy at Kempton Park. They were proposing Walvis Bay to constitute part of the new Western Cape province in the postapartheid South Africa. Namibia's diplomacy paid off when the return of Walvis Bay was agreed upon as it became entangled in the constitutional talks for South Africa's transition to democracy at Kempton Park in 1993-1994.

M.A. (History) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / The study on the quality of nursing unit management was done in the four training hospitals approved for registered nurses' training in Namibia. There are no written standards on the quality of unit management in the hospitals. The objectives of the study were to formulate standards on quality nursing unit management and to evaluate compliance of clinical units with these standards A quantitative, contextual, descriptive and evaluative research design was followed. The study was done in two phases. In phase one, standards were formulated by means of a literature study by the researcher and validated through consensus discussion groups with nurse managers representing the different management levels and clinical disciplines. Purposive sampling was used and 25 participants rated the draft standards for relevance, representativeness, completeness and clarity. A rating instrument for this purpose was attached to the draft standards in the form of a questionnaire, and posted to participants, before the consensus discussion groups. Reliability and validity of the instrument and related items were ensured through the development of a conceptual framework and the consensus discussion groups. The pilot study indicated that a rating scale of 'Compliance', Partial Compliance, 'Non-Compliance' and 'Not Applicable' are more appropriated. Phase two represents the quality survey for the compliance with standards. The sample for the quality survey included 60 units from all four hospitals, representative of all clinical disciplines. Data was collected by means of interviews, observation and document analysis, using an evaluation instrument. Two surveyors, the researcher and a colleague, both lecturers from the Department of Nursing, University of Namibia, were involved in the data collection process. Double evaluations were done in 19 clinical units, representing 31,7% of the total clinical units (n=60), and the researcher alone evaluated 41 units, representing 68,3%. A high inter-rater reliability between the ratings of the surveyors was proven. The ethical principles of informed consent and anonymity have been adhered to throughout the study. Data was analysed through statistical analysis and are presented as descriptive statistics and comparative statistics. The findings revealed that, although unit nurse managers emphasise unit organisation, the quality of nursing unit management in the training hospitals in Namibia is poor. The findings also revealed that a need exists to empower nurse managers through in-service education on strategic planning as well as quality management in general. The recommendations from this study are to make written standards available, to empower nurse managers in quality management, to validate standards for quality nursing unit management nationally in the Namibian hospitals and for further research.

M.A. (Communication). / Please refer to full text to view abstract