This study was undertaken to explore curriculum change from the General Certificate in Education (GCE) Ordinary Level (O-Level) to the International General Certificate in Secondary Education (lGCSE) with regard to English language teaching in four high schools in the Manzini region of Swaziland. The study investigated teachers' perceptions of the curriculum change and how they implemented it. The impact of the training teachers received in preparation for the introduction of the IGCSE English curriculum was also explored. An interpretive research paradigm using qualitative methodology was chosen for the study and was driven by the following critical research questions: 1. How do teachers experience curriculum change from GCE O-Level to IGCSE with regard to English language teaching? 2. How was this change implemented in the Form 4 English language classrooms? Qualitative methods comprising semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations were used for collecting data. Data from interviews with teachers were analysed thematically through the use of the constant comparison method, while classroom observations data were qualitatively analysed by using themes that emerged from the observation schedule designed for the study. The data from classroom observations were triangulated with data from interviews with teachers to ensure validity of the study. The study used the body of literature that relates to second language acquisition (SLA) and learning, with specific reference to social constructivism, bilingualism, communicative language teaching and task-based language teaching approaches, literacy and the genre approach as the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework facilitated an understanding that knowledge or meaningful learning is constructed by the learners as they interact using the target language. The results revealed that the teachers used a constructivist approach towards teaching which comprised the communicative language teaching and task-based language teaching and learning approaches. The IGCSE curriculum emphasizes the use of these approaches. The findings also indicated that teachers were inadequately prepared for teaching the IGCSE English curriculum as some of the workshop facilitators were less informed than some of the participants; and that they were only given guidance for conducting assessment in the oral skill without training them how to teach it. Also, the language aspects such as grammar, writing and reading were left out when the curriculum was reviewed, as a result teachers reverted to using the structural approach when teaching grammar, as opposed to the constructivist approach. Findings showed that as much as the IGCSE English curriculum was said to be good, the reading skill was inefficiently taught. IGCSE does not give learners quality education since the tasks learners did were cognitively unchallenging. In view of the theoretical framework of the study, the IGCSE English curriculum produces skills-based, vocationally inclined learners who are not geared towards pursuing academic university education. Listening comprehension was found to be the most problematic language aspect since the learners could not understand the English native speakers' accent when they listened to passages from tapes and CD's during examinations. Using the genre approach to essay writing findings showed that teaching essay writing was not well grounded. The study recommended that the curriculum be reviewed and teachers be taught more effective approaches to teaching essay writing as well as reading comprehension. It was also recommended that the Ministry of Education should assist teachers with additional resources and multimedia for teaching listening skills including CDs and listening to talk shows and in teaching essay writing. The study further recommended that localisation of the curriculum to SIGCSE should be postponed until a suitable curriculum is identified and that further research be conducted which would include a larger study that would be a true representation of all high schools in the four regions of the country.

Indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) have made positive contributions in agriculture / health care / medicine / food preparation and preservation / land use / education and a host of other activities in rural communities as well as in urban ones (Warren, 1991:26). Yet hardly a day goes by when an elderly man or woman does not die with all the wealth of knowledge, which is then buried beyond recovery. Therefore, there is a need for institutions, which are in the business of information like libraries and/or information centers to manage (collect, document, organize, store, disseminate) the indigenous knowledge for potential contribution in present and future endeavours. Ngulube (2002: 96) rightly points out that the loss of IK will &ldquo / impoverish society&rdquo / .<br /> <br /> The main aim of the study was to explore the issue if indigenous knowledge within the library and information sector, specifically within the Swaziland National Library Service / investigate if IK is managed / determine how it can best be managed in order to contribute positively to the community / and identify ways to best manage it. This study adopted the qualitative research methodology using the triangulation method, which allows the use of different data collection techniques.<br /> <br /> The study found that Swaziland National Library Service (SNLS) manages IK, but at a very low level. Lack of funds is one major issue that has been voiced as the biggest hindrance to Indigenous Knowledge Management and that Library and information professionals are not adequately trained to manage IK. The study also discovered that Library and information services in Swaziland are still very much book-based and very much westernized, such that only a select elite is catered for by the current services. Intellectual property rights are not dealt with, with respect to IK.<br /> <br /> From the findings, this study recommends that Library and information professionals include indigenous knowledge in the existing collection development policies or must design collection development policies that include IK.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wyoming, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on May 20, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-108).

