DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION IN FULLFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION, 2003. / This study contributes to the debate which is still going on about African languages and the need for its recognition in desegregated schools. This study reveals the historical background of the indigenous African languages in South African Education and the international trends on languages in the few countries which have been selected on the literature review of the study. It is clear that vernacular language problem is not in South African desegregated schools only but even other countries internationally. They have the problem of their languages being dominated by other languages for example English. In Great Britain, English has been spread throughout the various islands to the extent that only a very small 'Celtic Fringe' remains to remind people of linguistic diversity that once existed. Today, an attempt is being made to stop decline of the Celtic languages. In France, they are also facing the problem of vernacular languages which are declining but in recent years the state has found it necessary to meliorate its French-only policy and recognize at last the existence of other languages. The study further reveals the importance of language to everybody especially African people who need recognition of their languages in the desegregated schools. The study also highlights the problems that are encountered by African learners who are in desegregated schools. The importance of language has been pointed out in order to highlight the role vernacular language plays to pass information from generation to generation. This is done through mother tongue communication which starts from childhood. It is important then, that our learners should know their vernacular languages so that we can not lose our identity and the value of our language by forgetting our roots which we gain from our vernacular languages. Problems which have been highlighted have proved that the learners will not cope well in these schools if their African languages are not considered, since the learner learns well through understanding the subject matter in his language first, before understanding it through the second language. The stress the African learners in desegregated schools usually experience is mostly the result of the language. Research data have proved that whereas African learners and their parents have appreciated the admission of African learners by the former Model C schools, they still value their own language, which is the mother tongue. They want their mother tongue to be taught by being considered as a language of learning. The analysis has indicated that the African learners would be happy for their mother tongue to be recognised. Since the Ex-Model C schools have mixed racial groups the recommendations given provide suggestion of African languages being taught to all racial groups. Different methods to help the educators in multiracial classrooms have been given including guidelines and principles for multilingualism and approaches to multilingualism. Therefore the results of this investigation might be the positive ones as the recommendations given have a variety of methods which might assist the educators and learners.

Submitted in fuIfilment ofthe requirement for the degree Master of EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2005. / The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of an effective school. School effectiveness means that the school satisfied external criteria such as the demands of the community, parents and learners, and does well against comparable institutions in areas such as examination results. From the literature study it became clear that an effective school is one that can demonstrate quality in its aims, in overseeing of learners, in curriculum design, in standards of teaching and academic achievements and in its link to the local community. The literature supplied a vast amount of evidence to support the common notion that the characteristics of an individual school can make a difference in the learners' overall progress. What all successful schools have in common is effective leadership and a climate conducive to growth. An effective school is characterised by learner performance, educator competence, a culture of mutually reinforcing expectations, trust, staff interaction and participation in the development of instructional goals, curriculum and classroom practice. For the purpose of the empirical investigation a self-structured questionnaire for educators was utilised. The data obtained from the completed questionnaires was processed and analysed by means of descriptive statistics. The findings from the empirical study confirmed that the effective functioning of a school largely depends on the leadership, management expertise and skills, the functioning of the management team, educators' commitment and accountable parental involvement. In conclusion a summary of the study was presented and based on the findings of the literature and empirical study, the following recommendations were made: > Training and guidance, in the form of workshops and/or seminars, should be given to principals on the effective running of schools. > Programmes should be implemented by schools to empower parents in matters concerning their involvement in schools. > Further research ought to be conducted concerning ways to improve the effectiveness of schools.

