School rugby is one of the most popular sports within numerous South-African public schools. Each year competition gets tougher as a result of the increase in tournaments during school holidays and the nationwide promotion of interschool tournaments. Educators as coaches of school teams carry the responsibility to not only pursue competitiveness, but also care for the safety of the school rugby players. Between 2001 and 2010, 13 of 36 players that obtained spinal related injuries ended up as quadriplegic, according to data from the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund. Statistics show that serious rugby related injuries amongst school rugby players have increased, thus compromising the safety of the rugby player. These statistics add to the central theme of this study, namely educator security. Educator-coaches’ security is greatly influenced by the safety of the school rugby player. The South African Rugby Union (SARU) proceeded to follow the example of other rugby playing countries by implementing a rugby safety program. BOKSMART was launched in 2009 in conjunction with the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players Fund. The rugby safety program is implemented for coaches to guide them with the latest methods regarding skills and techniques for the enhancement of safer rugby. During this study similar rugby programs will be analysed and discussed to determine the effect these programs has on educator-coach safety. To understand the effect more clearly, delictual liability is discussed which is connected to an introduction of the South African legal system. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, education legislation and other legislation with regards to the security of the educator-coaches’ and the safety of the school rugby player is discussed. A discussion regarding the application of the law of delict is also included. During the empirical research a qualitative research method is used to determine and interpret the perceptions of educator-coaches regarding their security. If an educator- coach is confronted with legal actions, it can have a negative effect on his worklife and career. Focus is placed on educator-coaches of high school teams, while principals and sport organisers also gave their input on the subject. Findings are presented based on an analysis of the data gathered. Two important findings stood out, namely that all educator-coaches are not well acquainted with the legal aspects regarding player safety and educator-coach’s security and secondly, that there is a need to gain more knowledge regarding delictual liability, as applied to rugby coaching. / Thesis (MEd (Education Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Current policy to extend early childhood education by placing grade R in public primary schools is politically, economically and educationally motivated. Quality education in grade R has definite long term economic advantages and could ensure equal educational opportunities. The educator is a key factor in this issue and her perception of her work life determines to a large extent the success of the initiative. The work fulfilment of the grade R educator is approached in this research from a labour law perspective and was conducted in the field of Education Law. The philosophic base of Education Law is found in the German educational term geborgenheit, which refers to the safety and security of all role players in education. The experience of security is regarded as a prerequisite for work fulfilment. The Constitution, education legislation, labour law, relevant case law and the common law were studied as legal determinants for work fulfilment. A qualitative enquiry into educators’ perceptions of their work life was conducted amongst participants in a specific area, which included schools from different socio–economic and cultural backgrounds. The essence of the findings is that, in spite of the existence of legislation which in principle should provide for physical and psychological security, educators still experience insecurity and therefore a lack of work fulfilment because of the ineffective implementation of law and policy. Widespread ignorance regarding the nature of quality education in grade R exists and the insistence on educator centralised teaching limits the work fulfilment of especially well–trained educators. Awareness of the advantages of a play based, whole–child approach has to be developed. This approach, as well as knowledge of legal determinants, promote work fulfilment, since both serve the best interests of the child as well as the educator. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Current policy to extend early childhood education by placing grade R in public primary schools is politically, economically and educationally motivated. Quality education in grade R has definite long term economic advantages and could ensure equal educational opportunities. The educator is a key factor in this issue and her perception of her work life determines to a large extent the success of the initiative. The work fulfilment of the grade R educator is approached in this research from a labour law perspective and was conducted in the field of Education Law. The philosophic base of Education Law is found in the German educational term geborgenheit, which refers to the safety and security of all role players in education. The experience of security is regarded as a prerequisite for work fulfilment. The Constitution, education legislation, labour law, relevant case law and the common law were studied as legal determinants for work fulfilment. A qualitative enquiry into educators’ perceptions of their work life was conducted amongst participants in a specific area, which included schools from different socio–economic and cultural backgrounds. The essence of the findings is that, in spite of the existence of legislation which in principle should provide for physical and psychological security, educators still experience insecurity and therefore a lack of work fulfilment because of the ineffective implementation of law and policy. Widespread ignorance regarding the nature of quality education in grade R exists and the insistence on educator centralised teaching limits the work fulfilment of especially well–trained educators. Awareness of the advantages of a play based, whole–child approach has to be developed. This approach, as well as knowledge of legal determinants, promote work fulfilment, since both serve the best interests of the child as well as the educator. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Text in Afrikaans / Sedert 1994 het drastiese veranderinge in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel plaasgevind, wat ’n direkte invloed het op die vlak van werkstevredenheid wat opvoeders ervaar. Alhoewel die ongelykhede van die verlede in hierdie beleid ondersoek is, word sekere organisatoriese faktore wat die moraal van opvoeders beïnvloed egter nie hierin erken nie. In hierdie navorsingstudie maak die navorser gebruik van die kombinasie van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes wat as triangulasie bekend staan. Semigestruktureerde onderhoude (kwalitatief) en vraelyste (kwantitatief) is as data-insamelingstegnieke gebruik om vas te stel wat die aard, omvang en moontlike oplossings vir die navorsingsprobleem is. Faktore wat werksbevrediging by opvoeders beïnvloed, is geïdentifiseer en ondersoek. Aanbevelings is gemaak rakende die rol van die Onderwysdepartement, prinsipaal, kollegas en ouers in opvoeders se werksbevrediging. Die vernaamste hiervan is dat prinsipale werkstevredenheid by opvoeders kan verhoog deur die bou van verhoudings van vertroue, betrokkenheid in die besluitnemingsproses en deur ondersteuningstrukture vir opvoeders in plek te stel. / Since 1994, drastic changes occurred in the education system in South Africa, which had a direct impact on the level of job satisfaction that teachers experienced. Although this policy addressed the inequalities of the past, certain organisational factors influencing the morale of teachers were not recognised herein. In this research study the researcher made use of a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, known as triangulation. Semi-structured interviews (qualitative) and questionnaires (quantitative) were used as data collection techniques to determine the nature, extent and possible solutions to the research problem. Factors affecting job satisfaction among educators were identified and examined. Recommendations were made regarding the role of the Department of Education, principals, colleagues and parents in teachers' job satisfaction. The main recommendation is that principals may maximise teachers’ job satisfaction through building relationships of trust, involvement in the decision-making process and by implementing support structures. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)