This report presents the findings of a research project whereby the initiatives and opportunities for municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling were investigated in the town of Simunye, in Swaziland with a view to establish how recycling, in particular household waste recycling, can be improved through stakeholder involvement and community participation during the planning and implementation of a sustainable system for household waste recycling in Simunye. The reason for focusing on household waste was because source separation of household waste was identified as a potential area for improving efficiencies and cutting costs by the local authority. It was deemed necessary to conduct research because there was a history of failure in respect of household recycling. In 2006 an initiative, by the local authority, for separating household waste at source had ended up in failure. The participation rates of the households turned out to be very low even though they had been issued, free of charge, some plastic bags for sorting the waste. Some of the households were found using the bags for other purposes rather than recycling. As a result, the initiative had to be suspended (White, 2010). There is a new move to revive the project in order to cut costs and minimize wastages. This time around the local authority is determined for the new project to be a success story. Since the underlying causes for the failure of the previous initiative were never investigated formally (Khumalo, 2010), the starting point would be to identify and try to eliminate all the potential barriers to recycling through a consultative process to start with.

In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Finance & Investment Management. / This study examines the relationship between electricity infrastructure finance and the economic growth of Swaziland in an attempt to determine the extent to which electricity infrastructure contributes to economic growth. The study also examines what factors determine the level electricity infrastructure finance in Swaziland, and the extent of the influence of these factors. This study hopes to add to the body of literature focused on scrutinising the infrastructure investment challenges in the low-income countries of the African region, and the discovery of innovative financing mechanisms that will bring the region to a favourable position where it can supply reliable energy that promotes the prosperity of its people. Using annual data, trend analysis and OLS regression techniques are applied to determine the extent of the relationship between electricity infrastructure investment and economic growth, as well as the economic and regulatory factors expected to influence the level of infrastructure investment, as suggested by literature. The level of electricity infrastructure investment is found to be positively correlated with economic growth and the macroeconomic stability of Swaziland. However, little to no correlation is found between the level of electricity infrastructure investment, and government revenue, stock market capitalization, and credit extended to the government and parastatals. Regulatory quality is found to be negatively correlated to electricity infrastructure investment. / GR2018

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This paper is focused on corporate restructuring, particularly organisational restructuring, with emphasis on Swaziland Post & Telecommunications Corporation, during the period from 2001 to 2006. Its main concern is the implication of such restructuring especially on the employees and how this change impacted on the set goals of the corporation. It is clearly stated that this restructuring was viewed differently by all employees concerned and interviewed, as issues of discontent and mistrust on the previous leadership were sighted. There was a clear indication therefore that, issues of lack of communication from previous management, to all employees played a major role in encouraging low staff morale. There was also significant evidence that much of the restructuring took place mainly to increase the corporate financial performance. However this perpetuated a more disgruntled workforce, which was strained, stressed and in constant limbo of whether the company would continue as a going concern. Issues of job security also were a resultant of the disgruntled and stressed workforce. The researcher then discussed what happened at Swaziland Post & Telecommunication, with reference to past research studies of similar or related nature. Leadership and change management are thoroughly discussed, in order to give light to what the role of leadership and change management strategies play when an organisation undergoes restructuring.

The aim of the study was to investigate why it was deemed necessary to train and localise the public and private sectors by the Swaziland government. The efforts began shortly before Swaziland attained independence in 1968. Many of the initiative to localisation started in pre-colonial Swaziland in 1966 leading to independence. The study also examined the drawbacks to training and localisation and how these were overcome. Swaziland inherited and was strongly dependent upon a strongly entrenched cadre of top-level public service and private administrators who were expatriates. The study also examined how far localisation has gone to date.