Submitted in fulfillment for the requirements of the Master of Education in the Department of Didactics in the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 1986. / The researcher felt disturbed by the problem of discipline in Black secondary schools. This is explained in Chapter 1. The researcher,being aware of the fact that the issue of discipline is actually a multidisciplinary study, decided to look at it from a pedagogic-didactic perspective. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of a study like this,the researcher could not look into all the factors and essentials of discipline in a school situation. The factors and essentials of discipline which have been enumerated for purposes of this dissertation are described in Chapter 2. In order to put the problem in a proper perspective, education and discipline had to be discussed with a purpose of showing different opinions on discipline, punishment and corporal punishment. This is done in Chapter 3. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION An empirics! investigation was conducted. A questionnaire designed to reveal some areas of concern on the question of discipline in Black schools in general, and in a didactic situation in particular, was designed and administered to 250 pupils and 133 teachers (principals included). This is explained in Chapter k. In Chapter 5 the results of the investigation are presented, discussed and interpreted. In the same chapter a statistical analysis of data using the chi-square test is presented in order to test the significance of the difference of the responses of urban and rural pupils. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS There is too much use of corporal our.ishment in 3.2 There is a lack cf pupils involvement in school affairs - 3.3. There is a lack of professional and moral conduct by the majority of teachers. 3.4 Whilst discipline is a problem in both rural and urban schools, disciplinary measures in rural schools seems to be too crude as compared to urban schools. 3.5 Teachers, at large, do make classwork interesting. / University of Zululand

Submitted to the Faculty of Education in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Education in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration at the University of Zululand, 2003. / This study is aimed at an analysis of motivation which is viewed as one of the roles of school managers. It also examines the steps that school principals take to accomplish this role. The study has been divided into five chapters; namely: Chapter 1. Orientation Chapter 2. Literature review Chapter 3. Empirical research design Chapter 4. Data analysis and interpretation Chapter 5. Findings and recommendations The subjects of the study were 19 senior secondary school principals around the Nquthu district of Vryheid region in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The study revealed that the motivational strategies that principals employ could be categorized into the following: Environmental factors Interpersonal relations Work Empowerment and assignment of duties Equity Rewards Leadership style of the manager The study also reveals factors that hinder school managers in their endeavor to motivate staff. These factors are as follows: Lack of co-operation between educators and learners Schools that are in deep rural areas that are characterized by lack of resources and poor infrastructures Simultaneous introduction of a number of initiatives in the department of education Instability faced by educators in the teaching profession Lack of rewards and incentives for educators who perform extremely well Scheduling of workshops, courses and in-service training during the tuition period Although the researcher makes certain recommendations in order to overcome the above mentioned demotivating factors, there is still a need for the Department of Education to address these factors and their impact on the motivation of educators, as they are seen to have an adverse effect on their performance.

It is evident from the literature reviewed that there is a need for better understanding and utilization of standardized test results. It seems that unless tests contribute to the learning process they are not justifiable. Merritt says the main objective of all endeavor is to promote learning. Ultimately, the worth of any activity carried on in the schools has to be judged by the contribution this activity makes toward the improvement of learning. Testing is no exception. In a broad sense, desirable learning has taken place when behavior has been changed in socially approved directions. Testing is justified only if it contributes to our efforts to bring about such, changes.

Some students find it difficult to reach graduation in a regular secondary school setting, but may be successful in an alternative setting. Causes of not graduating could include high absenteeism and behavior problems, which may result in dropping out. This study sought student perceptions of an alternative program in a public school district in the state of Mississippi. The participants were 10 students and their parents, 10 teachers, and the administrator. Data included interviews and school documents, and were analyzed using the constant comparative method. This research found that some of the students were enthused upon receiving alternative placement. Students liked the curriculum tailored to their individual needs, more one-on-one time with the teacher, and the opportunity to focus on the changes that they needed to make to improve their educational opportunities. Some parents expressed their disappointment in their child’s placement; however, there were some parents who prefer the alternative school over regular school. The parents who were disappointed thought it to be a place where they put bad kids and where the teachers were not good teachers. The parents who preferred it liked the smaller teacher-student ratio and believed that alternative teachers were more supportive and kind. The teachers expressed the alternative school does not get the same attention as other district schools and is seen as a dumping ground for both teachers and students. Recommendations to the district include: evaluate the criteria for placing students in the alternative school, increase communication between the alternative and the regular school, provide a specialist to help focus on student learning styles, provide a full-time counselor to help students deal with the issues contributing to their lack of success in the regular school, and improve the physical setting for the alternative school. Further research is needed in the district: to determine what could be improved in the alternative academic program; to determine whether the alternative school curriculum is meeting state standards; and to examine the acceptance of students and faculty in the alternative program by district students and personnel.

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