M.Sc. (Geology) / This study represents the first detailed field, geochemical and geochronological study of Archaean rock units that crop out along the Ncotshane River in the southern part of Swaziland. These rock units were mapped as Mahamba Gneiss in the geological map of Swaziland (Wilson, 1982). However, field examination indicated that the area consists of a heterogeneous assemblage of serpentinite, amphibolite, gabbroic gneiss, quartzite, meta-ironstone, augen gneiss, granitic gneiss and diorite, all of which are intimately associated with weakly foliated granite and dolerite. Serpentinite is regarded to represent the metamorphosed equivalent of komatiite found in the Dwalile Supracrustal Suite, a correlate of the Onverwacht Group, on the basis of similar geochemical characteristics. The silicified part of the serpentinite may compare with silicified komatiite that are widely observed in the Onverwacht Group. It is equally possible however that the ultramafic rocks originated as intrusions that are widespread in the SE Kaapvaal craton and which include both Palaeoarchaean and Mesoarchaean layered complexes. No contacts with neighbouring rocks were observed, thus not allowing unequivocal differentiation between the different possibilities. Amphibolites represent metamorphosed equivalents of the Mozaan Group basalts based on their association with Mozaan quartzite. Gabbroic gneiss, which occurs in association with amphibolite, likely represents an intrusive equivalent of amphibolite.....

Background: Maternal employment has been highlighted in numerous studies as an important determinant of childhood mortality but in contexts which do not have regional significance to Swaziland. Studies such as those conducted in India (Sivakami, 1997) and China (Short et al. 2002) considered maternal employment as an important predictor of childhood mortality. Childhood mortality is still high in Swaziland and with increasing poverty and disease the under-five mortality rate continues to increase. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between maternal employment and childhood mortality in Swaziland. Methodology: the Swaziland Demographic and Household Survey (SDHS) conducted in 2006/7 interviewed 4,987 women. Due to the nature of this study, only women who had given birth to at least one child five years preceding the SDHS 2006/7 interviews were included. The sample size used for the study was of 2,136 mothers. Main conclusions of the study were drawn based on the use of a binary logistic regression model in the multivariate section. With the use of a conceptual framework adapted from the classic theoretical model developed by Mosley and Chen (1984) key variables were identified as determinants of childhood mortality. Use of the STATA 11 software was employed to obtain the results. Results: results showed 58.88 percent unemployment rate amongst mothers in Swaziland. The main results showed mother’s employment as having an adverse impact on childhood mortality. Bivariate results showed that mothers who were employed experienced higher childhood mortality and the adjusted regression model showed mothers who work have a 38 percent increased likelihood of childhood mortality compared to mothers who do not work. Maternal education also showed its importance as a predictor of childhood mortality; the higher the level of maternal education the less chances mothers have of experiencing childhood mortality. Maternal age also demonstrated significance as mothers ages increase so too do the chances of childhood deaths. Other significant factors include number of household members, the number of children born as well as breastfeeding duration. Conclusion: The results confirmed the alternative hypothesis to be true which states that mothers who work experience significantly higher childhood mortality in Swaziland. The study also highlighted that in contemporary society, child rearing and maternal employment are incompatible and need to re-evaluate policy concerning this matter is essential to better childhood survival.

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2017 / Developments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised banking, in that consumers can make use of mobile devices to conduct daily banking, independent of a traditional bank branch. The adoption of mobile banking has continued to be low in South Africa, at 24%, while the mobile phone market has experienced a significant increase in market penetration to 96%. However, very few studies have investigated the impact of mobile banking among bottom of the pyramid consumers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of financial literacy, social pressure and perceived credibility on the adoption of mobile banking among the bottom of the pyramid consumers in South Africa. An empirical study on bottom of the pyramid consumers in Johannesburg, South Africa with a sample of 235 questionnaires was conducted. The measurement items were assessed through three hypotheses using Structural Equation Modelling with IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 23. The results confirm that all three hypotheses are significant and supported by indicating that financial literacy, social pressure and perceived credibility have an impact on mobile banking among bottom of the pyramid consumers. The findings revealed that social pressure and mobile banking was the weakest significant relationship, while perceived credibility had the strongest significant relationship on mobile banking. This study adds to the theoretical knowledge of financial literacy, social pressure and credibility as the factors that impact on mobile banking among bottom of the pyramid consumers. The managerial implications of the study indicate that in order for managers to increase mobile banking adoption, they need to create strategies that will drive education around mobile banking, use other people as advocates and place emphasis on communicating the safety and privacy of the services. Recommendations, limitations and future research on mobile banking are discussed. Keywords: Mobile Banking, Financial Literacy, Perceived Credibility, Social Pressure, Bottom of the Pyramid / GR2018